tohkwongweng Reviews

The Babadook (2014)

All time classic

[9/10 · 22 July 2021]

This is going to go down as one of the best horror movies of all time.

Scared the crap out of me yet had those tender moments between mother n child.

I'm a father of 3 so I can relate.

We will always protect our kids at the expense of ourselves despite evil forces.

This was my 3rd time watching as I'm a huge horror fan and it still was as good as ever.

Marianne (2019)

Pretty good horror series

[8/10 · 6 April 2020]

I'm a massive horror fan and after watching The Haunting of Hill House and being completely blown away I've been on the lookout for anything that comes close on Netflix. Marianne definitely didn't disappoint, goosebump inducing scares are always a good sign and a lot of scenes were genuinely scary. The plot was simple enough to follow even though I had to read the subtitles and whilst nothing that new was covered it was reasonably well executed. Marianne really came across as evil. Unlike some series that have you wondering how the entity became evil, a nice tidy and not too contrived explanation was offered to viewers roughly half way through. The only real fault I could find was Emma the alcoholic writer, too cliched I'm afraid. But ignore that and have a blast watching!

Night of the Demons 2 (1994)

Adding this one to my collection

[8/10 · 15 January 2020]

Got to admit I watched this with no idea what to expect. What I got was a marvellous comedy-horror movie. Pity about the negative reviews. Everything was pretty much over the top and really nicely executed. Remember this was made in 1994, pretty sure CGI was nowhere as high tech as it is today which made it all the more special. Loved the obvious little references to "Evil Dead" (The original not the remake) one of my favourite horror movies of all time. And demonic possession and the power of Christ over all things evil just basically floats my boat. Sister Gloria was holy and hilarious at the same time! The demon Angela as a literal serpent at the end was biblically brilliant. Loved it loved it loved it.

The Shrine (2010)

Definitely one of the better horror movies.

[8/10 · 6 October 2019]

Only horror movie geeks like myself can appreciate this one and definitely doesn't deserve a low score. This one made me think "was it that good?", and after much pondering I thought if you enjoyed the story and the twist at the end then it's good horror. Never mind the shallow character development that can easily be overlooked once the movie gets going. The story was original enough, especially the fog in the forest shrouding the Shrine to fallen angels (hence the title) and whosoever should be unlucky enough to look upon it shall become possessed by a demon. By the end of the movie you realise that the villagers are not the evil protagonists but only protecting themselves from the threat of demons running amok.

The Nightmare Gallery (2019)

Complete and utter rubbish

[1/10 · 12 September 2019]

I failed to see how this movie could be anyway related to horror. An absolutely contrived storyline which made absolutely no sense throughout and wasn't scary in the least. Horror movies are not designed to be intellectuallized that's why they are called horror movies. They are designed to shock the audience, they are meant to instill fear in the viewer and at the very least they are supposed to be creepy. All of which were absent here. A total waste of time.

It Chapter Two (2019)

Absolutely loved it!

[7/10 · 7 September 2019]

As a huge Stephen King fan I have been eagerly awaiting Chapter 2 and this I'm really happy to say, it didn't disappoint. Definitely upped the scare factor and at several junctures in the movie I got goosebumps. And that's the measure of a great scary movie. How good was the Scary Grandma? What a work of genius! Possibly one of the best contemporary horror movies ever and as someone who almost exclusively watches only scary movies i've had a lot to compare against. There were some derivative scenes (think M Night Shyamalam-The Visit and John Carpenter-The Thing) but they were essential to the creepiness factor. In no way did it detract from the quality. The only reason why it's not a 10/10 is because it was a tad too long and that can be my only criticism. Put that aside and appreciate the movie.

Deliver Us from Evil (I) (2014)

Brilliant Possession movie!

[9/10 · 30 August 2019]

Could be the most authentic demonic possession movie I've seen since watching The Exorcist. As a practicing Catholic this is a favourite sub-genre of horror for me. And I am also a devout follower of scary movies lol. Exorcism was always a bit of a mystery for me so it was a learning experience about the ritual and phases and the power of the Cross. And true to the facts about demons they can only enter into our world through gateways and those who are susceptible. Woe to the unlucky who stumble upon such gateways. What made the movie even more authentic was that it was based on facts. And it is a fact that the devil is real, without trying to sound too preachy.

Event Horizon (1997)

Really good sci-fi horror

[9/10 · 29 August 2019]

Definitely one of the best sci-fi horror movies ever. Even though much of the impending evil was implied or glimpsed it was enough to imagine how bad it could have been if it was unleashed. Loved watching Sam Neill as the brilliant but insanely evil Dr Weir. Obviously some shades of Clive Barker's Hellraiser throughout but it was all good in the context of the possessed space ship. Another one for the horror movie collection for sure.

