Not many movies gross me out enough to leave the theater or, in the case of home rentals, close my eyes on the faux-fur-covered couch. Two movies I rented this weekend were horrifically gory enough to do so, and then some.
Above all else, both movies left me in shock. Not necessarily because of their content, but because I picked two awesome movies in a row.
Anyone who has rented movies with me knows I have an incredible knack for picking out pure duds (think My Left Foot).
But Eden Lake and Martyrs were anything but duds. They were good enough for me to pass along to add to your gore list. Warning: these are sick flicks.
Eden Lake – A couple gets stranded at a remote lake where they are stalked, terrorized and tortured by a band of bawdy 12-year-olds. Movie comes complete with burning bodies and realistic stab wounds that gush black blood.
Highlight: Proves my theory that even a gang of 5-year-olds could kill you.
Lowlight: A dog dies.
Rating (1-10): 8.25
Would have scored higher if the ending were not so predictable although the movie went out of the way to make it seem unpredictable.
Martyrs – A woman who was abused as a child seeks revenge 15 years after the fact. Rather than that being the end of the story, it is only the beginning of a new and horrifying chapter for the woman’s best friend, who ends up worse off than child-abuse victim ever was.
Highlight: Gives you an easy recipe on how to drive someone insane.
Lowlight: It’s a French film dubbed in English that also features English subtitles. This means the actors’ mouths not only don’t match the dubbing, but the dubbing doesn’t match the subtitles. Only after you stop comparing the dubbed words with the subtitles to see which is better English (while wondering if you would understand any of it if it had been left in French) can you begin to enjoy the flick.
Rating (1-10): 11
Sick. Twisted. Grotesque. Shocking surprise ending. Yet it still leaves you with hope. See it and you’ll know what I mean.
See any good, bad or ugly movies this past weekend?
What are your picks for the best gore?
Saw the original version of “The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three” last night and was pleased that it was faithful to the novel. It is remarkably prescient of how caper movies would evolve. Not film reviewer Gargulinski’s cup of gore, though.
Yeah, but my second favorite movie category is anything that takes place on a NYC subway or other underground train. Thus Pelham has been on my fave list, along with Midnight Meat Train, of course.
Evil Dead 1+2, especially the part where Ashs’ dead girlfriend is ballet dancing and her head rolls down her arm. Aunt Henrietta, what a babe! The part where his severed hand is attacking him, hysterical!
LOVE horror and gore. I’ll have to check these out.
Ryn-
Why didn’t you call and invite me over to watch these?!? I’m a horror movie fanatic.
LOL!
HA! Next time!
We’ll have to rent Evil Dead 1+2 as per Rad Max. I think I saw them 100 years ago, but I definitely don’t recall a ballerina having her head roll down her arm.