helenmcguin Reviews

Mandy (I) (2018)

Creepy well made one time watch

[5/10 · 18 April 2020]

Great creepy direction. Love Nic Cage. A bit too action style for my liking. Enjoyed one time watch

Spring (I) (2014)

Yeah right

[1/10 · 18 April 2020]

Another 'horror' 'art' film. Watch it if you want to be bored to death.

Bliss (I) (2019)

Don't give me that cutesy little hipster skank

[1/10 · 18 April 2020]

'Artsy? Is that what that preposterous shrieking stinking pile of meatloaf was?

I can appreciate arty horror. 'Out of Skin' was terrific.

'Bliss' is trash posing as 'art'.

Hereditary (2018)

Overrated seen it all before horror

[5/10 · 15 April 2020]

This film is all over the place & even steals scenes from a silly film like 'Poltergeist'. The overacting from zero talent trollop Toni Collette is very distracting.

Scary? maybe once or twice from that 'click click' girl.

Midsommar (2019)

First 1 hour led me in to be assaulted

[4/10 · 15 April 2020]

Initially drawn in by the opening intrigue. Interesting premise, realistic acting.

My eyes were then attacked by some very disturbing & disgusting sights that I'll never be able to forget. Why didn't I turn it off from then? Because like witnessing a very ugly shocking car accident, I just couldn't turn away.

Oh and the fornication ? Oh my... Wtf??? Was it a comedy?

There really is NO point for a film like this to be made except for some psychopath film maker to get his rocks off.

Baby Blues (2008 Video)

Fast paced horror but brutal

[8/10 · 15 April 2020]

I can take humans being harmed in movies, but not little babies or animals. Be warned.

Just Go with It (2011)

Nicole Kidman ruined it for me

[5/10 · 15 April 2020]

Everyone was funny in this, except that preposterous serial film killer Nicole Kidman. Who said she could do comedy. Who said she could do anything but marry Tammy Cruz & become famous for being famous. Nauseating tart.

Absentia (I) (2011)

Who put the doggie in the garbage bag

[3/10 · 15 April 2020]

I was actually going along with this silly nonsense, until story started bring in animals as victims.. NO

Gretel & Hansel (2020)

Dis-appoint-ment

[3/10 · 15 April 2020]

I've been waiting to see this for ages, only because I loved the director's previous two outings 'The Blackcoats Daughter' & 'The Pretty Young Thing that lives in the House'.

After seeing 'Gretel..' I feel that someone in Hollywoodland watched those earlier great films, recognised Osgood Perkins' talent to create creepier than creeps horror, then proceeded to hire him to make a kiddies flick to educate boys & girls on how to be girls & boys.

Only positive was Alice Krige, the actress playing the old witch. I remember her from an old movie called 'Ghost Story'. She's a natural creep, pity she didn't have a better movie than this to make a reappearance.

Caligula (1979)

Disgusting Trash

[1/10 · 12 April 2020]

How anyone can gain any artistic appreciation or entertainment out of this 'movie' is incomprehensible. It is the most offensive, obscene, depressing, pile of filth ever made. I'd give it a zero if it was possible.

The Good Liar (2019)

The Bad Lie

[1/10 · 12 April 2020]

The bad lie was that this was a good film. Since it was on at the cinema with 'Dame' Helen Mirren, a so called 'esteemed' actress, I went out of my way to see it. To say the storyline is 'far fetched' is an understatement.

Stupid characters with demented dialogue.

I want my money back.

I Trapped the Devil (2019)

Bingo !

[9/10 · 12 April 2020]

Jackpot ! 21st century great serious horror. A rare find. Grab it, watch it, fear it, don't let it go, love it !!!

9/10 instead of 10/10 only because slightly dodgy actors.

The House of the Devil (2009)

Aggressively Boring

[2/10 · 12 April 2020]

Another 'horror' movie trying to emulate sights & sounds of a bygone era, this time the '80s. Starts off with a good feeling, then drifts off into an excruciating torturous boredom festival. Scary? Not.

