This Week in Macabre & Mysterious Media: June 6 – 12, 2016

~YOUR MUSICAL INTERLUDE~

Pink Martini – Que Sera, Sera

This week, I’m most excited about:

(But watch the Bob Ross trailer below too!)

~THE MOVIES~

NEW ON NETFLIX & IN REDBOX:

The Witch (2015) R

Available on DVD from Netflix.
Not yet Available streaming on Netflix.
Available from Redbox.
EDIT: I composed most of this edition of M&M Media on Friday. Since then I’ve had the chance to actually see The Witch. I’ll leave my initial thoughts intact below, but I must confess I was too worried about the way it was framed in the not-safe-for-work trailer I linked to.

Don’t let your distaste for gratuitous blood and gore scare you away from this film … there’s actually very little of that kind of stuff. That said, the THEMES are tough, there is blood, there is a terrible event, and it is scary. This movie has lots of rising tension and dread. In some parts it might even be a bit draggy, but I have a high tolerance for that, as long as I’m engaged … and I was deeply engaged. I became attached to all the characters in this story early, and stayed that way throughout. Each character, in his or her own way, is innocent, frail, flawed, spiteful, and beautiful. (The adolescent daughter, in particular, is just breathtaking in several scenes.) Together they are very, very human as they try to deal with isolation, a demanding faith, and a horror in the woods. 

My pre-watch thoughts: I’ve been aware that this was out there for a while, and all I knew, before watching a couple of trailers, was that it was supposed to be genuinely scary and that its makers were meticulous about recreating the time period. Now that I’ve watched trailers, though, I’m thinking this one might freak me right the hell out. (Here’s a more graphic, not-PG one, if the one below doesn’t give you the willies.) My plan is  to watch it  in broad daylight, with the Ogre, with plenty of breaks to shake it off.

New England, 1630: William and Katherine lead a devout Christian life, homesteading on the edge of an impassible wilderness, with five children. When their newborn son mysteriously vanishes and their crops fail, the family begins to turn on one another. ‘The Witch’ is a chilling portrait of a family unraveling within their own fears and anxieties, leaving them prey for an inescapable evil.
From IMDb here.

~*~

The Boy (2016) PG13

Available on DVD from Netflix.
Not yet Available streaming on Netflix.
Available from Redbox on June 7th, 2016.
This is one of the few movies Ogre and I went to see while we were in the moving process. We both really enjoyed it, with one caveat: IF you’ve seen a lot of spooky movies, this one is pretty predictable. Lots of tropes, but they are done well. The characters are likable. Overall, I think it’s very much worth a rental fee.

An American nanny is shocked that her new English family’s boy is actually a life-sized doll. After she violates a list of strict rules, disturbing events make her believe that the doll is really alive.
From IMDb here.

~*~

The House at the End of Time (2013) NR 

Not Available on DVD from Netflix.
Available streaming on Netflix.
Not Available from Redbox.
In Spanish, with subtitles. This is my random find for the week. I don’t think it’s new to streaming, but it must have appeared in the months when I was away from my lovely paranormal world.

The first Venezuelan supernatural thriller: Dulce is a mother of two who suddenly experiences terrifying encounters with mysterious apparitions inside her old house, a place where a terrible prophecy is about to be unleashed. Thirty years later, an elderly Dulce returns home to decipher the mystery and the tragedy that have tormented her for so long.
From IMDb here.

~*~

The Legend of Hell House (1973) PG

Available on DVD from Netflix.
Available streaming on Netflix.
Not Available from Redbox.
This scared the hell out of me, in the early 80s, when I saw an edited version on TV. The book, which I sought out immediately, was even darker and more perverse. This film is on my 13+ most haunting ghost story movies list. 

A scientist and his wife lead a team into the Belasco House, which is supposedly haunted by the victims of its late owner, a serial killer.

On IMDb here.

