News

“We Are The Flesh” is a Fantastical Mess of a Horror Film

Published

7 years ago

January 1, 2017

Written by Shannon McGrew

There is nothing more uncomfortable than watching a film and absolutely disliking 98% of what you’ve just viewed. As a film critic, I try to find the silver lining in all films, something that will make me want to come back again, but there are those rare instances where there is absolutely nothing. That is the case for the Mexican horror/fantasy film “We Are The Flesh” from director Emiliano Rocha Minter. The film proved to be a festival favorite, inciting controversy and strong reactions from those who had the chance to view it. I’m a fan of controversial films, and by no means would I consider myself a prude, but creating a film that is clearly all about the shock with little substance or merit is not something I enjoy watching.

“We Are The Flesh” is a post-apocalyptic horror film centered around siblings who find an abandoned building run by a mysterious man, who offers them shelter and food in exchange for them acting out his depraved fantasies. The film stars Noe Hernandez, Maria Evoli and Diego Gamaliel and includes subject matter such as incest, rape, necrophilia and explicit violence along with fetishism that touches upon urine and menstruation. It’s a non-stop ride on the crazy train with no end in site. The film has a runtime of 79 minutes, yet it felt like a 3 hour movie that assaulted you at every turn. It’s one of those films that wants to be important, artistic, maybe even moving, but in the end, it’s just a heaping pile of crude and vile subject matter that doesn’t make sense with anything that is going on in the story.

Now that you know my true feelings on the subject, let’s get into the acting. To be quite honest, the acting isn’t that bad. There is some talent here and it’s one of the few things that made watching this film bearable. I would love to see these actors in different roles that allow them to explore their acting chops more. It definitely takes a level of risk to make a film such as this, so I commend them for going all out, I would just have liked to have seen more of their talent and less close-ups of their genitalia. The other aspect of this film that I did actually like was the color palette used. The film started off with more muted colors, in gray and brown tones, and slowly transformed into bright neon colors, which I can only imagine were symbolic to the “passion” that was unfolding. I did appreciate the color choices and it made aspects of the film more tolerable to watch.

In terms of scares, there weren’t any. Again, this film was about shock value and not scares. It wanted to make you as uncomfortable as humanly possible without anything to back it up. I’ve watched films such as “A Serbian Film” and “Martyrs” and understood, to a degree, where the director was coming from. I was uncomfortable and disturbed with those films but not absolutely disgusted like I was with “We Are The Flesh.” In terms of violence and gore, there was a plenty, so if you are a gore hound, you will probably be satisfied. The gore wasn’t a big deal for me, as it was just like anything else you would find in a horror film, had they had some interesting kills or tried to do something unique then I may have been more on board, but it was the same tripe scenarios you would see in any other horror film. In regards to sex, that was what this film was all about. As I mentioned above, they delved into incest with a fine toothed comb and it’s uncomfortable to watch. I really feel like one of the goals of this film was to see how far they could push the envelope with the constant images of genitalia and fetishism. There is nothing wrong with nudity, it’s something I feel like should be embraced more in our culture, but repeatedly showing rape or incest is definitely something I have a problem with. If you have no merit or reason to add it to your film, then why do it?

Overall, this is one of those films that I can’t recommend to people. I’m sure after reading this review a lot of you will add this to your queue of movies to watch due to its controversial nature; however, I implore you to seek out something different with more substance. This isn’t a film that is breaking stereotypes or creating a message, it’s just trying to shock you because there is nothing else for this film to stand on. Do yourself a favor and skip over this one, there are way too many other quality films out there.

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Editorial

Yay or Nay: What’s Good and Bad in Horror This Week

Published

20 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Welcome to Yay or Nay a weekly mini post about what I think is good and bad news in the horror community written in bite-sized chunks.

Yay:

Mike Flanagan talking about directing the next chapter in the Exorcist trilogy. That might mean he saw the last one and realized there were two left and if he does anything well it’s draw out a story.

Yay:

To the announcement of a new IP-based film Mickey Vs Winnie. It’s fun to read comical hot takes from people who haven’t even seen the movie yet.

Nay:

The new Faces of Death reboot gets an R rating. It’s not really fair — Gen-Z should get an unrated version like past generations so they can question their mortality the same as the rest of us did.

Yay:

Russell Crowe is doing another possession movie. He’s quickly becoming another Nic Cage by saying yes to every script, bringing the magic back to B-movies, and more money into VOD.

Nay:

Putting The Crow back in theaters for its 30th anniversary. Re-releasing classic movies at the cinema to celebrate a milestone is perfectly fine, but doing so when the lead actor in that film was killed on set due to neglect is a cash grab of the worst kind.

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Lists

The Top-Searched Free Horror/Action Movies on Tubi This Week

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The free streaming service Tubi is a great place to scroll when you’re unsure what to watch. They are not sponsored or affiliated with iHorror. Still, we really appreciate their library because it’s so robust and has many obscure horror movies so rare you can’t find them anywhere in the wild except, if you’re lucky, in a moist cardboard box at a yard sale. Other than Tubi, where else are you going to find Nightwish (1990), Spookies (1986), or The Power (1984)?

We take a look at the most searched horror titles on the platform this week, hopefully, to save you some time in your endeavor to find something free to watch on Tubi.

Interestingly at the top of the list is one of the most polarizing sequels ever made, the female-led Ghostbusters reboot from 2016. Perhaps viewers have seen the latest sequel Frozen Empire and are curious about this franchise anomaly. They will be happy to know it’s not as bad as some think and is genuinely funny in spots.

So take a look at the list below and tell us if you are interested in any of them this weekend.

1. Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters (2016)

An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.

2. Rampage

When a group of animals becomes vicious after a genetic experiment goes awry, a primatologist must find an antidote to avert a global catastrophe.

3. The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren uncover an occult conspiracy as they help a defendant argue that a demon forced him to commit murder.

4. Terrifier 2

After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to Miles County, where his next victims, a teenage girl and her brother, await.

5. Don’t Breathe

A group of teens breaks into a blind man’s home, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect crime but get more than they bargained for once inside.

6. The Conjuring 2

In one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, Lorraine and Ed Warren help a single mother of four in a house plagued by sinister spirits.

7. Child’s Play (1988)

A dying serial killer uses voodoo to transfer his soul into a Chucky doll which winds up in the hands of a boy who may be the doll’s next victim.

8. Jeepers Creepers 2

When their bus breaks down on a deserted road, a team of high school athletes discovers an opponent they cannot defeat and may not survive.

9. Jeepers Creepers

After making a horrific discovery in the basement of an old church, a pair of siblings find themselves the chosen prey of an indestructible force.

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News

Morticia & Wednesday Addams Join Monster High Skullector Series

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Believe it or not, Mattel’s Monster High doll brand has an immense following with both young and not-so-young collectors.

In that same vein, the fan base for The Addams Family is also very large. Now, the two are collaborating to create a line of collectible dolls that celebrate both worlds and what they have created is a combination of fashion dolls and goth fantasy. Forget Barbie, these ladies know who they are.

The dolls are based on Morticia and Wednesday Addams from the 2019 Addams Family animated movie.

As with any niche collectibles these aren’t cheap they bring with them a $90 price tag, but it’s an investment as a lot of these toys become more valuable over time.

“There goes the neighborhood. Meet the Addams Family’s ghoulishly glamorous mother-daughter duo with a Monster High twist. Inspired by the animated movie and clad in spiderweb lace and skull prints, the Morticia and Wednesday Addams Skullector doll two-pack makes for a gift that’s so macabre, it’s downright pathological.”

If you want to pre-purchase this set check out The Monster High website.