Monster Madness

We're approaching the end of another year, and this always makes me a little nostalgic. This post is basically going to be a rundown of my favourite monster from movies this year - now, that doesn't mean that all of these creatures are from movies released this year, just that they're from movies I watched or re-watched through 2022. Enjoy their smiling little faces!

No monster list is complete without gremlins... from Gremlins. I love them so much. Gremlins is one of my Top 3 Christmas movies - I watch it every year! I love their design - they have cat faces with bat wing ears, and the movies still hold up now. Just goes to show what I always say - you can't beat practical effects!

I love them for their cheekiness and their weird, mean-spirited humour. Spike blowing his nose in the curtains before barreling out of the window always cracks me up, as does them saying 'yum yum' every time they find a snack. And don't even start me on the side-splitting hilarity of that horrible old lady opening the door to find a row of gremlins carol-singing on her doorstep, complete with song books, hats, and scarves!

The Thing from John Carpenter's The Thing. Whatever twisted, gross form it presents itself in, it's hideous and scary, and I love it. Once again, you simply cannot have a monster list without including this. It's up there in the best monsters ever made, along with Alien and An American Werewolf in London. Here's a second cheer to practical effects.

The creature/deity from The Ritual. This was so weird and cool and creepy - it really freaks me out! I was nervous watching this movie because I'm a huge fan of the book, and as they were building up the monster reveal I kept worrying that they were going to completely screw it up. But they didn't... oh boy, they didn't! Thank the Dark Lord!

The graboids from Tremors. Once again, amazing practical effects that still hold up, and such cool monsters. Tremors is a perfect film and that is a hill I'm prepared to die on. Contrary to the usual monster movie where people are running around like idiots, making terrible decisions that make you sigh with frustration, this movie is iron-clad. The audience is made aware early on that something dangerous is lurking underground, but the main characters aren't, which is great for tension-building. We learn what the rules of the graboids are before they do, which ups the ante every time we see a character unknowingly do something that could attract them. When the characters DO realise there's something amiss, they're making all the logical and smart decisions, but their attempts are thwarted because the graboids are also smart and adaptable. Honestly, this is a perfect movie. Fight me.

And last, but by no means least, it's the critters from Critters. I love these savage little guys, I really love them. They're like demon-possessed hedgehogs. They're so funny and I love that they have their own language. The best thing about this movie for me is that as ridiculous as the actual monsters might seem, it's played straight. The characters are reacting to them like the characters in Alien react to the xenomorphs. I guess it's an oldie now, but it's a goodie, and I'd recommend seeing it if you haven't treated yourself to it yet!

That's all from me - see you next month for my final post of the year!