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It's that time again...  ...the mid-year horror challenge is baaack! Welcome to the  May 2024 Horror Challenge  The challenge is now LIVE, and will run through 12:00 EST on June 1. We've already got 370 unique films logged through May 18!  What's all this about? Every May and October, Cinema Discusso is home to the horror challenges. These challenges are an excuse to watch as much horror as possible, with the bonus option of completing some challenges to push you off the beaten path and discover some new films. The May challenge is a warm-up for the main event--there are 13 challenges in May versus 31 in October. The most common goal is trying to complete all 13 challenges, but the name of the game is to watch horror. Watch as little or as much as you like. Maybe you can only squeeze in a movie on the weekend. Maybe you're one of the diehards who break into triple digits. All are welcome. Sweep the challenges. Go for 31 films total. Get out to the theater. Host a movie night. Watch every film in a franchise. Explore a director, an actor, a sub-genre, an era. There's no bad reason to watch more horror. Any movie you watch and review starting now and ending when the challenge closes counts toward your total.  Rules: 1. Watch horror/thriller films. 2. Write reviews discussing your thoughts on each film and its relation to the challenge (if applicable). There's no length requirement--be true to your writing style, whether terse or verbose. 3. Don't be a dick.  What films count for this challenge? Any horror/thriller film of at least 60 minutes or more qualifies. This includes any hybrids--your horror comedies, horror musicals, horror kids movies, and so on. Documentaries on horror films/spooky topics are also fair game.  What films do NOT count for this challenge? No TV shows (including episodes of horror anthologies), no mini-series, etc. This month is about the movies.  Got all that? Oh, about those challenges... Crescent Wrench fucked around with this message at 15:25 on May 18, 2024 |
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Apr 29, 2024 13:55
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| # ? May 19, 2024 01:47 |
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The Challenges: Bonus challenge added as number 14. To qualify, a film must be new to you (except where the challenge notes a rewatch is required/allowed). Additionally, each film may only be applied to one challenge (except one film used for the "They Ruined It!" challenge may also be applied to another challenge). If you aren't sure if a film qualifies for a given challenge, feel free to ask in the thread, but all I'm looking for is a good faith effort. Better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission. There are only thirteen categories, so if you REALLY whiff on a challenge--like the year I tried to watch a Colombian production and noticed a suspicious amount of characters hailing from Mexico--there's time to try again. Thanks to everyone who helped out with suggested categories, as well as those who have curated the challenges in the past. This is my first time taking the lead, and I couldn't have done this without relying on you for inspiration (and outright theft). If you complete all 13 categories, you are eligible to enter yourself in a raffle to win a spooky prize!  1. "Eat your loving slop!" Watch a poorly-rated film (< 2.5 on Letterboxd, < 5.0 on IMDB, or otherwise justifiable). Letterboxd’s Bottom 250 Horror Films is a good resource, but by no means comprehensive. 2. Moonlighting Watch a film starring an actor who has portrayed an iconic character in a horror film--whether hero or villain--in a role OTHER than the one they're most famous for. 3. What's in a Name? Watch a film with a first and/or last name in the title. 4. Face Your Fears Watch a film that actually scared or disturbed you when you first saw it. Discuss your initial reaction and how that element of the film holds up on a subsequent viewing. This is a rewatch category. 5. Hematology Watch a film with “blood”, “bloody”, “bleed”, “bled”, “bleeding”, etc., in the title. 6. Stop! Stop! He's Already Dead! Watch a film that is the sixth or later entry in a horror franchise (loosely interpreted, you can count remakes, spin-offs, or even movies with an iconic character like Dracula). No need to have seen all the prior movies--have fun jumping directly into Puppet Master 15 because you hate yourself. 7. "That Gal" Challenge (featuring Veronica Cartwright and Katharine Isabelle) A celebration of our favorite genre and character actors that we're always happy to see, even if it's seldom in the lead. Watch a film featuring Veronica Cartwright or Katharine Isabelle. 8. They Ruined It! Watch a film and its remake. Your review should compare the films and what worked/didn't work in each version. A rewatch for one of the films is allowed, but at least one should be new to you. (One of the films used for this challenge may also be applied to another challenge.) 9. Bite the Bullet Watch a film you've been putting off. Something languishing on your watchlist for years? A Blu-Ray you bought on sale that's just gathering dust? An unseen classic you just assumed you'd get around to some day? Now's the time. 10. I Know What You Did Last Summer Watch a film that a now-famous actor NOT known primarily for horror did early in their career. (Think Kevin Bacon in Friday the 13th, Jennifer Aniston in Leprechaun, etc.) 11. BATS AREN'T BUGS!! Watch a film featuring bats or bugs as the monsters and/or in the title. (Spiders, terrestrial arthropods, etc. are bugs.) 12. Tubin' Watch a film you’ve never heard of on Tubi. (If you can't access Tubi, any free/cheapo streaming service is fine. You can also browse Tubi to pick the movie and watch it elsewhere.) 13. The Gates Are Open Watch a film that is NOT categorized as horror ("horror" cannot be listed on IMDB/Letterboxd). Your review must explain why you think of this film as horror adjacent/scary/etc. This is a rewatch optional category. SPOOKY BONUS CHALLENGE 14. Cheap Thrills Watch a film directed or produced by the late great Roger Corman. This challenge may be substituted in for one of the original 13 for purposes of qualifying for the prize drawing. I encourage everyone to aim to hit as many challenges as possible, of course. Half-Time Adjustments: If there are any challenges that just aren't clicking for people, I reserve the right to step in mid-month to tweak a tough category and/or offer a fourteenth challenge as a pinch-hitter if there's one you'd rather swap out. (NOTE--The bonus challenge "Cheap Thrills" has been added.)  Aaand... ACTION! Crescent Wrench fucked around with this message at 17:31 on May 12, 2024 |
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Apr 29, 2024 13:56
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Oh hell yeah.
