Basic Plot: An industrial worker who is unable to sleep begins to question his sanity.

Outburst: That the man is nuts from sleep deprivation isn’t in question. One is simply left wondering which things are real and which are hallucinations. It’s another classic Brad Anderson; also known as a “mind-fuck movie”.

— If you like being disturbed, you’ll love this one. Note that Christian Bale became emaciated to better look the part, so if looking at bodies of starving people is too much for you, do not watch this movie.

Wikipedia Entry: The Machinist

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Basic Plot: Two crewman on a human colonization spaceship wake up with amnesia.

Outburst: Looks like all the money went toward creepy sets instead of better special effects, but the filmmakers weren’t smart enough to downplay the monsters. Relying on bad lighting and jerky camera motion during fights just ensures a headache. Lots of small improbables, such as tons of advanced technology all around, but no one has a translator device. With such a beautiful premise, this could have been a much better film.

— It’s creepy enough for a good case of heebie-jeebies (especially should you decide to watch it alone at night), but I wouldn’t expect any fan club cult followings.

Official Site: Pandorum

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Basic Plot: A traumatized Vietnam veteran finds out that his post-war life isn’t what he believes it to be.

Outburst: Kinda irritating when the main spoiler for the movie is in the title. But I guess this isn’t supposed to be a mystery, rather it’s a discovery of a different viewpoint of life and what (if anything) comes next. This is a horror movie with a happy ending, good for a creepy scare that doesn’t stay with you.

/CULT — Guillermo del Toro fans will feel right at home and the Silent Hill followers already own a copy.

Wikipedia Entry: Jacob’s Ladder (film)
Wikipedia Entry: Jacob’s Ladder (Biblical reference)

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Basic Plot: Loosely based on the classic tale by Oscar Wilde, a young man trades his soul for eternal youth with the aide of a supernatural painting.

Outburst: Colin Firth shines as an almost demonic version of Henry while Ben Barnes sometimes captivates with piercing dark eyes and lots of steamy sensuality. It’s a slightly different portrayal of the character of Dorian Gray, on a different path towards sin and redemption.

— Some of the expository scenes water down the tale for those intellectuals who have read Wilde’s work. Otherwise it’s a wonderfully twisted and dark horror of a movie.

WATCH IT NOW: Dorian Gray

BUY THE BOOK: The Picture of Dorian Gray (Unabridged)
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Basic Plot: Czech director Jan Svankmajer’s surreal take on this cult classic. This was a dubbed version, as the subtitled one isn’t available in most places yet.

Outburst: I can sum this movie up best in three words: “what … the … fuck”. Stop motion is always a little creepy, but the stuffed white rabbit in this film would give any child nightmares, possibly forever. Watching it cannibalize it’s own sawdust stuffing nearly turned my stomach, and that was before the animated fishbones or denture-wearing caterpillar-socks were introduced. The special effects look like a bad film school project.

(0 stars) /CULT — Not enough M.C. Escher or Salvador Dali in your life? You might actually enjoy this cult classic. The rest of us would prefer to steer clear of this bad acid trip of a movie. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS FOR KIDS, unless you have the kind of gremlins who think gross and weird is really funny and cool.

Wikipedia Entry: Alice (movie)

I recommend seeing the movie for free first. The very limited audience who enjoys this movie (you know who you are) can then buy it for keeps. BUY IT NOW! Alice (DVD)

Basic Plot: A women and her family return to her childhood home, where she wants to open up a home for disabled orphans. Strange things start to occur when her son meets up with a new imaginary friend.

Outburst: You know the movie is going to be creepy when Guillermo del Toro asks to co-direct. I’m glad I didn’t watch it at night, because I was alone. Creepy, creepy, creepy, creepy, creepy and fantastic.

/DVD — Subtle horror fans and those who like fairy tales with bite will adore the film even as they cringe into their seats. If it plays at night in a theatre anywhere, you must go see it … with lots of buddies and an empty bladder.

Official Site: The Orphanage (American remake pending)

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Basic Plot: In a world populated by vampires, one researcher is recruited to help save mankind.

Outburst: A great movie, despite Willem Dafoe’s painfully fake accent and numerous scientific/plot inconsistencies. Why do all science fiction movies have to feature modernistic and retro 50′s furniture and clothes? I’ve landed in the vampire Matrix.

— If you like bloody vampire movies and sci-fi, this one’s a must to see. If you need for your vampire movies to make scientific sense (unimpeded by the supernatural and unexplained) you’ll want to move on.

Official Website: Daybreakers
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Basic Plot: A treasonous tyrant descends into madness. The dialogue is original Shakespeare in a modern setting, flavored with Imperial Russia.

Outburst: Rupert Goold is proof of the fine line between genius and insanity, and I’m not quite sure which side of the line this production falls on. It is creepy and dark, with stellar performances.

— Only fans of Shakespeare will enjoy this movie (and they will enjoy it immensely). Others will probably fall asleep.

Rent on Demand: Macbeth (2010)

Basic Plot: Aging antiques dealer stumbles across a device that turns him into a vampire. Too bad he isn’t the only one who wants it.

Outburst: Possibly one of the most original takes on vampirism I’ve seen in awhile. Have I mentioned that director Guillermo del Toro is insane? Genius, yes, but still insane.

/DVD — This is a slow character horror, not a slasher or scary movie. If you need nonstop action, look elsewhere. Goths, collectors of mythical tales, and Guillermo del Toro fans will want to add it to their collections.

Wikipedia Entry: Cronos (film)
BUY IT NOW! Cronos (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Basic Plot: Bullied kid gets a crush on his new neighbor, who happens to be a vampire.

Outburst: The actors seem stilted. It is hard to say if it is from bad acting or if kids in Sweden act that way normally. Some interestingly creepy scenes.

/DVD — If you like vampire romance and are immune to vague overtones of pedophilia, this movie is right for you. Goths will want to add it to their collections.

Official Website: Let the Right One In
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