Well, it’s the final week of The Madness! Here’s what I managed to watch!
The Films
Werewolf Wednesday
This week, Kweeny posted an audio clip and I had no idea what the movie was, but as soon as I saw Eric Martin express his hatred for the movie, I knew it could only be one movie.
Total Points: 8
Cursed (2005) 1h, 37m
So, Wes Craven, Kevin Williamson and a pretty star studded cast got together and made a bad to mediocre werewolf movie. The two things that stuck out as the worst for me were the transformations and Jessie Eisenberg’s dialogue. The final fight was pretty awful too. I laughed out loud at the werewolf flipping off the siblings.
2/5
The Mandolorian Premier
While not horror, there will be about a million little Mandos this Halloween. I loved the first episode of Season 2.
Total Points: 6
Godzilla – The Millennium Era
Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999) 1h, 47m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Once again, the series gets a reboot, ignoring everything except the original film. The 1998 American version had a lot to do with this, as it was widely considered to be a terrible rendition of Godzilla.
3.5/5
Godzilla vs Megaguirus (2000) 1h, 45m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Godzilla vs something that looks like a mutant mosquito. Not one of my favorites.
2/5
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghoidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001) 1h, 45m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Yet another direct sequel to the original, but this is probably one of the best. Godzilla returns, hell bent on destroying Japan, but this time, the Guardian Monsters are here to battle him. Mothra, Ghidorah and Baragon are the good guys this time around, and it takes all of them to stop Godzilla.
4/5
Godzilla against Mechagodzilla (2002) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Another direct sequel to the original and Mecha is built out of the skeleton of the original Godzilla.
3/5
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Mothra is pissed that humanity has desecrated the remains of Godzilla by building Mecha out of the bones of the first Godzilla. Fighting ensues. Mecha ends up flying Godzilla out to the ocean and submerging them both.
4/5
Godzilla – The Reiwa Era
Shin Godzilla (2016) 2h, 0m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
Similar storyline, but enough differences to make this a great entry. The evolution of Godzilla is different, as are his powers. I love the different camera work as well.
4.5/5
Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (2017) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
In this timeline, Godzilla takes over the Earth, forcing Humanity, along with two other Alien races to evacuate the Earth. 10,000 years later, Humans return to Earth in an attempt to recolonize, only to find Godzilla still roaming.
3.5/5
Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle (2018) 1h, 40m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
The story continues with the discovery of MechGodzilla City, an evolution on the original designed to fight Godzilla. Also, we don’t see her, but we are leading up to Mothra as well.
3/5
Godzilla: The Planet Eater (2018) 1h, 30m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
I was pretty impressed how this all came together. I didn’t quite expect some of the developments, but thought Ghidorah looked pretty cool. Nice update to the usual Godzilla story.
3.5/5
Godzilla – The American Films
Godzilla (1998) 2h, 19m
Total Points: 7.5 (ATB: Godzilla)
The marketing blitz when this came out was insane and the excitement for this film was massive. It flopped. Hard. It still made money, but this wasn’t Godzilla. Toho apparently agreed as they scrambled to get Godzilla 2000 ready to go. I don’t hate it though, it’s just not really a Godzilla movie.
3/5
Godzilla (2014) 2h, 3m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
16 years later, American Cinema got another crack at Godzilla. I don’t think it was a homerun, but it was good enough, and set the ground work for a new Godzilla era. One that included Kong. It was a good move.
3.5/5
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) 2h, 12m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Godzilla)
The story continues and the discovery at the end of Kong that there are more monsters expands. We see a lot of Kaiju here, including Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah. There is some amazing cinematography here and this is a fun ride.
4.5/5
The Rest!
It Came from the Desert (2017) 1h, 30m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animal Attack on Humans; (2) Animals attack in large numbers; (3)Animals are oversized; (4)Animals were mutated by meteor and then genetically engineered)
There is some pretty horrendous acting, but I had fun with this one. Giant ants crash a party of motocross racers.
2.5/5
Night Claws (2011) 1h, 23m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Bigfoot)
I guess I didn’t learn my lesson with all the shitty Bigfoot movies last week. This one isn’t good, and so much of it is really dark, making it hard to see.
2/5
Piranha 3D (2010) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the first 4 Bonus Elements: (1)Animals Attack; (2)Animals Attack in Large Numbers; (3)Animals are oversize (the adult at the end of the movie); also A Force of Nature Accompanies the Event (Earthquake that released the Piranha)
I love this movie. I had a ton of fun seeing it in the theatre when it dropped and love revisiting it often.