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Apr 29, 2024 14:04
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Ah poo poo here we go again
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Apr 29, 2024 14:13
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gently caress YEAH SPOOPS GALORE, BITCHES
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Apr 29, 2024 14:27
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I'm going to assume that for the purposes of the bug challenge, a spider counts as a bug. I'm gonna watch a bunch of schlocky spider movies this month.
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Apr 29, 2024 14:40
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Basebf555 posted:I'm going to assume that for the purposes of the bug challenge, a spider counts as a bug. I'm gonna watch a bunch of schlocky spider movies this month. OFFICIAL CHALLENGE RULING #1: Spiders are bugs. 
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Apr 29, 2024 14:47
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I really like this slate of challenges, lots of stuff we haven’t seen before. I especially like that they’re geared towards getting people to watch terrible movies. No “watch a movie from this respected list of the greatest horror movies of all time” this year, now it’s “watch Freddy’s Dead. gently caress you”
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Apr 29, 2024 15:00
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Apr 29, 2024 15:02
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Let's loving goooo! My second favourite month of the year! (October is obviously first.) Some real cool challenges this time round too, ones that are really gonna have us digging deep. I always wonder at the start of the challenge which movies are gonna be the ones that have the weird critical mass effect where one of us watches it and convinces everyone else to watch it too. Although I do have an issue for one of the challenges: Tubi isn't available in my country. Can I get a judge's ruling that I can just watch a movie that's also available on Tubi otherwise? Or extend it out to other streaming services? Anyway, as usual, I'm in for 31! Gyro Zeppeli fucked around with this message at 16:04 on Apr 29, 2024 |
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Apr 29, 2024 15:07
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Crescent Wrench posted:
Wanna just clarify this all the way while it’s on the docket? I’m assuming it basically means “arthropod” and anything with too many legs and an exoskeleton works, e.g. an alien space crab is fine.
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Apr 29, 2024 15:22
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Xiahou Dun posted:Wanna just clarify this all the way while it’s on the docket? I’m assuming it basically means “arthropod” and anything with too many legs and an exoskeleton works, e.g. an alien space crab is fine. OFFICIAL CHALLENGE RULING #1(b): Terrestrial arthropods--such as centipedes, millipedes, woodlice, spiders, mites and scorpions--are bugs.
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Apr 29, 2024 15:33
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Gyro Zeppeli posted:
OFFICIAL CHALLENGE RULING #2: If you do not have access to Tubi specifically, just peruse your cheapo streaming service of choice and/or use Tubi, etc., to pick a movie you can watch elsewhere. The spirit of the challenge is to watch random bottom-shelf trash (and if you find treasure, bonus points).
Crescent Wrench fucked around with this message at 15:39 on Apr 29, 2024 |
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Apr 29, 2024 15:36
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Aw hell yeah! Second greatest time of the year! Totally in for 13 this year. Or, in other words:
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Apr 29, 2024 15:48
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Woohoo. I've been having a hard time and really not watching much of late but the last few days I've started to get excited for this. Hopefully it can pull me out of my funk. I'm not at the moment setting any personal challenges as I usually do but I'm sure I will through the month. I'm trying to tell myself to take it easy since I'm not in the crazy movie watching mindset but I know myself and I already have a big ole list and a bunch of challenge ideas. So either I'm gonna flame out on this hard or its gonna get crazy sooner than later. We'll see. 🌻💀Spook-a-Doodle Half-Way-to-Halloween ’24: Spring Cleaning💀🌻 And hey, if you need movie ideas you can always check out Bracketology. A new round of movies will be named in just over an hour, all fresh and hot for the challenge.