Lake Mungo (2008)

Monumental mockup

[2/10 · 12 April 2020]

Thought I was watching a true life ghost story, then realised it was a mockumentary with bad 'acting' particularly from the mother. This mock ended up a monumental flop.

The Good Doctor (I) (2011)

Great screenplay, dull execution, bad actors

[5/10 · 12 April 2020]

Great screenplay, dull execution, bad actors. Intrigued first half, bored by second half.

Gone Girl (2014)

Sucks to high heaven

[1/10 · 12 April 2020]

1 star for the idea only. The actual screenplay is full of ridiculous unbelievable plot twists. It's not supposed to be science fiction is it? Otherwise you could get away with unbelievable plot twists.

I can't believe this film actually found an audience.

Zodiac (2007)

Good movie but bad hairstyles

[6/10 · 12 April 2020]

Hate it when contemporary movies try too hard in setting up time periods, this case being late 60's early 70's, with bad hairstyles & fashion that looks false, worse than the original bad haircuts. Otherwise this was a good movie because of suspense & acting.

Enemy (2013)

No faults in this film

[10/10 · 12 April 2020]

Perfect science fiction/drama/suspense/mystery. Felt real. Perfect direction, acting, screenplay. I jolted in shock at the end scene

Under the Skin (I) (2013)

Fantastic movie

[9/10 · 12 April 2020]

I have only one complaint, the baby abandoned. Nearly had to turn the movie off. I stuck it out though. Great. Such a unique out of this world film experience. Felt like a 70's film.

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

One of the greatest films ever made

[9/10 · 12 April 2020]

Makes me want to go in a time capsule to 1969 - without the poverty please. This film is heartbreaking & funny. All acting seems real life, not acting. Except for the insufferable Brenda Vacarro. Otherwise it would have been a 10.

Five Easy Pieces (1970)

Best movie ever fullstop.

[10/10 · 12 April 2020]

I ultimately prefer horror or thriller movies over drama, because that's just the way I get my kicks. No frights here, but deep real characters I truely identify with. Empathy along with laughter. Filmed in a time period when I was a child but I wish I had Iived through as an adult.

No slow & boring bits at all in this movie. It's riveting. So rare for drama films. Brilliant music.

The final scene is haunting & and I just might play it out one day. Break away. Freedom.

Starry Eyes (2014)

Great surreal horror

[10/10 · 12 April 2020]

This film felt similar in tone to 'Neon Demon', with it's not quite real atmosphere.

Really brutally violent in parts, but I still loved it, call me crazy!

Perfect acting by cast as well.

The Omen (1976)

Dated classic

[8/10 · 12 April 2020]

Still ranks up there with finely made serious horror films, however imo it's very dated and not half as frightening as it once seemed. Maybe because I have over watched it, by about 100 times. Best points for watching it now is to appreciate the late great Gregory Peck.

Halloween (1978)

Ignore the imposters, this the real deal

[9/10 · 12 April 2020]

I remember how fearful I was first time seeing this original Halloween - the scene where the door slowly opens & the man is standing there with a white sheet over him like a ghost, glasses on. The girl sits up in bed & giggles, teasing him, thinking it's her boyfriend, but as her facial expressions change, you see her realise, this is no joke. I saw it on a little old black & white portable TV but the impact of that first watch was incredible.

All sequels & remakes are cash grabs milking the original hot cow for all she's worth.

The reasons this film gets 9/10 from me not 10/10 are: -

• the low budget affects the technical quality of film, making it slightly fuzzy to watch
• the pacing is sometimes too slow with scenes of the teenage chatter
• Jamie Lee Curtis grates on my nerves

The Neon Demon (2016)

Surreal Horror

[9/10 · 12 April 2020]

I've read other reviews saying neon demon had no substance. This film is for those who know how to look deep for substance. This film is not straight horror. It is artistic horror. I enjoy both straight horror & weird thrills. Neon Demon is surreal art in its vibrant colors and dazzling images & the acting is not straight up either. It is strange & great. I loved this movie & imagine enjoying it for years to come.