~*~

Jurassic Park – I, II, and III (1993, 1997, 2001) PG13

Available on DVD from Netflix.
Available streaming on Netflix.
Available from Redbox.
The most recent episode, Jurassic World (2015), is available via Netflix DVD, and from Redbox. Did you miss this series? Any desire to watch it from the beginning? Now’s the time, folks. I’ve seen the first one, and thought it was pretty good. I don’t know if I’m willing to give up as much of my media watching time as I’d need to satisfy my completionist urges, though.

Before I move on, I’ve got to share my FAVORITE Jurassic World meme:

When I first saw this, back in June, 2015, I tracked down the original poster, because it was circulating without a credit. The genius behind this is twitter-user @slayer1551. Props to this guy for knowing that chickens are just itty-bitty dinosaurs.

The original, On IMDb here.

~*~

The Fear of 13 (2015)

Available on DVD from Netflix.
Available streaming on Netflix.
Not Available from Redbox.
According to IMDb: “A convicted murderer who has spent 23 years on Death Row tells his story.” It seems there’s something more going on here, though, because reviewers are making a point of calling it a “docu-drama” and are eager to describe it as compelling and spellbinding. I think I’ll give it a go.
On IMDb here.

~*~

Extraordinary Tales (2015)

Available on DVD from Netflix.
Available streaming on Netflix.
Not Available from Redbox.
I’m very excited about this one. An animated collection of five Poe tales: The Fall of the House of Usher; The Tell-Tale Heart; The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar; The Masque of the Red Death; and The Pit and the Pendulum. Featuring the voices of: Sir Christopher Lee; Bela Lugosi; Julian Sands; Roger Corman; and Guillermo Del Toro.
Oh my. 
On IMDb here.

~*~

Bob Ross: Beauty is Everywhere (1991)) G

Several of his other workshops are Available on DVD from Netflix.
This particular title is Available streaming on Netflix.
Not Available from Redbox.
You must watch this trailer. It is the most awesome thing I’ve seen all week. 
The original series, the Joy of Painting, is On IMDb here.

His teachings are eternal. His hair is immovable. He is Bob Ross. #BeautyIsEverywherehttps://t.co/PCBk9M9LUO

— Netflix US (@netflix) June 1, 2016

~*~

HEADS-UP ON MOVIES LEAVING NETFLIX IN JUNE:

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) available on Netflix streaming until June 24th

(Nostalgia demands a watch before it’s gone.)

~*~

~STATUS CHANGES ON PREVIOUSLY FEATURED MOVIES~
(See original listing, with updated info, by clicking movie title.)

Previously featured, and now available via Netflix streaming:

* Amnesiac (2015) * Final Girl (2015) * Phoenix (2015) * The Falling (2014) *  Harbinger Down (2015) *  Pay the Ghost (2015) * Both seasons of Daredevil now available *  Strangerland (2015) *

Previously featured, and now available in Redbox  — and (probably) as a Netflix DVD. There are exceptions.

* Terminator Genisis (2015) * Inside Out (2015) * Hotel Transylvania (2015) * The Martian (2015) *  The Visit (2015) * Mr. Holmes (2015) * The Gift (2015) * Crimson Peak (2015) * Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) * The Gallows (2015) * Self/less (2015) * Z is for Zachariah (2015) *

~*~

IN THEATERS:

The Conjuring 2 (2016) R

In general release June 10th, 2016.
I already fussed about this on my Facebook page. That said, I’m going to see this movie, of course, because I so loved the first one, and because I adore Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in these roles.
On IMDb here.

~***~

~ON TV~

This is not the season for interesting television … thank goodness, because I’ve got a lot of Netflixing and Redboxing to do!

EDIT: After drafting this, I did come across an intriguing new show on AMC:

Preacher | AMC | Sundays | 9/8c | airing now.

From the homepage:

“Based on the popular cult comic book franchise of the same name, Preacher is a supernatural, twisted and darkly comedic drama that follows a West Texas preacher named Jesse Custer, who is inhabited by a mysterious entity that causes him to develop a highly unusual power. Jesse, his badass ex-girlfriend Tulip and an Irish vagabond named Cassidy come together, and when they do, they are thrust into a crazy world populated by a cast of characters from Heaven, Hell and everywhere in between.”