28 Weeks Later (2007)

Absolutely brilliant

[9/10 · 22 August 2019]

Much better than 28 Days. The descent into chaos began with a simple kiss between husband and wife. Dad (Don) became the first to be newly infected and commits the first Rage killing no less on Mum (Alice). Brilliant medicine that Mum was a carrier of the Rage virus yet immune to its symptoms because of a genetic abnormality causing one green eye and one brown which she shared with Andy. Looked like Dad and Tammy weren't so lucky. The ferocity of the virus was definitely dialed up a notch. And despite the US Army's over the top attempt to eradicate the virus it was a dismal failure. The ending just showed the futility of it all....one of the best genre horror movies ever. Another one for the collection. Almost the perfect scary movie.

Let Me Make You a Martyr (2016)

What a complete load of rubbish

[1/10 · 22 August 2019]

45 minutes in I still couldn't understand what it was all about other than good for nothing junkies shooting up. So I gave up. Suggest watching only if you are a junkie yourself maybe you'll be able to get the jist of it. Wasn't prepared to sit through 102 minutes of this crap.

The Thing (I) (2011)

Good sci-fi horror movie

[8/10 · 21 August 2019]

I think I missed this when it was released in 2011-2012 and I'm really glad that I managed to pick up a DVD from Amazon recently. Loved the simple premise of an ancient alien life form being able to replicate human and when it failed to completely do so the results were grotesque and twisted. Whilst this is not a unique concept this movie managed to pull it off to horrifying effect. And everyone at some point being suspected of being its' host, whilst also not unique, added to its' overall effectiveness. Nice couple of twists there at the end too. One to keep in my horror movie collection. Now as this is a prelude to John Carpenter's movie i'll have to re-watch the 1982 movie again. My memory is not what it once was lol.

Ash vs Evil Dead (2015–2018)

What an absolute riot!

[9/10 · 20 May 2019]

Loved it loved it loved it. The original Evil Dead movie is still one of my favourite horror movies of all time! 2 and 3 combined humour with horror which was ground breaking back then. Always wanted an Evil Dead 4 and this 30 episode follow up 30 years later did not disappoint! Loved the combination of humour and bloodiness. Completely over the top with the spillage of blood and guts! Definitely my cup of tea. And Dana Delorenzo is so smoking hot as Kelly. Loved the bad girl vibe. It's just a pity that it all had to end. Come on Sam Raimi! Let's see more of what you got, all horror movie fans want more!

Mother of Tears (2007)

Very original story

[8/10 · 13 March 2019]

I originally scored this a 7 but then realised how much I enjoyed the movie so I changed it to an 8. Wow! Great story regarding the 3 witches with the final one being of course the Mother of Tears. Horror movies are meant to be scary, violent, gory and full of nubile young things flaunting their goods and this one had all of it. The deputy curator being disembowelled in full gory detail at the Museum set the standard for the rest of the movie and I was never disappointed. Great work Dario. Those who scored this movie in the lowly range obviously have no appreciation for scary movies. Definitely keeping this one in my collection for future viewing.

Don't Leave Home (2018)

Utter Rubbish

[1/10 · 11 March 2019]

How does this movie classify under the horror genre? Zero scares, violence, gore and everything that makes a great scary movie was nowhere to be seen. An exceptionally dull, boring and nonsensical film that made me want to flush my head down the toilet at the end. As is typical of movie critics they haven't the slightest clue what they are talking about when rating horror movies. All horror fans give this one the widest possible berth. This movie is really deserving of a WTF response. 0.1/10

The Drownsman (2014)

Definitely better than average scary movie

[7/10 · 12 February 2019]

Why all the poor scores? Having watched a lot of very average scary movies I didn't know what to expect with this one and I must say this was refreshing to watch. Whilst not over the top scary it was far from lame. I found the concept of a serial killer who kills by drowning his victims, all he needs is as little as the smallest puddle of water, original. The better scary movies always have a twist here and there, and the first twist came (about 45 minutes in) just after the girls went to visit the killer of the Drownsman in his mortal form. I didn't expect it but everything made sense after that. With a lot of scary movies I'm always asking myself wtf at the end precisely because nothing made any sense but this one wrapped it up nicely. Also the ending was good enough. Just when we think the Monster is dead HE ISN'T. 7.5/10

Another Soul (2018)

Worst scary movie ever

[1/10 · 9 February 2019]

I am literally speechless or in this case wordless. What a complete load of crap. The acting was atrocious and the special effects were not special but cheesy. A red demon hahahahahahahahahaha!

Cult of Chucky (2017)

What an absolute riot!!!

[9/10 · 14 January 2019]

This one was almost the perfect scary movie. I watched 'Curse' then 'Cult' together both in their unrated versions and whilst I thought 'Curse' was pretty good, 'Cult' was an absolute blast! Not one Chucky but 3! Awesome! The ingenious ways in which everyone met their untimely demise was truly a work of scary movie art and I'm so glad that they were depicted with no holds barred. Watch it to believe it! I haven't had this much fun watching Chucky since the original Childs Play and 'Cult' payed great homage to it in that regard. Fiona Dourif's morph into evil towards the end was an absolutely brilliant twist and I never saw it coming. And I've said it before but I'll say it again, the twist in a twisted scary movie makes it great. Definitely one to be kept in my collection for future viewing.

