Kampung Kreepy

I love folklore, and I’ve always been fascinated by folk horror. It’s a subgenre of horror that uses folklore, folk beliefs, urban legends and/or paganism to evoke fear and dread. The stories are usually set in rural or isolated areas, and themes include the clash between the old and the modern, and man versus nature.  In terms of fiction, Thomas Tryon’s 1973 novel Harvest Home is a classic. Other examples include Stephen King’s short story “Children of the Corn,” and his novel Pet Sematary . More recent gems are Adam Nevill’s The Ritual , and Andrew Michael Hurley’s Starve Acre .    As to movies, The Wicker Man springs immediately to mind. In the 1973 film (there is a 2006 remake but I prefer the creepier original), a police officer travels to the remote Scottish island of Summerisle to find a missing girl. He discovers, to his mounting horror, that the island residents practice a particular form of Celtic paganism.  More recent folk horror movies include Midsomm...

Wonka is charming, whimsical, and heartwarming. But it’s hard not to like a movie centered around chocolate. Full confession: I haven’t watched the original 1971 movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory starring Gene Wilder. I saw the 2005 version, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Johnny Depp in the main role, and thought it was okay.  I enjoyed Wonka so much more. Timothee Chalamet brought a touching innocence to his role as Willy Wonka. The other cast members did a great job as well. I laughed harder at Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa than I thought I would.  I loved the movie’s set designs. The U.K. locations in which Wonka was filmed, including Oxford and Bath, are simply beautiful and added much to the movie’s magic.  An enthusiastic two thumbs-up from me.

  If you'd like to get into the spirit of the holiday through a movie, and you’re a horror fan (like myself), check out this previous post where I recommend a few classics that will do the job! 

I’m not a fan of Godzilla movies. I mean, I like them well enough, but I won’t go out of my way to watch them. So I was really surprised to find how much I liked Godzilla Minus One , which I caught on Netflix . This isn’t yet another kaiju (giant monster) movie in which the creature wrecks Tokyo and terrorizes its residents. Instead, it’s character-driven, and really tugs at your heartstrings. You’re so much more invested in a flick if you actually care that the people in it survive. The movie was produced and released in 2023 by Japan’s Toho Studios. It has found worldwide success, reportedly raking in $116 million compared to an estimated budget of $10 - $12 million. It is Toho’s highest-grossing Godzilla movie ever, at a time when American movies are sluggish at the box office. Godzilla Minus One takes place shortly after World War II, when Japan is reeling from its ignominious defeat by the Allied Forces. The main character is Koichi Shikishima, a former kamikaze pilot who mus...

I confess I was nervous about watching Netflix’s live version of Avatar: The Last Airbender . I liked the animated series on which it’s based, and I had no idea whether Netflix could be true to that. All in all, I thought Netflix did a good job. The animated series aired on Nickelodeon for three seasons (from 2005 to 2008). I particularly liked its storyline, which was influenced by Chinese martial arts and Asian and Native American cultures. If you’re not familiar with it, the series is set in a world where the people of four nations—the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom, the Air Nomads and the Water Tribes—have the ability to “bend,” or manipulate, the elements. Peace between the nations is ensured by the Avatar, who is born with the ability to bend all four elements. Aang, a 12-year-old Air Nomad, is the latest Avatar. The Fire Nation exterminates his people as part of an effort to conquer the other nations. He survives, but goes missing for 100 years. When he returns, he befriend...

I was charmed by the movie Love and Monsters (2020). Despite its dystopian themes, the movie is sweet and lighthearted, the perfect escape considering all the craziness that’s happening in the world right now. The film is set in the not-so-distant future, when the world’s defense systems blow up an asteroid headed toward earth. Unfortunately, the fallout from the incident causes cold-blooded creatures to mutate into giant monsters, which then proceed to decimate mankind. Survivors must hide from the monsters in whatever shelter they can find. Joel, the protagonist, was a normal teenager who loved to draw when the disaster occurred. He and his girlfriend were separated while fleeing with their families. Seven years later, Joel lives in an underground bunker with several other people. Every day is a fight for survival. He’s no warrior—he freezes in crisis situations—but he does well enough as a cook. One day, Joel manages to establish radio contact with his girlfriend Aimee, who liv...

I liked Netflix's  Rebel Moon , but I found the story only so-so. The tropes and archetypes could have been lifted from any fantasy (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing). Here you have an evil empire, an innocent village, a brave, disillusioned warrior, a villainous villain, a quest to seek out heroes and defenders. The writing is clunky in parts. Everything is too pat. The movie’s concepts and aesthetics also are heavily reminiscent of those from popular sci-fi films, shows and games such as Dune   (2021),  Firefly  (2002-2003),  Star Wars   (1977),  Mad Max  (starting from 1981's The Road Warrior ) and Warhammer . I didn’t get to know any of the main characters, and I didn’t particularly care for any of them. Which is a pity because any good story needs a heart and a soul. Perhaps Rebel Moon, Part 2 , coming in April, will tell us more about their back stories. I’m also interested to see what happens with Jimmy, a sentient machine whom I found t...

