"Natural Born Killers" (1994)

As many of you know, Savages is coming out on Friday-- hooray!  I love the book (I'm reading it now) but more than anything I adore director Oliver Stone.  While some say that JFK is their favorite Stone film, I happen to disagree-- Natural Born Killers is by far one original, creative thriller.  Two demented, damaged adults (played by Juliette Lewis and Woody Harrelson-- talk about a power couple!) go on a massive killing spree across America.  When you add in a dash of social commentary about the power of the media you get one intelligent, albeit slightly confusing, masterpiece.

What a handsome, homicidal couple....

While you can't watch it instantly anywhere on the net (legally, that is), you can rent it from Netflix or simply purchase it from Amazon-- trust me, this movie is worth it!



P.S. Although Oliver Stone directed Natural Born Killers, Quentin Tarantino was responsible for the story and the first draft of the screenplay.  This was actually the second screenplay he ever wrote (unfortunately the final product is very far removed from his original version)!

P.S.S. During the prison scenes, the movie was filmed in a maximum security prison in Joilet, IL (a few miles from where I live!).  The extras were originally real inmates (there for mainly violent crimes) with rubber weapons-- they were later placed on lock down and had to be replaced.

"Species" (1995)

I'm not gonna lie-- I really just don't get Species.  Don't get me wrong-- I love thrillers that deal with hot, killer aliens, but it's the premise I have problems with.  Basically, a bunch of scientists receive a message from space detailing how to splice an alien's DNA with a human's.  They decide it would be an awesome idea (although I have no clue why), and the result is Sil-- an alien/super model who goes crazy and homicidal looking for a mate to birth more babies with.  I don't really blame Sil for all of this, but instead the wacky scientists who decided to treat genetics like a piece of Ikea furniture.  Didn't there moms tell them not to listen to life-altering messages from alien strangers?  Sheesh.

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You can rent Species from Netflix or you can buy it from Amazon.  Know what else you can do?  Check out the trailer below, of course!



P.S. Calling all Alien fans-- H.R. Giger, who designed the monstrous, eggplant-head-shaped creature also designed Sil for Species, as well.  In fact, H.R. Giger was so into this flick that he actually spent $100,000 of his own money to make sure an expensive scene was shot.

P.S.S. This film was actually adapted from a Dark Horse Comics series of the same name.  Apparently, in this case, the book-- er, comic book-- was better....

"Omen IV: The Awakening" (1991)

What happens when two attorneys adopt the granddaughter of Satan?  Unfortunately, this isn't some bar joke ripping into the legal profession; instead, it's the story behind the third sequel of The Omen.  Omen IV: The Awakening is a made-for-TV movie that replaces Damien with Delia, a young, angelic 8 year old who was adopted by her successful yuppie parents.  However, when Delia's mother suddenly becomes pregnant, she begins to fear for her and her unborn child's life as the truth behind Delia's upbringing unravels....

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Unfortunately, you can't watch or rent Omen IV: The Awakening from Netflix yet.  However, you can purchase a copy from Amazon for reasonably cheap.  Additionally, for all you frugal folk, you can watch it for free on Youtube, starting with this video.  You can also check out the trailer while you're at it:



P.S. Does the actress who played Delia seem familiar, old school Nickelodeon fans?  The actress, Asia Vieira, guest starred in an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark? in the 90's.  Talk about being typecast, eh?

"Milo" (1998)

I'm constantly amazed at what crazy stories horror filmmakers come up with.  Luckily for us, the creator of the Oscar-worthy Anaconda (oh, I jest) also came up with Milo.  The story revolves around a young, deranged doctor's kid, Milo, who likes to wear a yellow jacket and talk in a raspy voice.  When he convinces five neighborhood girls to examine his father's at-home OB/GYN office (nothing demented there, eh?), he murders one of them in the operating chair.  With stirrups.  20 years later, the surviving girls have aged gracefully, but are shocked, when they come to visit their hometown, that Milo has not.  He still is a demonic little brat who wants them all dead.

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There are tons of options to get your Milo-on: you can watch it instantly on Netflix, for free on Youtube, or you can just buy it from Amazon.  So many options!  You should probably check out the trailer below to help make your decision. WARNING: I could NOT find this trailer in English, so I had to settle for a very poor quality trailer. My apologies, folks.



P.S. Although this film is deemed to be pretty poor in terms of originality or scare factor, it definitely has its moments.  For instance, if you look closely you can spot Mila Kunis making her film debut as a student in the classroom.

"Poison Ivy" (1992)

Although some wouldn't consider Poison Ivy to be a horror film, I would like to politely disagree.  In my humble opinion, when you combine sociopaths, big hair, and Tom Skerritt in a movie, it seems pretty terrifying to me.  I bet lots of you have seen this film, but for those of you who haven't, I'll make it simple: a mysterious, yet beautiful, misfit moves in with her outsider best friend, all Hell breaks lose.  Roseanne's Sara Gilbert plays Sylvie while Drew Barrymore is Ivy.  Talk about a killer cast (that was corny, I know)!  When Ivy gets a taste of the good life (Sylvie's parents are loaded, FYI), she decides to show her true, homicidal, seductive colors.....