The Ruins (2008)

Better than average scary movie

[7/10 · 23 December 2018]

This one has been in my collection for awhile and I finally got round to watching it. I remember reading the book by Scott Smith some years ago. Loved the idea of carnivorous vines preying on dead people and for the most part the movie managed to pull off the suspense factor although it wasn't all that scary. Lots of gore though to appreciate. Still it was highly enjoyable to watch even though the ending was a little predictable.

Art of the Devil II (2005)

Pretty decent Thai horror

[7/10 · 12 December 2018]

Really didn't know what to expect having watched this after Art of the Devil which was rather mediocre. This one however was far better. It still had the black magic and curses like the first movie but this was a far superior product. It took me a little while to figure out what was going on but it all tied neatly together at the end with a pretty awesome plot twist at the end. And I've said it before but I'll say it again THAT is what makes the difference between a good scary movie and an average one 7.5/10

Saw 3D (2010)

Bloody (!) Fantastic

[9/10 · 19 November 2018]

Saw 4,5,6 didn't really offer anything new but this one offered a more than satisfying conclusion yet still beg the question wtf could possibly happen next with Hoffman in chains in the precise same place as it all began. Jill's demise at a completely off-the-rails Costas Mandylor (what a brutally chilling performance by him) was absolutely brilliant although not surprising. Loved the whole punishment and retribution aspect dealt out to horrible people and this one was no different and 'blood n guts' wise over the top. In the case of Bobby Dagen's wife, Joyce? Just collateral damage for a piss poor excuse of a man who chose to profit from others misfortunes. Kind of like all the other Jigsaw victims don't you think?

Saw III (2006)

As good as the first.

[9/10 · 17 November 2018]

Loved it loved it loved it! Nicely tied up all the loose ends, although few and far between. Really liked how everything in Saw 1 and 2 was so ingeniously wrapped up. Pity Jigsaw had to die though. Despite the macabre and horrific nature of his crimes he gave all the ready and willing victims a choice and they all chose wrongly and paid the ultimate price. Really glad I binge watched 1,2 and 3. Everything made perfect sense and the planning involved to execute his game, although mind-boggling at times, was sheer brilliance. These 3 are going to go down as some of my all-time favourite scary movies and are a worthy addition to anyone's scary movie collection. 9.5/10

Saw (2004)

Crazy good!

[9/10 · 17 November 2018]

I watched this one again after a 14 year absence and was reminded what an excellent scary movie this is. The sick ways in which the victims all succumbed or in the case of Amanda, nearly succumbed, was truly from the mind of a genius in the genre. Plus the ending was absolutely killer and THAT is what makes a truly great scary movie. I also liked the message that Jigsaw wanted to tell his victims: Be grateful. The story was not so complex that I had to ask questions and any questions that I may have had were so very neatly tied together in the final closing minutes. Definitely one for any scary movie aficionados' collection. 9.5/10

Hereditary (2018)

Witchcraft and Demonic possession

[2/10 · 8 November 2018]

I was hoping to catch this one on the big screen but due to work and family commitments was unable to,so I bought the dvd. I'm glad now that I missed it. Obviously Hollywood critics have absolutely no idea what makes a really great scary movie and there is no conceivable way this deserves any more than a 2 and I gave it that because the scares, mild as they were, only came in the last 15 minutes. The rest of the movie was incredibly boring and absolutely too long. Additionally I had to put up with depressing issues of anger, hate, resentment and guilt! Of course the demon King Paimon, one of the 8 kings of hell, finds an easy target! Didn't quite understand either why it was called 'Hereditary' either, other than Grandma being a satanic witch who cursed her own family. And why all the naked old ghosts towards the end? Nonsensical! What was the significance of headless grandma's corpse? Nothing made sense and no decent answers were provided! Was Charlie a witch in making too or just an unwilling victim? 2 hours I wasted on this one. Give it a really wide berth, seriously.

The Gravedancers (2006)

Finally one for the grownups!

[7/10 · 7 November 2018]

Most definitely does not deserve such Low scores. I can only surmise that the reviews of 1 are not scary movie freaks like me. Found the story line refreshingly original (see below) and a plus for me was the above 30 year olds being haunted. Watching young people as the victims in scary movies is starting to get a bit wearisome. Curses that follow you home and progress in their intensity as the next moon approaches will always get my thumbs up in a scary movie and this movie had its scary moments. Who would have thought a child arsonist, an axe-wielding piano teacher and a sick pervert could manifest themselves in the lives of those who were unlucky enough to inadvertently dance on their graves? 7.5/10.

The Haunting of Hill House (2018)

Absolutely brilliant!

[9/10 · 3 November 2018]

Loved this one. I could relate on so many different levels not too mention it was goosebump inducing scary at precisely the right moments, which basically means when you least expect it. That's why this series was so immensely enjoyable. Really don't have much more to say without spoiling the enjoyment. Watch it!