4/5
Deep Rising (1998) 1h, 46m
Total Points: 5 (Animal Attack; Animal is Oversize; Cryptid/Tenticles; Weather Event foreshadows the peril)
I love this one too. Treat Williams is awesome in this, and the creature design is outstanding. This needed a sequel in the worst way.
4/5
The Meg (2018) 1h, 53m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
Hollywood cast and budget and a heck of a lot of fun. This one is pretty divisive, but I love it for what it is.
3.5/5
The Sighting (2016) 1h, 38m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Bigfoot)
I actually enjoyed this one! Perhaps my Bigfoot movie tolerance is increasing? This one is part mystery, part Bigfoot movie.
3/5
Zombi 2 (1979) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB – Shark Attack!)
One of my all time favorite horror movies and happy to say it fits into our theme this year with the Zombie vs Shark scene. Great zombie movie.
5/5
Empire of the Ants (1977) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits all 4 of the first bonus elements: (1) Animals Attack; (2) Animals Attack in Large Numbers (3) Animals are Oversized; (4) Animals have been mutated)
Toxic waste mutates ants and ruins the day of a sleezy land developer. I cheered when rapey Larry got it. Movie takes a weird turn when the ants take over the local town.
2.5/5
Boa vs Python (2004) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (3) Animals are Oversized; (4) Animals have been genetically altered)
This one was pretty awful. The story was weak, and the acting was worse. For anyone with any amount of hunting experience or military training, everyone in this movie was a moron.
1/5
Anaconda (1997) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 5 (Animal Attacks; Animal is Oversized; Takes place in a Jungle (Rain Forest))
I love this cheese fest. Great cast and an insane Jon Voight with an equally insane accent. The wink should garner a bonus point all on its own.
4/5
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004) 1h, 37m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (2) Animals Attack in Large Numbers (mating pit at the end); (3) Animals are Oversized; Also, Lost in the Jungle/Rain Forest)
Pretty solid sequel that proves, once again, that humans are the real monsters.
Anaconda 3: Offspring (2008) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (3) Animals are Oversized; (4) Animals are Genetically Altered)
We’ve moved into SyFy territory. What’s that mean? Cheaper FX budget and David Hasselhoff.
2.5/5
Anacondas: Trail of Blood (2009) 1h, 29m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (3) Animals are Oversized; (4) Animals are Genetically Altered)
Genetic anaconda hijinks continue. Bad CGI, people die, pseudo science. It’s like a theme for this month.
2/5
Lake Placid (1999) 1h, 22m
Total Points: 5 (Animal Attacks, Animal is Oversize; Filmed in Forest)
Love this movie. The humor works well with the cast, especially Betty White and Oliver Platt.
4/5
Lake Placid 2 (2007) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (3) Animals are Oversized; (4) Animals are Altered – The meat Sadie is feeding the Crocs is loaded with Growth Hormone)
The baby crocs from the end of Lake Placid are grown, and hungry. Cloris Leachman does an admirable job as Betty White’s sister. The FX are SyFy level and the film suffers from it. The humor is also forced.
2/5
Lake Placid 3 (2010) 1h, 36m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (2) Animals Attack in Large Numbers (Baby Crocs in the opening scene; (3) Animals are Oversized)
More baby crocs to start the movie, and then fast forward 2 years, which seems like a short time for a croc to go from 4 feet to 30 feet, but I’m no zoologist. Slightly more tolerable than part 2.
2.5/5
Lake Placid: The Final Chapter (2012) 1h, 31m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Hits 3 of the First 4 Elements: (1) Animals Attack; (2) Animals Attack in Large Numbers (Jet Ski scene; (3) Animals are Oversized)
Reba is back, but this time as an EPA agent. A group of poachers sneak into the now fenced in Black Lake to hunt the crocodiles, resulting in a group of high school students following through the open gate. Can the authorities rescue them in time, and just how many damn crocs are in this place?
3/5
Trick ‘r Treat (2007) 1h, 28m
Total Points: 6 (ATB: Werewolves)
The perfect Halloween homage. I can’t believe this struggled to get distribution.
5/5
The Totals:
Werewolf Wednesday: 8
The Mandolorian Premier: 6
Godzilla: The Millennium Era: 30 (6*5)
Godzilla: The Reiwa Era: 24 (6*4)
Godzilla: The American Films: 19.5 (7.5 + (2*6))
The Rest: 105
Week 4 Total: 192.5