Predators abound, from lethal lovers in our Pride Month pick “What Keeps You Alive” to mutant snakes in our retro rewind with “The Curse 2”.
It’s Pride Month, so we checked out the 2018 psychological horror/suspense thriller from Colin Minhan (Grave Encounters, It Stains the Sands Red), What Keeps You Alive. It stars Hannah Emily Anderson and Brittany Allen as a same-sex married couple celebrating their first anniversary at a remote cabin belonging to Jackie’s family. Jules begins to suspect something isn’t quite right with her wife, and a romantic weekend becomes a harrowing fight for survival when Jules’ real intentions are revealed.
You can pinpoint the exact moment What Keeps You Alive peaks.
Everything up to that moment is tension-filled and exciting. The film is beautifully shot and presents an interesting set of characters. It is familiar but still does its own thing. Regrettably, it falls right off a cliff soon after.
Things go on for too long, the writing gives away too much, and the ending is unsatisfying. It is a classic case of going out with a whimper instead of a bang. And it ruins all the goodwill that had been built up over the course of the previous hour plus. Tack on the strange addition of 1990s Australian rock band Silverchair, and you have a head-scratching finale.
You can watch What Keeps You Alive on AMC+ or rent on VOD.
We continue “Home is where the DIE! is” Month with another look back at the horror films of our youth.
We were really looking forward to diving into 1989’s The Curse II: The Bite, also known simply as The Bite.
This horror film, directed by Frederico Prosperi (credited as Fred Goodwin), is the second entry in the Curse tetralogy, a rebranding of unrelated films for marketing purposes. In the film, two young lovers are traveling through the desert in New Mexico when they unwittingly pass through an abandoned nuclear test site which has become a breeding ground for deadly mutant killer snakes.
It’s a film with a lot going for it—at least in our books. It is a B-horror, stars scream queen Jill Schoelen (The Stepfather, Popcorn), and is part of a franchise. The fact that it was filmed and takes place in Las Cruces only added to our anticipation.
Little did we know the movie would also have Jaime Farr of MAS*H fame in one of the most ridiculously awesome subplots ever, some unironically awesome special effects, and a look at late 80s trucker culture.
The Curse II: The Bite isn’t available to stream, but you can watch it in full on YouTube.
ABOUT THIS PODCAST:
Every week AIPT Movie Editor Nathaniel Muir and his cinema partner in crime Blake Heath discuss indie and genre movies you have have never heard of, the ones you cannot hear enough about, and the ones you never want to hear about again.
Episode 278: Looking back on the first half of 2024
Since Jordan Peele’s next movie is not scheduled to release until 2026, there is not much to talk about. It does lead into a conversation about new ideas in Hollywood, however. We also talk about the awesome marketing behind Longlegs.
Sometimes, there is too much importance placed on being wholly original. We get so caught up in seeing something completely different that we forget that bringing a new perspective to an old idea can be just as exciting. The Weekend is a great example. It is your basic in-law horror. But the focus on characters and pacing as opposed to jump scares gives it a different feel.
Which isn’t to say that it is all good. There are some very noticeable flaws in it. This is true of any horror movie, especially one with a premise as ridiculous as The Weekend. But there are some things that even the most die hard genre fans will be unable to accept. Thankfully, there is one amazingly trashy character that brings a lot of fun to the very somber story. But is it enough?
This year has been a little different for us. We have spent more time focusing on older films than in any previous year. During our look back at the first part of 2024, we ignored those movies. There is still a lot to work with and talk about, however. From movies comprised entirely of a language invented for it to a film aimed to take down the horror community, we discuss the movies that impressed us and made us angry. And how could we not talk about the strangest movie we have ever reviewed for our humble little podcast?
Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.
Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.
Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com
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Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror.
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