Happy first day of fall! It’s still a little early for Halloween, but I start gearing up around now by watching horror movies. If you’re looking to do the same, here are 10 horror movies with an emphasis on fantasy. None of the movies is super scary. The list may be a little heavy on witches, but hey, who doesn’t love witches?! In no particular order: 1. Practical Magic (1998) A tale about good witches who must battle a psycho lover returned from the dead. This quirky movie boasts beautiful visuals (a gorgeous Victorian mansion with its own conservatory; a picturesque town located on an island) and photogenic stars (Sandra Bullock and Nichole Kidman, among others). And the last scene, where the townsfolk gather on Halloween to watch the witches “fly” down from the roof of their mansion? Pure magic. 2. Sleepy Hollow (1999) Tim Burton’s dark retelling of the adventures of Ichabod Crane sets just the right mood for Halloween. As the headless horseman stalks Crane, you can almost f...

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) is entertaining and zany. I’ve never played the game by the way (please don’t kill me), so I have no idea how closely the movie follows the game. The story, as with many fantasies, revolves around a quest. A likable thief and his band of misfits set out to recover a magical relic that can bring his dead wife back to life. He also hopes to win back the love of his daughter. Predictably, he and his mates must escape some dicey situations and overcome evil along the way.    Michelle Rodriguez was hilarious in the role of potato-loving, ass-kicking warrior Holga Kilgore. I also have a soft spot for Sophia Lillis, who did a great job as Doric, a tiefling druid who can shape-shift into various animals (my favorite being the fearsome owlbear). The special effects were good, the scenery lovely, the writing fun and light. One complaint is that the movie felt kind of long (and at 2 hours, 14 minutes, it might well be). The opening s...

I saw the movie Renfield  (2023) last night. The movie’s premise is pretty good, and solid urban fantasy. Count Dracula and his minion Renfield have moved to New Orleans. While Dracula is recovering from his last fight with the Catholic Church and Abraham Van Helsing, Renfield is going to a weekly support group to help him with his unhealthy relationship with the count. At the same time, he continues to supply Dracula with humans. He’s trying to do better by picking only bad dudes. Mayhem ensues, including over-the-top comic gore, when Renfield kills a drug lord’s assassin. Nicholas Hoult was good as Renfield, and Awkwafina was great as the potty-mouthed beat cop who’s trying to take down the drug lord. Nicholas Cage was hilarious as Dracula. The man may be picking some odd roles in his later years, but I have to say he puts his heart and soul into whichever role it is. Kudos. It’s a funny movie, made even funnier by the immortal Nicholas Cage.  One quibble: Anyone with ...

It’s summer. The days are long and muggy, and the smell of sunblock is everywhere. Millions of American are setting out for the beach or the lake, while you’re stuck at home and/or working. You don’t have to miss out. If you’re a horror fan like I am, there are many movies that will get you in the vacation mood. And after watching some of them, you may be glad you’re staying home instead of venturing out! Here are 10 recommendations, in no particular order, of horror movies that evoke the sights and sounds of summer. 1. The Wretched (2019) A teenage boy comes to live with his father at a resort town while his parents are going through a divorce. One night, he sees a strange figure on his neighbor’s porch. Shortly after, his neighbor’s little boy claims something is wrong with his mother. Before you know it, the teenager is tangling with a 1,000-year-old witch who wears the skins of her victims. 2. Splinter (2008) Gas stations can be frightening places in the middle of the night...

I recently watched the new Netflix movie Troll . It is, not surprisingly, set in Norway. Did you know that Southeast Asia has its own troll-like figure? She is called Sang Kelembai. Trolls are such an important part of Nordic folklore that places all over Norway are named after the creatures. Mountain peaks and rock formations are especially likely to be named after trolls because, according to the lore, trolls turn to stone when exposed to sunlight. Whether from the mountains, the woods or caverns, trolls are large and uncouth. They love to trick humans and are generally unhelpful. Think of the troll who lives under the bridge in the old fairy tale “The Three Billy Goats Gruff.” Or the nasty trolls in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings . The Sang Kelembai myth originates from the state of Pahang in Malaysia. She is a giantess (some say giant) three times the size of a normal person. She has a big nose, big elephant-like ears and fangs. She lives in the jungle and eats meat, fruit...

I loved  Ghostbusters I  (1984) and  II   (1989). The iconic opening scene from the first movie, where the team investigates the New York Public Library, was enough to hook me in. Pure campy fun. And then there was the theme song. “Who’re you gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS!” You could not get away from it even if you wanted to. The movie was huge. Ghostbusters II was good as well, although perhaps not as good as the original. It was still fun to see the gang together. The chemistry between the actors was as remarkable as ever. Again, pure campy fun. Sony Pictures tried to revive the original franchise in 2016 with an all-female cast. The effort ultimately was … unmemorable.  Don’t get me wrong. I am a fan of the talented female stars in the movie, including Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig. Unfortunately, the reboot was slow and self-indulgent, and many of the jokes fell flat. For me, the best part of the movie was Chris Hemsworth’s character. So you can understa...