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Apr 29, 2024 15:49
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Not sure how I feel about spiders are bugs
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Apr 29, 2024 15:50
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I've got a busy as hell May, but going to at least try for 31. At least I've got a in theater 35mm screening of From Beyond tomorrow night.
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Apr 29, 2024 15:53
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Hollismason posted:Not sure how I feel about spiders are bugs Well they ain't bats.
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Apr 29, 2024 15:54
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Crescent Wrench posted:
Terrestrial only, enh? *returns copy of Murder Langoustine 2 : The Shrimpire Strikes Back to the shelf* I’m gonna just dial it in for the 13 challenges guaranteed this time, what with me being gone for a solid third of the month. But I’m sure I’ll toss a couple more in. I was gonna watch an edited-for-airlines horror movie and the real one to compare/contrast just for fun. Would that count as a weird cousin of the remake challenge, or am I just playing my own game at that point? (No strong preference, more for scoring than anything else.)
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Apr 29, 2024 16:12
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1. Mirror Mirror 2: Raven Dance (1994) God it's so good to be back doing a challenge thread again, and I start with a graceful swan dive head-long into garbage: a straight-to-video sequel to a movie I've never heard of before. A cursed mirror that grants wishes is discovered by a young girl and her disabled brother in a church orphanage. I really love the look of mid-90s straight-to-video stuff, I guess I was raised on Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark, so that whole vibe really just feels like comfort food. There is some genuinely creative stuff going on here (a punk band gets struck by lightning and turned to ash! A stained glass image of a knight comes to life!), just a shame that they used all that up for the visuals because the script is, being nice, prosaic. A visibly very drunk William Sanderson at least makes the most of swinging between hammy overacting and complete stone-faced delivery every time he's on the camera, and the film debut of Mark Ruffalo doing his best attempt at being a 90s heartthrob, proving there is hope for all actors because he's still got a long way to go from here to being Oscar nominated, acting-wise. "I'm not young anymore, I'm old! I'm old and nobody cares!" 2 out of 5! Challenge: I Know What You Did Last Summer (The feature film debut of an adorably young Mark Ruffalo!) Watched so far: Mirror Mirror 2
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Apr 29, 2024 16:59
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Think I missed the last couple of challenges. I'll try for 13 this month
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Apr 29, 2024 17:01
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Usually skip the May challenge but I've been in a movie watchin' mood. Going for 14 since one of the challenges requires two films. Made a list of everything and I'm going to try to stick with it. Not sure what to do for the remake challenge. Was thinking of The Thing from Another World but if anyone else has any suggestions in a similar vein, pre 60s films that have been remade please share them.
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Apr 29, 2024 17:10
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CRAYON posted:Usually skip the May challenge but I've been in a movie watchin' mood. Going for 14 since one of the challenges requires two films. Made a list of everything and I'm going to try to stick with it. If you've never seen The Blob (1958), it'd count with it's brilliant 1988 remake.
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Apr 29, 2024 17:11
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I’ve watched one (1) movie so far this year… time to multiply that by 13!!!!!
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Apr 29, 2024 18:15
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The plan: Silent movie month, plus anything for the challenges where I can't kill two birds with one stone, a.k.a. #7.
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Apr 29, 2024 18:24
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Sono posted:The plan: Silent movie month, plus anything for the challenges where I can't kill two birds with one stone, a.k.a. #7. I was planning on streaming some or indeed all of my pre-code silent movie collection over weekends this month, if anyone is interested. They also happen to fill quite a few of the challenges including I Know What You Did Last Summer.
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Apr 29, 2024 18:51
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In for 13 Can't wait for one of youse to have somehow watched a hundred films before the first week of the challenge.
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Apr 29, 2024 19:13
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Crescent Wrench posted:6. Stop! Stop! He's Already Dead! This is in fact literally precisely what I am going to do. I found "Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich" at my university's "take a movie, leave a movie" cart and immediately grabbed it for the horror marathon, having never seen a Puppet Master movie at all. I left one of my copies of Shaun of the Dead, so I think this is a massive overall net benefit for the world.
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Apr 29, 2024 19:24
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Shaman Tank Spec posted:This is in fact literally precisely what I am going to do. I found "Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich" at my university's "take a movie, leave a movie" cart and immediately grabbed it for the horror marathon, having never seen a Puppet Master movie at all. I left one of my copies of Shaun of the Dead, so I think this is a massive overall net benefit for the world. Oh man. That is by far the worst first Puppet Master movie you could watch. It is an insult to the franchise and a betrayal of everything Puppet Master stands for.
