Table of Contents
Thanks for joining me for another daily horror digest! Today is a day when I admit that I was wrong. I didn’t think I’d like today’s Movie of the Day much, but I ended up loving it. Read about it below, and keep reading for the new trailer for Shelby Oaks, and some daily trivia.
Movie of the Day
I’m very late to the party on this one, but my movie for today is Final Destination: Bloodlines. I missed it in theaters, and to be completely honest, I wasn’t super eager to go see it. I’m not the biggest fan of the Final Destination franchise, but you know what? This movie might have turned me around on that opinion. Final Destination: Bloodlines is a whole lot of fun, and I kind of loved it.
Most of you reading this have probably already seen it, but for those like me who were dragging their feet, here’s a brief rundown of the setup. The movie opens with an elaborate sequence that takes place in the past and ends in utter destruction. If you’re at all familiar with the series, then you’ll recognize this as a premonition. However, it’s revealed that this sequence is actually a recurring dream plaguing the movie’s lead character, Stefani. She recognizes the woman in her dreams as a younger version of her grandmother Iris, so Stefani sets off to find out what the dream means. What she discovers is Death’s plan, which is now coming for her entire bloodline.
I enjoyed this movie from beginning to end. At first I thought the opening scene was going on too long, because I wanted to get to Stefani since I knew from the trailers that she’s the protagonist. I do still think it’s a bit long, but as I got a better feel for the tone of the film, I understand why that opening sequence is so lengthy. It’s because the main focus of the movie is entertainment in the moment. It prioritizes fun and bodily harm above most other elements, and I love it for that. So, yes, the opening sequence is long, but it’s entertaining. That’s what’s important.
That’s not to say that the story isn’t good. It’s quite good actually. I enjoyed figuring things out along with Stefani and her family. The subversions, teases, and little twists all worked well for me. I really enjoyed the scene with Tony Todd’s character, William Bludworth. I’m glad I didn’t look into the movie’s credits too much before watching, because one of the reveals about William was amazingly cool. And William/Tony’s farewell speech? Yeah, it got me good.
Are there things I don’t like about Final Destination: Bloodlines? Yeah, sure. Though I ultimately enjoyed the occasional fake-out in Death’s plan, at times it felt a little too self-indulgent. A little too much like winking directly at the audience, which I dislike more often than not. There are also a few story elements that were focused on once or twice but didn’t add much to the overall experience (like Stefani’s briefly-utilized ability to deduce Death’s Rube Goldberg plans). But those nitpicks are minor compared to the fun I was having.
Star Rating: 4 out of 5
I’m happy to see a movie like this do so well. I’d recommend this to any fan of over-the-top, fun horror movies. I’d even recommend it to people who might not be into the previous Final Destination movies. It won me over. Final Destination: Bloodlines recently began streaming on HBO Max.
In the News
There wasn’t much in the way of compelling horror news yesterday, but the trailer for YouTuber Chris Stuckmann’s directorial debut came out. The film will be released in theaters on October 3rd.
Birthdays
John Saxon was born on August 5th, 1936. John established himself as one of the greatest character actors of all time over a career that lasted from the 1950s until the 2010s (he passed away in 2020). He’s particularly remembered for his work in Westerns, thrillers, and horror films (plus a memorable co-starring role in Enter the Dragon). A few of his most outstanding horror movies include Black Christmas (1974), Tenebrae (1982), and three A Nightmare on Elm Street movies (the original from 1984, Dream Warriors, and New Nightmare).
Celebrating a birthday today is Ko Shibasaki, born on August 5th, 1981. Ko co-starred in the seminal 2000 Japanese film Battle Royale as Mitsuko, the main female antagonist with a tragic past. She also starred in the horror films One Missed Call (2003), Scarecrow (2001), and Over Your Dead Body (2014).
Also born today, in 1991, is Wi Ha-joon. He’s most famous for Squid Game in which he played Hwang Jun-ho, the former police detective who infiltrated the games in season one, and obsessively searched for their location during seasons two and three. Wi Ha-joon also starred in the South Korean found footage movie Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018).
More birthdays on August 5th:
- Joan Weldon (1930) – Dr. Patricia Medford in Them! (1954)
- Jan Francis (1947) – Mina in Dracula (1979)
- John Jarratt (1951) – Mick Taylor (the killer) in Wolf Creek and its sequel
- James Gunn (1966) – writer and director of Slither (2006), writer of Dawn of the Dead (2004) and The Belko Experiment (2016)
- Jesse Williams (1981) – Holden in The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
Events on This Day
Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later opened in US theaters on August 5th, 1998. This film returned Laurie (as played by Jamie Lee Curtis) to the series, picking up continuity from Halloween II (1981) and ignoring every other sequel. Michael Myers might look kind of goofy in this movie, but it’s one of the best sequels overall in the Halloween franchise.
Prey was released on Hulu on August 5th, 2022. It’s the fifth movie in the Predator franchise (seventh if you count the Alien vs. Predator spinoffs), and it is one of the most highly regarded. Director Dan Trachtenberg and screenplay writer Patrick Aison teamed up again for the upcoming Predator: Badlands releasing this November. Trachtenberg also directed the animated anthology film Predator: Killer of Killers (2025).
The Blob opened in US theaters on August 5th, 1988. This is one of the better horror remakes ever, updating the 1958 film of the same name in a way that honors what came before, but updates the story and visuals in fantastic ways. The Blob (1988) flopped at the box office by failing to earn back its budget, but it went on to become a beloved cult film.
Thank you for reading! I love it when a movie surprises me in a positive way. Hopefully there’s a lot more of that to come!