I’m really enjoying Korean zombies. I recently binge-watched  All of Us Are Dead , the new Netflix television series about a group of students whose high school is overrun with reanimated corpses. The series, adapted from a popular webtoon, has everything you would want from a show about zombies. There are jump scares, close-contact situations of peril, close shaves, relatable and sympathetic characters, good makeup, and hordes of terrifying, shambling, hungry zombies. Each episode ended with a cliffhanger that made it hard not to rush to the next installment. There were perhaps too many character tropes in the series. However, that’s par for the course for most programs featuring zombies. Many people in the shows don’t live long enough to show their depth of character or to undergo personal growth. It’s not clear at this point whether there will be a second season. I’ll definitely watch it if there is one. While All of Us are Dead was good, I consider Kingdom —another zombie-c...

I saw  The Company of Wolves recently. It’s a 1984 British anthology film about a young girl who dreams about werewolves. The movie is a little heavy-handed in its symbolism and warning to young women to steer clear of predatory “wolves” in the woods. Its special effects also are dated. However, I still liked it for its dreamlike quality and ominous atmosphere (are European woods really that dark and damp?). The movie did get me thinking about werewolves in general. To be honest, I’ve always felt sorry for the creatures. Let me clarify first that I’m not talking about shape-shifters who can change at will, like Jacob Black’s Quileute tribe in the Twilight flicks. I’m discussing the werewolf as portrayed in movies, who acquires his or her condition through a bite by a (usually unseen) savage animal. In addition to being victims, werewolves have no agency. Their shape-shifting is dictated by the cycles of the moon, and they can’t control themselves once they transform. Because t...

I’ve been a fan of superheroes for a long time. So long, in fact, that I’m now witnessing a new phenomenon. The movie superheroes of my time are aging. And some are dying. It’s bad enough that Marvel killed off Iron Man and the Black Widow in Avengers: Endgame (2019). I watched a few episodes of Hawkeye during a trial period when I got the Disney+ streaming service for free. Hawkeye wears a hearing aid and his age is showing. I also watched Logan (2017) recently. A great movie (I highly recommend it), but depressing as hell. In Logan , Patrick Stewart’s Professor X is a nonagenarian with mental deterioration. Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is an aging alcoholic—his superhuman ability to heal is slowing down, allowing him to be poisoned by the adamantium in his body. Jackman’s version of Wolverine is the only one I’ve ever known. When I think of Wolverine, Jackman’s face is the one I see. The same goes for Robert Downey Jr. and Iron Man. And Scarlet Johansson and the Black Widow. And ...

It’s almost Christmas. What better time for horror movies than the Yuletide? After all, Yule originally was a pagan mid-winter festival celebrated by pre-Christian Germanic peoples. The early Germans believed that the “Wild Hunt” occurred during the 12 nights of the Yuletide (Dec. 21 to Jan. 1). That was when a host of ghostly hunters rode the night skies led by Odin, whose many roles included the god of the dead. The hunters would mimic the sounds of howling wind and storms as they swept up the souls of the dead as well as any unlucky people and animals that crossed their path. The Yuletide feast was thought to be a sacrifice to secure blessings from Odin and the other gods for abundant crops and livestock in the coming spring. Yule was adopted and adapted by the Christians. However, even as Yuletide became Christmastide, some of the older traditions and customs were retained, such as wassailing and the burning of the log. In the spirit of the Wild Hunt, I have suggestions for ho...

It’s three days to Thanksgiving, and I have movie recommendations that will help horror fans enjoy the holiday even more. Watch a movie every night until Turkey Day. Or watch them all on the day itself, right after the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Have a great Thanksgiving! Kristy (2014) A college student stays in the dorm while most of her schoolmates go home for Thanksgiving. She is targeted and pursued by a cult of sadistic killers. Does anyone else find empty college campuses creepy? If you do, this is the horror flick for you. The movie is fast-paced and exciting. Kristy can be streamed on the Roku Channel or Tubi. Into the Dark: Pilgrim (2019) A woman invites re-enactors into her home to recreate an authentic Thanksgiving with the pilgrims, in the hope that her family will appreciate the holiday even more. Unfortunately, the actors take their work very, very seriously. Pilgrim is from Season 2 of Hulu’s Into the Dark TV series produced by Blumhouse Production...

As many of you know, Halloween, or All Hallows’ Eve, has roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (it’s Gaelic and pronounced SAH-win). The Celts believed that between October 31 and November 1, the boundaries between the physical and spiritual worlds were weak and could be breached. That meant that the dead, fairy folk and even monsters could cross into the human world at this time. The Celts left offerings for the Sidhs, or fairies, outside their villages and in fields. They also dressed up as animals and monsters to fool the fairies into not kidnapping them. For this Halloween, I thought it might be fun to breach the walls between the world of the living and the world of the dead. How about watching a few movies about ghosts while waiting for the trick-or-treaters to arrive? If you’re interested, I have a few recommendations for you. My list is in no particular order. Some of these are older movies and/or classics. They are among my favorite horror movies, and they all br...