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It's your lucky day, Ivy fans-- you can watch Poison Ivy instantly on Netflix!  Also, you can buy it directly from Amazon.  Know what else?  You can check out the following clip, too!



P.S. While Poison Ivy didn't do so great at the box office, it is now a cult favorite.  Several sequels have popped up, including the last one in 2008.

"The Dentist" (1996)

As if we all needed any more excuses to avoid the dentist's office.... When Dr. Feinstone, a well-off dentist, discovers that his wife is having an affair with the gardener, he finally snaps.  Between sexually assualting a patient in his dental chair to torturing innocent braces-clad teenagers, he finally enacts his revenge using tools that we unfortunately see once or twice a year.... or more if we don't floss enough (I mean, does anyone ever floss enough?).  The genius of this film is that it employs something we already fear (i.e. dental instruments) and brings them to torture status.... other than that, it's just some plain ol' gory fun, folks.

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If you feel like having a cavity-infested nightmare, The Dentist is available to watch instantly on Netflix.  If you want to have your very own copy, however, you can also buy a copy from Amazon.  In the meantime, who's in the mood for a crappy trailer from the 90's?

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P.S. Think this film is entirely fiction?  Think again! Glennon Engleman was an infamous dentist who also moonlighted as a hitman.  He eventually passed away in 1999 at the age of 71.  Apparently, his real passion was being a sociopath, not a dentist.

"Tremors" (1990)

As most of you know, if there is one thing I fear, it's worms.  Seriously, I don't care whether they are parasitic round worms or plain ol' earth worms, I just hate 'em-- I just know they're going to enter into my body one day and infest my organs.  I strangely have my 4th grade teacher to thank for this fear (don't ask).  Therefore, Tremors, a film starring the infamous Kevin Bacon, horrifies me in particular.  When the residents of a small town are killed by giant, man-eating worms, the survivors huddle together and try to destroy the monsters with the help of a sexy seismologist (since all scientists in movies are women with tons of cleavage and brains).

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You can add Tremors to your Netflix cue, or you can buy it from Amazon for next to nothing. Make sure to review the trailer below:



P.S. Technically, the name of the giant worms is "Caederus mexicana".  In the movie, however, they call them Graboids.

P.S.S. Calling all Reba fans-- this is the country singer's first movie.  Ever.

"The Ugly" (1997)

Today's horror movie comes courtesy from Happy and Wrong, my other blog that features Terror Tuesday, a day dedicated to horror movies.  Check out The Ugly, one of my favorite indie flicks from New Zealand, from Happy and Wrong today!


Thanks, everybody!  If you are interested in fashion, saving money, and life in general, please be so kind as to follow my other blog!

"Tromeo and Juliet" (1996)

This week, I also featured Beware: Children at Play on this blog.  What do a movie about cannibalistic kiddos and one about the greatest love story ever told have in common?  They were both made by Troma, a film studio that makes campy, fun horror flicks.  Tromeo and Juliet, however, is slightly more refined than some Troma films-- it is a remake of Romeo and Juliet, sure, but it also features raunchy love scenes, multiple body piercings, and a certain monster of a, um, private nature.... Overall, it may not be as brilliant as the original Shakespearean masterpiece, but it is a raunchy flick filled with laughs and gore.

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You can catch Tromeo and Juliet instantly on Netflix, or decide to purchase it on Amazon.  Frankly, this movie is on my wish list-- I definitely want to add it to my horror collection soon!  In the meantime, check out a preview below:



P.S. Talk about issues with the writing!  The screenwriter of Tromeo and Juliet, Jamie Gunn, was only paid $150 for the entire screenplay.  He was also instructed by director Lloyd Kaufman (whom I love!) to write the script in iambic pentameter, just like Shakespeare.  Jamie Gunn started to, but then decided he was too bored with it and just told the director he did.  I guess someone needs to brush up on their poetry.....

"From Dusk Till Dawn" (1996)

What do you get when you combine A-list stars (including George Clooney and Harvey Keitel), strippers, and vampires? If you are a fan of Robert Rodriguez and/or Quentin Tarantino, you already know the answer-- From Dusk Till Dawn, a seemingly random, thrown-together film that combines bank robbery with strippers/vampires.  When two brothers (played by George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino) need to run off to Mexico to hide out with their loot, they force a nice widower and his two kids to sneak them across the border.  Unfortunately for everyone involved, they spend the night barricaded in a strip club filled with scantily-clad vampires and truck drivers.  Although Quentin Tarantino technically did not direct this, there are certainly elements of his influence, especially the long-winded opening scene that involves a great deal of bantering.

