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Alex Gravehaunt

@asgreyhawk.bsky.social

47 followers 270 following 1.7K posts

Based in NW Indiana. Home-cooking instructor behind Thyme+Effort (thymeandeffort.com) . Amateur analog game designer. Giant film nerd. 1/2 of the now defunct Gratuitous Pausing podcast. Raised by the TV. Insufferable. (He/Him)

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Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 7h

Honestly there's not a whole lot here that I liked beyond the premise. The script and particularly the pacing is bad, the acting isn't good, the blob is off screen for vast swaths of the runtime, and when it is it's too slow to really be scary.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 7h

Unfortunately the effects past the first few scenes with the blob kind of lost their luster. The playback reversal got choppier and the models looked cheaper and more artificial.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 7h

That last line "As long as the Arctic stays cold." Is a lot more ominous these days isn't it. Honestly climate change makes excellent fodder for a modern day sequel. The refusal to believe there's a problem fits right in to.

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Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 8h

Man is this slow, what would normally be the first act in a modern horror movie has taken nearly and hour. Just now the plucky teens have decided to find the monster since none of the adults believe them.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 8h

The effects for the blob are really solid especially for the time. I definitely need to read up how they did them after the movie.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 9h

It's also very obvious to me how little Jane has been speaking even though she's been here the whole time.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 9h

This police stop after the street race is honestly painful to watch. The acting so stiff and forced.

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Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 9h

The Blob has it's own theme song?! With lyrics and everything! Was not expecting that. Is this trying to be campy or was that just the style at the time? I really need to dig into more 50's & 60's horror. I watched the original The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) recently and had the same question.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 9h

Wait, this has Steve McQueen in it! *checks Wikipedia* And his first starring role. Ooo this should be interesting.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 9h

Alright time for Night 18 of #Gravehaunt this evening's film is The Blob (1958). It was actually the 1988 remake that came up when I rolled for the movie, but I figured I should watch the original first. And this year's marathon has been pretty heavy on recent films anyway.

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Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 1d

That said the finale here (barring that small bit i complained about 3 posts ago) is very good. Solid stunt and effect work, a satisfying arc for Zeph, Tucker gets proven wrong in almost everyway possible, and love wins. Can't ask for much more.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 1d

And I also think it has a weak 2nd act. That's honestly a problem I see with lots of horror movies. They have a good set up, and the have a solid conclusion, but they struggle to get from A to B in a way that's both satisfying and makes them feature length.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 1d

Overall I do like this, but it's got some noticeable issues. I think there's too many close calls for escape. And it's always right when she's almost clear that the rug gets pulled. I think smaller fail forward bits would have been less repetitive.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 1d

Really?! The line pulling Zeph out to sea seems entirely unnecessary. It's such a cheap shot at one last scare. And it doesn’t do anything interesting narratively.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 1d

Holy shit. She just bit off her own thumb to escape the handcuffs. That's fucking hardcore final girl shit. I was not expecting that from this movie.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 1d

I was a bit concerned early on that Moses was going to be the hero and Zephyr was going to lose some agency in her rescue. Glad the movie is smarter than that. But unfortunately Moses chances of survival are way down now.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 1d

I'm not sure how I feel about all the time spent with Tucker, specifically with all his ritual. It's the same off vibe i get from all those serial killer docudramas. We obviously need some scenes with it, he is the antagonist, but at a certain point it gets...navel-gazey's not quite right but close.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 1d

He makes fishing lures out of locks of hair from his victims. Of course he fucking does.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 1d

Ooof tough break real estate guy. I'm rooting for you though.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 1d

Oh yes movie, I would love some Blue Crush to go with my shark horror. That's very thoughtful of you.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 1d

I do like that so far this movie is doing its best to not make the same mistake as Jaws in vilifying sharks. It's clear the movie respects them. The Dangerous Animals from the title is referring to Tucker.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 1d

#Gravehaunt Night 17 the movie is Dangerous Animals (2025). From the trailer and description this like if Captain Quint from Jaws was a serial killer.That's definitely an interesting idea, and I love Jaws, so high hopes for this one.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 2d

It's definitely a little light on scares, and a little slow in the front half, but damn does it pull out all the stops for the finale. The movie is a bit too odd and niche to have mass appeal but I really enjoyed that. I think it would pair well as a double feature with Love and Monsters.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 2d

Holy shit, just when i was wondering if that monster was ever coming back at all BAM right in the middle of Hank's karaoke. Fucking props. That's how you pivot from a romance climax to a horror one.

Alex Gravehaunt @asgreyhawk.bsky.social · 2d

Ooof that conversation as they wait for the monster is brutally effective. No camera movement or cuts. Just a oner of the most difficult and uncomfortable conversation they've ever had about their relationship. There's no escaping it. And it feels pretty true to life. Superb writing and acting.