A to Z Challenge

I had decided to do the A to Z blog challenge earlier this year. Last year was my first time participating, and in truth I had only started my blog then. It was a great way to break into it all and get some viewers. That being said, I have went back and forth on my decision this year. I have too many commitments I say one day, and the next day I will say but it was so much fun! It is a bit addicting, so I’m back.

This year I will focus on horror and science fiction movies. Some of them you might recognize, others maybe not. Either way I hope it will be a good time and that you all enjoy what I bring to each post.

Let’s get started, shall we…

A

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Alien

Director Ridley Scott brought Alien to the screen in 1979. A multiple award winning film, Alien broke the mold with a female protagonist, Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver. A transmission has been located on an alien planet, and the crew of Nostromo must go check it out. From the beginning, tension builds until we see the terrifying aliens. Right out of a panicked nightmare, the alien and other elements were designed by artist H. R. Giger. The alien’s particularly violent and gruesome attacks on the crew are horrifying. Eventually it comes down to Ripley and the alien going head to head. A wildly successful movie, it inspired many sequels and products. 

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A Nightmare On Elm Street

When Freddy burst onto the scene in 1984, audiences flocked to the theatre to see what all the fuss was about. The story centers around a group of high schoolers who are plagued with nightmares about a burned man wearing a striped sweater, who had long knives for fingers. The catch was if Freddy Krueger killed you in your dream, you were dead in real life. A hit, the movie spawned many sequels. It’s hard to forget the old rhyme, “One, two Freddy’s coming for you…”

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An American Werewolf in London

John Landis wrote and directed this film in 1981. Two American men go backpacking through England. One night they end up in a strange bar and are given the cryptic warning of, “Keep off the moors” as they get ready to leave. Chalking it up to local superstition, the two men use the moors as a shortcut and have a tragic run in with a werewolf. Part horror, part comedy, this is the first movie to show a full transformation of a man into a werewolf. The special effects were highly regarded, and won several awards. Its now cult classic classification invokes respect and cult classic love.

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The Amityville Horror

 Another movie coming from 1979, The Amityville Horror was based on a bestselling novel. The story is supposed to be about the real-life experiences that the Lutz family went through when moving into a house in Long Island. A year before, a young man had killed all of his family. Once the Lutz’s move in, strange events start to take place. Firmly rooted in paranormal events, The Amityville Horror is based on the subject of demonic possession. After requests to film in the actual house were denied, the movie was made in a look-alike home. 

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Army of Darkness

 The third installment in The Evil Dead trilogy, Army of Darkness brought back fan favorite Bruce Campbell as Ash, the loveable, goofy hero. Written and directed by Sam Raimi, this installment is particularly filled with comedy. Released in 1993, it chronicled Ash in his attempt to get back to the current time period. More on the mild side of this trilogy, it is also one of the most quotable of the series.

Super 8

I have been waiting to watch this movie since I heard about it last summer. Steven Spielberg and some threat to earth by a strange creature, well, count me in. With J.J. Abrams at the helm, it sounded even more promising. Knowing that there are many big movies coming out this summer, i.e. X-Men, Harry Potter, and the Green Lantern, this movie breaks the mold by employing a smaller budget, and lesser-known actors.The notoriety of the director and producer brought with it the advantage of familiarity with past works and the good faith of delivering a quality movie.

Well, this turned into a good thing, a very good thing. In the beginning, set in 1979 in rural Ohio, a young boy's mother has just died. We get the sense that something bad happened, but are not told what it was until later. Forward a few months later, and a motley group of childhood friends are filming a homemade super 8 zombie movie. The shots of the kids filming brought some of the best laughs throughout the entire movie, and I couldn't help but think of Abrams and Spielberg reliving their youth. One night as they are filming, they witness a train crash that starts the action. Hold on, let me indulge. The train crash is spectacular. It's unbelievable. Watching this train derail was like watching a movie about war on the front lines, with kids running around, dodging debris, not soldiers. And that's not the only thing, because something gets loose. Something.

The group of friends are down to earth, and believable. They are goofy, real, and lovable. Also, there is an added element of romance. A sweet, gentle, fun bit of love. After all, they are kids.

 This image is from newsinfilmcom

There are many parallels to Spielberg's works. From the 'E.T.'-like charm of a boy and an alien, to the group of friends, much like 'The Goonie's, this movie brings with it many of the feelings of the memory making movies of my childhood. Oh, and Rubik's Cube's, yeah, they're referenced, too.

The main character, Joe, played by Joel Courtney, looks a whole lot like Elliot in 'E. T.', and one Alice, played awesomely by Elle Fanning, brought memories of a grown Gertie with her blonde hair and pretty features.

I left the theater saying that this particular monster might very well have been one of my favorites. During the course of the film the audience was groomed to fear the creature, but also, in the end, to feel for it, by giving it a more human aspect. This being the modus operandi from Spielberg, but if you ask me, it's a good one. I am able to get into movies where I am watching the character arc flow, and when this happens with the antagonist, as well as the protagonist, that's all the better. 

One way that I was disappointed would be the sometimes unsuccessful attempt at humor. The loud, obnoxious kid, Charles, played by Riley Griffiths, was reminiscent of Chunk from 'The Goonies', but his one-liners, and use of retro dialogue were not working much of the time.

That being said, 'Super 8' was a fun coming of age film with kick ass action scenes and heartfelt moments. I would go see it again.

Do you want to see this one, or if you already have, what were your thoughts about it? Sound off below...