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Apr 29, 2024 19:26
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Gripweed posted:Oh man. That is by far the worst first Puppet Master movie you could watch. It is an insult to the franchise and a betrayal of everything Puppet Master stands for.  I'll go watch the earlier ones later, but I wanted to start with the one I knew was loving poo poo and bad in offensive ways.
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Apr 29, 2024 19:34
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I've got a busy month ahead of me but will aim to complete all of the challenges, I'm going to try and knock off some of my outstanding HORRORx52 challenges at the same time. Challenges 1, 6, and 12 are all likely going to lead to "watch absolute garbage" so maybe I'll try to clear those first. I just threw on something from Tubi that looks like it's going to be a bad Bigfoot movie.
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Apr 29, 2024 19:37
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Thanks for organizing all of this, can't wait to watch some spookables
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Apr 29, 2024 20:15
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Hey I'm going to do a thing.
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Apr 29, 2024 20:29
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2. Tremors: Shrieker Island (2020) For the challenge, I went digging on franchises I've not kept up with but knew there was more than I expected, and drat, I had no idea we're up to seven Tremors movies. The hook this time is scientists have been genetically tinkering with the Graboids and now run a hunting reserve for the rich to trophy them, which is honestly a pretty great setup, because it turns out watching techbros get munched by giant worms when they inevitably get loose and go berserk is eminently watchable. Even the CGI for a straight-to-video release like this is surprisingly tolerable (especially since they get surprisingly creative with how to avoid showing the Graboids in daylight, which hides a lot of sins), and it certainly looks a bit more expensive than I assume the budget actually was, since a lot of it was clearly filmed on-location. It definitely doesn't do anything you wouldn't expect from a Tremors movie, but who expects more from these movies than big worms doing big worm stuff? "We've got an old WW2 bomb shelter. A few guys on the team think it's haunted, but I think it was just a monkey giving birth." 3 out of 5! Challenge: Stop! Stop! He's Already Dead! Watched so far: Mirror Mirror 2, Tremors 7
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Apr 29, 2024 21:25
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Finally! Been waiting on the thread pop. I'm going to roll with what I did last time, minimum 2 movies a day for 15 days, starting when I get home from work tonight since I'm just about out the door for my shift. Granted I'm at a job where calling in with 'I'm running late because of a movie' is a viable call in reason, I really need to build up my sick time in hopes of doing a 'taking a paid week off in October'.
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Apr 29, 2024 21:46
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No challenge here, I just wanted to watch a movie. 1. Hell House LLC 2: The Abaddon Hotel This movie sucked rear end. The first movie had some decent charm to it, and is one of the few found footage movies that I think works pretty well, but this was just dire. Bad acting, bad motivations, and why the hell would there be an "Abaddon Hotel", that's like saying "oh hey did you know that the old Beelzebub Deli is haunted?" Or "wow can you believe those 13 kids died at the Lucifer School for Boys?" Found footage is a razor-thin line between spooky and silly, and this one just took a swan dive into the wrong side. 1 out of 5 and that's only because there was a cool severed head with popped out eyes at one point. I'm still going to watch the third movie and the prequel though because I hate myself.
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Apr 29, 2024 21:48
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Is there a good list somewhere of part 6s? E: oh, “or later”, that makes it easier
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Apr 29, 2024 21:55
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Opopanax posted:Is there a good list somewhere of part 6s? If you have Letterboxd you can go to Films > Other > Collections and then sort by genre and “largest first”. That’s what I did and turns out my best option is still just Puppet Master. Count Thrashula posted:No challenge here, I just wanted to watch a movie. STAC Goat fucked around with this message at 22:21 on Apr 29, 2024 |
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Apr 29, 2024 22:17
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If you haven't seen it and want an actual good sixth installation or later, watch Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein
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Apr 29, 2024 23:01
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 1. Stranded (2023) I was scrolling through Tubi and chose this entirely based on the poster, knowing nothing else about it. I think it was in the horror thread recently, folks were talking about how most Bigfoot-related horror movies are bad, and this was definitely the worst I've seen. The first five minutes show some promise, but then we flash forward in time and spend about 65 minutes (feels like 95) with grieving family members off to spread their dead mom's ashes. It's so boring and the performances are all flat, I considered turning this off and picking something else after the first half hour but I stuck it out. Eventually Bigfoot shows up with about ten minutes to go but it's not worth the wait. Absolute snoozefest, glad I had it on while I was doing busywork. Bigfoot didn't even rip a dick off anybody. Would be 0.5 but the Bigfoot looks pretty decent, considering, so there's that.  1/5 12. Tubin' - Watch a film you’ve never heard of on Tubi Total Watched: 1/14 Completed Challenges:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Apr 30, 2024 02:09
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