shadowhive

Challenge 1:

Make a Top Ten list for your favourite standalone media and tell people exactly why you love it. This can be in any format - movies, one shot dramas, novels, short stories, plays, something else not mentioned here. Whatever you like!

So I had hoped to get this done earlier in the week but between the combo of 2 things (1: brain being blah and 2: brain going ‘file not found’ with films) it’s took mee longer to do than I hoped. (Even as I start this I’m not sure what the last entry is going to be.)

So to start with I’ve defined standalone as being just that, a film that’s just a one off film. It’s not part of a bigger film series, it’s not a prequel or a sequel (at least at time of writing). Some of these things might have stuff in other media, just not a film follow up. Some of these I wish had sequels and that will come up when I get to them.

It’s also not a ranking, the way they are listed are more ‘this is the order they came to mind’ than ‘this is the order I rank them’. (Because honestly? I find it hard to rank things) And also I am 110% sure I’m missing something. I’m sure as soon as this is posted I’ll go ‘oh! How could I forget that??’

Ok enough rambling.

1: Wildhood

Synopsis (from IMDb): Two brothers embark on a journey to find their birth mother after their abusive father had lied for years about her whereabouts; along the way, they reconnect with their indigenous heritage and make a new friend.

So Wildhood was the first film that came to mind when I saw what this challenge was. I hunted down the blu ray for a simple reason, it featured Joshua Odjick and it had him kiss another guy. And yes that was hot (I still think about the waterfall scene) but it’s so much more than that, it’s sweet, it’s funny, it’s heartfelt, it’s touching. There’s a cool drag Queen running a bar. It’s one of those films that, as soon as I finished watching I knew I’d watch it again.if you’re remotely into queer cinema watch this

2: Noroi The Curse

Synopsis (from IMDb): A prominent paranormal journalist Kobayashi goes missing shortly after completing a documentary. What begins as an investigation into strange noises soon evolves into the chilling mystery of a demonic entity named Kagutaba.

And now for something entirely different! Noroi is a found footage Japanese horror film in the form of a documentary. While it mostly follows Kobayashi and his investigation is will occasionally have other things, like segments from other shows and it’s one of those films that makes you wonder why until you have an oh moment whenever it’s clear why. Honestly it’s my fav found footage film, because it this so many things I like. It’s an investigation, there’s creeping dread and it’s just so well done.

For awhile it was hard to find, shudder had it for a time, but then arrow did a boxset called j-horror rising and I got that instantly (it did become a birthday present) and it’s easily my fav (though the others are mostly good too)

3 Trick R Treat

Synopsis (from IMDb): Five Halloween stories: A principal has a secret life, a virgin is looking for her first time, a group of kids pull a prank, a woman who loathes Halloween does not respect the rules and a mean old man meets a demonic trick-or-treater.

Every year, usually on Halloween night itself (though occasionally not), I watch this film. At its essence, Trick R Treat is an anthology film. Like the synopsis above states, it’s essentially five stories but I think what’s special about this is that they’re all interwoven. They’re not just ‘here’s story one, here’s story 2’ etc. The stories are all woven together and all happen the same night at the same place. You see little details in each one, characters from other stories appear in others and it just makes it feel alive.

4: Dungeons And Dragons Honour Among Thieves

Synopsis (imdb):A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers embark on an epic quest to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.

I really wish this wasn’t on here. Not because I don’t love it, but because I wish that there was a sequel. It was just such a fun time. It was funny, it was exciting and I really loved it (and Xenk!) plus the practical effects are so insane (Jarnathan!). It’s a shame there’s not been a follow up. (Alas I think it’s bad timing, if it has come out just a lil while later it would’ve done much better). And damn now I wanna watch it again.

5: The Muppet Christmas Carol

Synopsis (from IMDb): The Muppets put their spin on the tale of an elder, Christmas-hating miser who is visited by spirits who foretell his future and share secrets from his past and present, which helps change his view on life.

The Muppet Christmas Carol is to christmas what Trick R Treat is for Halloween, in that it’s something I watch every year. It’s the muppet version of A Christmas Carol and, of the ones I’ve seen, it’s easily the best. There’s just something so magic about it, maybe it’s the songs, maybe it’s the nostalgia. (Maybe it’s the decision to have Gonzo as Charles dickens along for the ride too.)

Honourable mention too to The Muppet Treasure Island which is similar (a classic novel with muppets) but feels like it has opposite vibes. (I need to rewatch it) We need more adaptions of things with Muppets and it’s a shame there’s just the two.

6: Event Horizon

Synopsis (from IMDb): A rescue crew is tasked with investigating the mysterious reappearance of a spaceship that had been lost for seven years.

And now for something completely different! I’ve been meaning to rewatch this, as itwas on my list for spooky season a few months back but alas stuff happened. But yeah I just love the concept of a shop turning up, abandoned and essentially haunted. It’s just so creepy and, of course, having Sam Neill helps make it memorable too.

7: Detective Pikachu

Synopsis (from IMDb): In a world where people collect Pokémon to do battle, a boy comes across an intelligent talking Pikachu who seeks to be a detective.

When Detective Pikachu was announced, as a live action Pokémon film, I was sceptical. I wasn’t sure if they could do Pokémon well as a live action thing. Then I went and saw it and… they did it so well. All the Pokémon are so well done and it’s such a fun little mystery story. It really is a shame that there hasn’t been a follow up to it. (Or even some other live action film)

(I really need to rewatch it which is a recurring theme).

8: The Nightmare Before Christmas

Synopsis (from IMDb): Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.

This is another usually annual film (I think last year was the first for awhile I didn’t). This is another everyone knows and I usually tend to watch it on/around Halloween. Again there’s something so magical about it and I think it comes from the songs, the performances and the sets. And I think a huge part of its charm (other than zero) is it’s stop motion animation which is an art I’m always so impressed by.

9: Wallace And Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

Synopsis (from imdb): Top dog Gromit springs into action to save his master when Wallace's high-tech invention goes rogue and he is framed for a series of suspicious crimes.

So this is a film I watched again on christmas after, ironically, first watching it Christmas the year before. The damn, it’s just so fun. Feathers McGraw manages, without saying a single word, to a perfect villain, managing to be both threatening and funny as well. It’s just such a good time.

10: Strange Harvest

Synopsis (from IMDb): Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for "Mr. Shiny"-a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force.

This is the newest one on the list. A few of the films that were newly released last year could have fitted here but I chose this. And I think why I did was because it’s a bit more obscure (and didn’t get a cinema release, at least here.

Strange Harvest is similar in vein to Noroi, in that it’s in the style of a documentary. It’s presented as a true crime documentary with ‘interviews’ from detectives, witnesses and others associated with the case. (Of course this being a film not a documentary it is more gruesome in places). I’d been interested in it since seeing the trailer and picked it up to watch over the holidays. It is really good, it’s unsettling and spooky and oddly gripping too.

And there’s my list!

Like I said at the starry there’s likely something super obvious I’ve forgotten but ah well!