Family Movie Night
By Karyn Bowman
As Halloween creeps ever closer, we think we should be watching scary movies.
And why not? The rental racks are filled with spooky fun and gory scary movies.
So perhaps you are watching Cabin in The Woods or Paranormal nth degree.
Poster Image from IMDb.com
As some of you may know, I am not a big horror movie fan. They give me nightmares and who needs that in their life when there are so many other scary things in real life. My questionable movie tastes run towards costume dramas, raunchy comedies and just about anything with Robert Downey Jr. or Johnny Depp.
And that explains why I am putting Dark Shadows on my list of movies to watch this month. The movie is a Tim Burton remake of the old soap opera that was camp at its best. This time around, Johnny Depp is playing Barnabas Collins whose casket has been uncovered by a construction project.
He was trapped there in the 1700s and it is now 1972. The world has changed but his family seems mired in disaster. The ineffective patriarch Roger (Johnny Lee Miller) is a bit of a playboy while his sister, Elizabeth (Michelle Pfieffer) runs the family. But their problems can be traced to one person, namely a 200-year-old witch by the name of Angelique (Eva Green) who has held a grudge against the Collins family for that long as well.
This is not a great storyline, I get that. But what this movie offers is the quirkiness of director Tim Burton playing with Americana and Johnny Depp. It is a movie that will see me with a big bowl of popcorn, enjoying every moment – I hope.
Poster Image from IMDb.com
Next week there is another movie coming out that just seems wrong in so many ways and yet I am looking forward to seeing it. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter which is based on the book of the same name by Seth Grahame-Smith in which our 16th president is re-seen as a vampire killer.
He has his reasons for hating the undead and he is quite good at taking them out. This movie is billed as coming from the imagination of Tim Burton who is a producer but not the director. That job went to Timur Bekmambetov who also directed Wanted. I have heard bad reviews, good reviews and everything in between.
I have heard it is a subtle comedy, kick-butt action or parallel universe gone wrong. Before Daniel Day-Lewis comes out with his defining performance of Lincoln in the Speilberg movie due out for later this year, I think I am watching this for some spooky campy fun.
Now I realize both of these movies are meant for teens and adults. I would not show either to my 11- or 8-year-old children. Luckily for them, the newest Madagascar movie is out on DVD in which the gang tries to get back to New York City disguised as a circus while wearing crazy rainbow afro wigs. It sounds crazy and ridiculous and probably not very good. Sounds like a party to me.
Image from IMDb.com
Can you imagine the fun of dancing around the living room when they do that ‘move it’ song?
Yep, my kids are pretty horrified at the thought – which is why I am considering doing it anyway.
Until next week, see you in the rental aisle.
Notes from Rumbly Cottage 
Madagascar 3 is hilarious, high-flying fun, with some unforgettable musical moments. You will not only be dancing — you’ll be singing, and the kids will be, too. I took a carload of pre-teen girls to see the movie, and half the theater sang along with them to Katy Perry’s “Firework.” During the credits, they all got up to dance in the aisle to “Move It.” It’s actually a nice date movie, too, for those who don’t consider themselves above the sweetness of a little animated romance.
I like your suggestions for spooky movies that aren’t slasher/modern horror movies. For my time and money, though, I’m still a sucker for the classics — Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, and company. My favorite contemporary horror movie is the 1999 remake of “The Mummy” with Brendan Frasier. Although I suppose it would be classified as adventure rather than horror by modern standards, it’s plenty scary and creepy enough for me.
I love those old movies and The Mummy fits with them so perfectly.
The old classics are priceless. The old Dark Shadows TV series is online – it was sooo popular. Am interested in the new one because of the quirky people involved.
Love Johnny Depp.
Hi Rumbly,
I love your movie reviews :). In fact, I saw Dark Shadows last week and LOVED it. I thought it was a triumph of imagination and just so incredibly funny. The whole dysfunctional, monster, family thing reminded me of The Adams Family and I enjoyed the umm adult themes for their outrageousness. I’ve never seen a Burton movie I didn’t like :).
I’m a classic movie buff and I agree with you, I prefer plot and subtle scariness to the blood and gore of today. My life is indeed scary enough, looking to escape, be elevated or educated, not terrified out of my wits.
You dig Madagascar and I dig Happy Feet. So? LOL. Everyone needs more humor in their life.
Have to admit my favorite movie is There Is Something About Mary.
These are my kind of movies. I’ve no need to be scared out of my seat or to watch the Living Dead run rampant, doing what the undead do. Give me a good spoof or clever screenplay any day. And no spiders!
That is what I love about Shaun of the Dead, but, it takes me to nightmare alley.
It’s definitely different but I liked ALVH. Have fun at movie night.
THanks
Thank you for checking out Dark Shadows, Karyn! I went online and rented Dark Shadows shortly before leaving my office at DISH on Friday afternoon. The movie was downloaded and ready to watch from my Hopper DVR by the time I walked in my front door. I rented it in hopes that Burton and Depp would offer something new; sadly I found the same movie that they have been making for the past decade. I’ll come check out your review of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter next week; I just saw that it was available and I will probably check it out this weekend.