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Thankfully, you can watch this flick on Netflix instantly.  Personally, I recommend buying it from Amazon, since I did and now it's my favorite movie to lull me to sleep at night-- don't judge, please.  However, you can judge how From Dusk Till Dawn looks from the following clip:



P.S. George Clooney was actually one of the last choices for the character in this flick.  John Travolta, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, and Christopher Walken all passed up the role due to scheduling conflicts.  Is it just me or is that the filmmaking equivalent of "It's not you, it's me"?

"Dead Alive" (1992)

Before their were hobbits and elves, there were zombies-- and yes, we are talking about famous director Peter Jackson from The Lord of the Rings fame.  Many film lovers know that Peter Jackson is a talented director and that he often employs his native residence of New Zealand as film settings, but few realize that he actually began his directing career in zombie movies.  While not the only movie focused on the undead, Dead Alive is certainly his most famous work.  A shy, reclusive mama's boy attempts to keep his zombified mother, who was bitten by a clay-mation-esque monkey at the local zoo, away from eating all the villagers, including (but not limited to) a priest, a baby, and his new "secret" girlfriend.

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Oh yes-- there is a zombie baby, too....

Overall, while Dead Alive may come across as hokey or silly, it is one of those films that is hilarious due to its simple formula of zombies, nerds, and ridiculous priests (who also happens to be a ninja).  You can watch it instantly on Netflix, or, if you're like me, you can simply buy it for your own horror collection on Amazon.  Need some convincing?  Check out this zombie-kicking priest:



P.S. This movie is actually determined to be the bloodiest film of all time, using over 300 galloons of fake blood in the final scene alone.

"Mimic" (1997)

Do you remember The Orphanage, or Pan's Labrynth?  Both of those films have two things in common: they are really, really good (an understatement I'm sure), and they were directed by Guillermo del Toro.  However, before he was in his critically-acclaimed film stride, he made Mimic, a modern-day monster movie.  Forget Godzilla-- these manmade, giant bug/human creatures kill children on-screen (a little gutsy, eh del Toro?), chase scientists into abandoned subway systems, and cause general chaos and bloodshed.  Plus, this film has Mira Sorvino as a rad scientist and a young autistic boy as an unusual hero....

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Mimic is available to watch instantly on Netflix, and you can also grab it for sale at Amazon.  You'll never look a cockroaches the same way ever again!  Check out the trailer for this severely underrated film below:



P.S. Although many (including myself) cinephiles think that Mimic was unjustly written-off as a B-flick, del Toro actually disowned this movie.  He and producer Bob Weinstein constantly clashed about how the film was going to be made, and apparently del Toro was not happy with the ultimate, "audience-friendly" version.

"The Guardian" (1990)

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After William Friedkin directed the horror classic The Exorcist, he apparently decided to have a little bit of fun dabbling in, shall we say, less prestigious movies.  The Guardian is one of those films.  Despite the fact that it is corny and sometimes odd, it is definitely an intriguing concept and a fun watch.  The story begins with a young, yuppie couple popping out a baby, Jake, and wanting to return to work immediately after.  They hire a lovely British nanny named Camilla who becomes instantly like family.  However, there are a few things not mentioned in her background check-- not only does she have a love for trees, she also tends to have a habit of sacrificing young babies in her care to them.  If you put aside the cheesy Ferngully-esque references and the random nudity, it truly is an entertaining, campy flick.

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The Guardian is available to watch instantly on Netflix, or you can buy it from Amazon.  The trailer is presented below for your viewing pleasure:



P.S. Apparently, this film went through several elements of rewriting.  They originally wanted to make it about a nanny who simply kidnapped babies, but they decided that making her a pagan-worshipping tree was more appropriate.  Additionally, Sam Raimi was supposed to direct, and when William Friedkin signed on, the original writer became so overwhelmed with rewrites that he suffered a nervous break down.  Fun.

"The Crush" (1993)

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One boring, lonely Friday night, I was flipping through my instant que on Netflix.  While there are thousands of movies on there to choose from, I personally was in the mood for one I didn't have to think too much about-- therefore, The Crush was chosen.  At first, I expected a lame flick starring Cher from Clueless, but, much to my surprise, it was actually a well-done thriller.  Alicia Silverstone plays Darian, a beautiful teenager who happens to suffer from a personality disorder or two.  She has a history of compulsive lying, obsessive tendencies, and homicidal actions.  When a handsome stranger moves into her parents' guest house, she attempts to not only stalk and seduce him, but destroy his entire life, including those he loves, as well.  It is not a traditional horror movie, but I felt compelled to mention it because it delivers thrills, scares, and plenty of 90's-riffic fun.

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The Crush is available to watch instantly on Netflix, or you can go ahead and buy it from Amazon (don't worry, I understand-- I am a Clueless fan myself).  In the meantime, look at the trailer below to see if The Crush is worth your time:

P.S. In the original script, Alicia Silverstone's character was originally named Adrian.  The screenwriter Alan Shapiro was actually stalked by a girl named Adrian and based the story off of this.  When she sued him later, he had to change the name to Darian.