Last time out we left you with the first part of our trilogy for horror films beginning with the letter M. We continue on with our middle installment that has some modern classics, a wonderful 30s film and some under appreciated flicks. Lets get into it shall we?
The Midnight Meat Train (2008)
A great adaption of Clive Barkers novel by Ryûhei Kitamura. While it is still odd to see Vinnie Jones in films, this is a film that builds on the plot and allows a good deal of suspense to remain. The psychological elements in the film are the strongest point of the film despite a large amount of gore. A clever film that was excellently cast, it is a shame that we did not see more of this director as there is so much to enjoy here.
Midsommar (2019)
I enjoyed Midsommar much more than Ari Asters first film Hereditary (I remain one of the few who did not fall in love with that one). While the film runs on a little too long (we won’t go on about the needless extended cut). There is so much to enjoy in this dread-filled nightmare in such a beautiful setting. Florence Pugh is so well cast here that you wonder if the film would work with out here. This is a film where you will need multiple viewings to catch everything thanks to the detailed layers spread throughout the film. A great modern horror.
Miss Zombie (2013)
Filmed in black and white we have a zombie movie that is a little different. With the premise that zombies can be servants and are sentient enough to complete tasks, this is as much a family drama as it is a horror. This is a very human story, that does take its time but this pace and lack of dialogue are perfect. Ideally, it would have almost been better to remove all dialogue from the film and to have it as a silent film. But, the minimalistic nature works tremendously to bring you as the audience into the film. This is a film that surprised me and you may never feel as sorry for a zombie as you do in Miss Zombie
Midnight Son (2011)
A great low budget vampire flick that attempts to cement itself with some semblance of reality. Midnight Son continually tries to be subtle with its imagery to great success. For a low budget film, the acting is of great quality. Lead Zak Kilberg is great here and it is a shame that he didn’t star in more films. For a film with such a small budget, there is more suspense and intrigue here than in films with multiple times the budget. A superb little flick.
Mimic (1997)
Guillermo del Toro’s first furore into English language horror. The atmosphere is spectacular with that now trademark del Toro style. There has always been the thought for me that Mimic didn’t perform as well because people expected it to be filled with scares and jumps. Yet, it is far more than that, it is a smarter film than you would think it is. For fans of del Toro, you will find many of his tropes that will resurface again and again in his next great features. An underrated gem.
M (1931)
One of if not the greatest of Fritz Langs films (We still plump for Metropolis in this house). A story that is as grim as they come for a film of the time detailing a serial killer who preys only on children and the massive hunt for him. The use of light and shadow is inspired here to create this disturbing piece of cinema. Why disturbing you ask? Well, for the fact that Lang and the brilliant Lorre make the audience feel towards our killer. An unbelievable film.
Memories (1995)
Told over three anime shorts, Memories is an anthology to remember with a good mixture of the genre, though be warned, do not go in expecting the films to have a connection, as they simply do not. Our first short “Magnetic Rose” is the outright best with “Stink Bomb” being the comic relief before we delve back into the horror side of things with “Cannon Fodder”. For the fans of anime two of these are directed by Akira creator Otomo Katsuhiro, you can probably guess which two after you watch them… A great watch and it is always nice to include some anime here on the list.
Monster Party (2018)
A darkly funny horror that doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be at the start, or maybe that was the purposeful misdirect from director Chris von Hoffman. Either way, the jokes soon disappear for some hyper-violent action resulting in an utter blast of a film. You most certainly will not be left wanting with the gore or bored as the story unfolds. This is very much a film for fans of the genre as it wears its heart on its sleeve and has no shame in it. Von Hoffman has a great cast here and it does wonders for a film when it is cast well. A joy.
The Mist (2007)
One of the best adaptions of a Stephen King novel is Frank Darabont’s The Mist. As mentioned with Monster Party, when a film is cast right, half of the work is done and here Darabont was able to fill the film with some great character actors who keep us on the edge of our seat throughout and to THAT ending. A word to the wise, however, a black and white version of The Mist was released and if there was a version that I would recommend that you catch, it would be this one.
Misery (1990)
Another great Stephen King adaption that would not work without James Caan and Kathy Bates performances. They are so compelling on-screen together that any flaws that are there on the screen are easily forgotten. Director Rob Reiner shows his adaptability as a director and somehow can create a successful and suspenseful film, without the cliché tropes and in the end, made a film that was highly influential for the next decade on the genre.
Mohawk (2017)
A brutal low budget film that for some reason audiences haven’t yet realised is a great watch. This is a lean story that just powers its way through. A chase revenge movie that should be more well known. The low budget is the one and only disadvantage as this is a film that has a lot to say in a fresh manner. Mohawk is the type of horror which is the type of horror that I love the most
Moebius (2013)
We end this week in Korea with a wonderfully artistic film that is unrelentingly brutal yet has the darkest of humour within it. We would be lying if Moebius wasn’t a difficult watch it could be seen as a downright endurance test to some. This is a painful film, emotionally and psychologically, and it is not a happy tale for the characters within. Though for anyone aware enough with Kim Ki-Duk, they will know that he doesn’t hold back on the horrible visuals.
That is us for now until we return for part 3 next week!
Horror films to watch: Letter A
Horror films to watch: Letter B
Horror films to watch: Letter B (Part 2)
Horror films to watch: Letter C
Horror films to watch: Letter D
Horror films to watch: Letter E
Horror films to watch: Letter F
Horror films to watch: Letter G
Horror films to watch: Letter H: Part 1
Horror films to watch: Letter H: Part 2
Horror films to watch: Letter H: Part 3
Horror films to watch: Letter I; Part 1
Horror films to watch: Letter I – Part 2
Horror films to watch; Letter J
Horror films to watch; Letter K
Horror films to watch: Letter L
Horror films to watch: Letter M
Horror films to watch: Letter M (Part 2)
Horror films to watch: Letter M (part 3)
Horror films to watch: Letter N
Horror films to watch: Letter N (Part 2)
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Midsommar was super intense and good.
I still have to see M. However, two years ago they did a reimagined version for Austrian TV and it was SO bad. 😅