Happy Halloween ghouls!! Such a magical time of year when all the freaks come out to play - it’s me, I am freaks. For my last horror movie recommendation for this month, I rewatched one of my absolute favorites - 2009’s ‘The Triangle’.

This is more in the thriller genre but the storyline is interesting and also, shall I say, scary. Im doing my own plot synopsis today because I just adore this film. It opens with a group of friends (including a very sexy, young Liam Hemsworth) preparing to go sailing in the Atlantic on a yacht.  Our main character, Jess seems a little dazed and confused from the very beginning even having trouble remembering where her son is, who, we gather, she was supposed to bring on the sailing trip. She’s disoriented and we’re not sure why, but even her new friends think she’s acting more than a little bit weird.

All of sudden, in open water, they lose all wind in their sail and essentially get stuck in the middle of the ocean with an eerie storm brewing not too far off. It’s a strange scene watching the sail go completely limp and their boat become enveloped in the violent storm.  They get some strange interference on the radio when calling for help - also, according to the coast guard, there is no storm on the radar. Something is definitely amiss.

The yacht their sailing does not withstand the storm and capsizes forcing the group to board a mysterious ship that seemingly appears out of nowhere. However, after boarding they soon realize that the ship is abandoned, but that’s the least of their worries.

Fun fact: the ship is called the Aeolus, who was the god of wind. There’s a Sysiphus reference here - in Greek mythology, Sysiphus was condemned by the gods to push a rock up a mountain only to see it roll down again for all eternity. This is an important reference for the plot, so keep that in mind.

We soon start to feel that perhaps they aren’t alone. Perhaps their being stalked. They discover weird cryptic messages and always seem to be one step behind whoever is watching them.

The first time I saw this it really messed with my head and I was so blown away by the creative story. I really didn’t want to give too much away with my recap because there’s a pretty good twist here that I would hate to ruin. But this movie is exciting and keeps a fast pace from the very beginning. It’s kind of a mental mind fuck and I absolutely love it.  And rewatching after all these years, I think it still holds up and is really the type of film that’s going to keep you on your toes, start to finish.

Fair warning it can get pretty violent, so if you don’t like that, just move right along.  This is a thrilling adventure and it does not slow down. Enjoy! Happy trick or treating. And Happy Halloween!!!

Fallin into Fall

Happy to feel this fall weather change. I can actually wear a long sleeved top again lol. Hey remember American Apparel? I totally forgot I still had this skirt. It’s still cute - wish they didn’t dissolve.

Another from the vaults of my horror loving memories is an off-the-beaten-path gem. ‘The Nightmare’ isn’t technically a horror I think it’s more of a documentary with a horrifying subject. The film digs into the accounts of multiple people and their similar experiences with sleep paralysis.

It doesn’t sound like much (if you’re a psycho) - but it’s a condition where people are unable to move speak or react kind of a state between awake and sleep. It’s pretty freaky and I’ve experienced it a couple times when I was a kid. Thankfully never to the level of these people in the movie.

(From #rottentomatoes):

“A documentary-horror film exploring the phenomenon of 'Sleep Paralysis’ through the eyes of eight very different people. These people often find themselves trapped between the sleeping and waking worlds, totally unable to move but aware of their surroundings while being subject to frequently disturbing sights and sounds. A strange element to these visions is that despite the fact that they know nothing of one another, many see similar ghostly 'shadow men.’ This is one of many reasons many people insist this is more than just a sleep disorder. This documentary digs deep into not only the particulars of these eight people’s uncanny experiences, but it also explores their search to understand what they’ve gone through and how it’s changed their lives.”

And that’s where it goes from “oh this is an interesting documentary about a common experience“, to, “these people are clearly being tormented by demons”.  There’s literally no middle ground. We go from actual sleep studies to way out there existential theorizing. At the end of the thing I didn’t know what to think anymore. Are they seeing demons? Aliens? Multidimensional brings? And how are all their “visions” so similar? This movie actually scared the living crap out of me and I was afraid to sleep for a few after I watched it.

It’s creepy because perhaps we’ve all felt the sensation of sleep paralysis at least once. When I was a kid, they said that it was the devil sitting on your chest. That’s a pretty messed up thing to say to a kid. However, considering the shared visions these total strangers have, it all makes me kinda believe that old saying now.

I actually could not watch this film a second time. It still kind of haunts me when I think about. This is a really good scary film, one that will definitely have you keeping one eye open at night. Don’t let the devil sit on your chest.

I’m know I’m a little late this week. I’ve been in LA on a work trip but I did NOT forget about my October promise of giving you guys my favorite horror movie suggestions. This week we’re kickin it old school with a Halloween classic - ‘Hellraiser’!

Hellraiser was released in theaters in 1987 the year before I was born. I actually didn’t watch this movie until my 20s because as a child the cover on the VHS (yes I said it) scared the shit out of me. This was a smart move, because when I finally did watch it, it messed me all the way up.

Ok brief synopsis taken from #google:

Sexual deviant Frank (Sean Chapman) inadvertently opens a portal to hell when he tinkers with a box he bought while abroad. The act unleashes gruesome beings called Cenobites, who tear Frank’s body apart. When Frank’s brother (Andrew Robinson) and his wife, Julia (Clare Higgins), move into Frank’s old house, they accidentally bring what is left of Frank back to life. Frank then convinces Julia, his one-time lover, to lure men back to the house so he can use their blood to reconstruct himself.

Yo - this description is gnarly and totally spot on. The plot is absolutely terrifying and the practical effects used are gruesomely vivid. There’s a scene where we actually see Frank’s body being “reborn” and it is the stuff of nightmares. Honestly, I still can’t get it out of my head.

This film freaks me out because of how they portray the idea of different dimensions. It’s got a cool sci-fi angle that’s just real enough to make you believe this could be an actual possibility. And that notion is actually terrifying.

This movie has definitely withstood the test of time and is just as creepy now (if not more) than it was when it first came out. Do yourself a favor and treat your twisted side to one my all-time favorite horror flicks, ‘HELLRAISER’. It’s currently streaming on #HULU and can be rented anywhere you like to stream. Enjoy.