mystery

Planet of the Vampires (1965)

Posted on by Talk Movies to Me

Planet of the Vampires (1965) – IMDB

Planet of the Vampires had one of the best sets. It is old and dated, but the crystalized rock formations and dehydrated looking tentacle trees with colorful hues of glowing fog and ambient lighting creates a thick atmosphere you’d need to shower your eyeballs after. This planet our fellow travelers land on isn’t what it seems, naturally. There are cool effects that experiment with the idea of landing on a foreign planet. One specific shot which is clearly taken underwater but is cool in it’s execution with plumes of smoke and dust rising around the toy ship that’s meant for a bathtub with a sandy floor. There are unnecessary set pieces that seem extra like the floor space on the bridge with enough room provided for a buffet unless you’re utilizing it for laying corpses on top of each other.

Not going to lie, the first hour or so is all mystery. It may drag a bit possibly due to it’s age of release but the story itself unfolds rather slow. Albeit, when remains of a foreign lifeform is discovered it grabbed my attention and I was in awe. It was cool seeing something like this, someone had the mindset to expand the world a little further creating something original and a sense of wonder. I think Planet of the Vampires, despite the wonderfully realized sets, is a small movie, but a big inspiration to any succeeding sci-fi flare. Alien (1979), for example, takes many notes from this flick and The Thing (1982) as well. This movie is respectable for it’s accomplishments despite it’s age. To be honest, I’d enjoy a reimagining of this story. Full of twists that I wasn’t expecting towards the end, amazing set pieces for the planet Aura, and an eye for wonder of what’s out there!

Honeymoon (2014)

Posted on by Talk Movies to Me

Honeymoon (2014) – IMDb

This movie is quite unnerving, especially if you stick around until the end. Honeymoon starts slow, showing you how these two newly wed love birds, Paul and Bea, are affectionate towards one another. You watch their relationship and can’t help but care about their blissful existence. Movies usually start after development about twenty some odd minutes in, and it’s somewhere after these twenty minutes things begin to change. You feel this change in relationship, in the atmosphere. It goes from happy to eerie and to downright creepy. Honeymoon isn’t a horror that’s all in your face and relies on bloodshed and heavy special effects. Although, where there is in small doses, it makes all that much more effective. The movie is more psychological since you watch this mystery unravel through Paul’s eyes, watching his new wife act so oddly, like a stranger, and like him, neither of us really know what’s going on.

The movie begins with Paul and Bea discuss their wedding and proposal to the camera. It’s light, funny, and maybe some could relate. Next, they arrive at their honeymoon cabin mountain side next to a lake in a small community with almost no one present. They are a happy couple and we’re happy for them. The writing seems genuine and handles the events that unfold with care. It is slow but not boring. Something is going to happen and you almost don’t want it to, however, one night changes their lives forever. That’s when things become really interesting and creepy. The slow pace helps us ease in to the mood and the shock value is increased.  Honeymoon is a slow burn mystery that becomes increasingly unnerving and leaves you feeling anchored at the bottom of the lake’s bed.  Rare finds like this makes movie viewing worth while if you don’t want a film to attack your senses every five minutes. It’s a worthy find if you catch it before it catches you.