I’ve watched the first 15 minutes or so, but then Ogre noticed what I was doing and said he wanted to see it too, so now I wait. It’s too early to tell if I like it, but i don’t dislike it based on the bit I’ve seen. By next week, I may have some actual thoughts share.

• Episode 000 Pilot here.
• Episode 001 See here.
• Episode 003 will air on Sunday, June 12th.

~***~

Find links to all featured Macabre & Mysterious Media here.

The color of the title is keyed as follows:
Black = Have not yet experienced. I’m interested … or I think you’ll be interested.
Red = Have experienced. Not recommended. Worse than the reviews or buzz indicated.
Orange = Have experienced. Recommended, with reservations or cautions.
Green = Have experienced. Recommended. A good movie that lives up to its reputation.

This Week in Macabre & Mysterious Media: Dec. 21-26, 2015

~YOUR MUSICAL INTERLUDE~

My Christmas gift to you:

We are hardwired to get along, you know.

Christmas isn’t really my season, but I miss you all so I took a look a what’s available this week. I’m pretty excited to share two things in particular:

 I’ll be back to regular blogging soon. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYBODY!

~THE MOVIES~

NETFLIX STREAMING:

The Ref (1994) R

Available streaming on Netflix.
I was so excited to see that this is available on streaming this year, so I could recommend it to you. I’m going to give you a fan-made trailer here, because the professional one is just dumb. This is perhaps my favorite modern Christmas movie. Dennis Leary and Kevin Spacey are terrific. Dark. Funny. Satisfying.
On IMDb here.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (2003) PG

Available streaming on Netflix.
Another favorite from recent years, but I usually watch this around Halloween.
On IMDb here.

Most of my other  modern favorites are NOT available on streaming right now, but in case you have alternative ways to access them, here’s the list:

• Die Hard
• Lethal Weapon
• 8 Women
• Gremlins
• National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
• Edward Scissorhands

White Christmas (1954)

Available streaming on Netflix.
My go-to classic. I’ve actually seen it playing on a variety of cable channels, but if you’re looking for a pure, commercial-free, watch, queue it up on Netflix. (I have a huge crush on Danny Kaye.)
On IMDb here.

~ON TV~

The Twilight Zone “The Night of the Meek” | METV | Christmas Eve at 2:30AM/1:30C

Here’s the first five minutes of the episode:

Art Carney as a down and out Santa who finds a magical sack of gifts and seeks his redemption. Set you recorder. This is a great one. It has its own IMDb listing here. EDIT: When I set my DVR, I found the program description says this is a REMAKE of the classic episode. It’s possible the guide is just wrong. I hope the guide is just wrong!

ABC’s The Year: 2015 | ABC | Tuesday | 9/8c 

A year in review news show. I’m betting there will be a ton of commercials, so I think I’ll record it and watch it on time delay.

The Jinx | HBO | On Demand 

Nothing Christmas-y about this one at all, but I just marathoned it and enjoyed it immensely. If you need a break from holiday cheer, you could do worse than this documentary.

I don’t recommend a lot of premium cable shows. We often confine ourselves to a basic cable package, so I don’t have reliable access. Our provider screwed something up recently, though, so they gave us a few months of HBO.

I made a bee-line for the six-part documentary, Jinx, which I’d heard about and coveted. It was well worth the time investment. The first episode is the weakest, but I found myself intrigued anyway. By mid-way through the second episode, I was hooked. Over the hours, I developed an opinion, changed my mind, changed my mind again, and got literal goosebumps at the end.

Here’s the homepage.

~***~

Find links to all featured Macabre & Mysterious Media here.

The color of the title is keyed as follows:
Black = Have not yet experienced. I’m interested … or I think you’ll be interested.
Red = Have experienced. Not recommended. Worse than the reviews or buzz indicated.
Orange = Have experienced. Recommended, with reservations or cautions.
Green = Have experienced. Recommended. A good movie that lives up to its reputation.