Uninvited (1988)

After watching some Argento, I decided on a mindless afternoon of domesticated Creature Features. Yes,  there are a ton,  especially from the classic straight to VHS era. My first choice was the 1988 entry Uninvited.

Plot: A cat infected with a genetically engineered virus escapes from a lab and goes on a killing spree, finding its way onboard a shady businessman's yacht loaded with young guests.

Where do I begin? Growing up in this era, I do admit I have a soft spot for the films that came out during this time.  They did help shape my love for horror and always made for an interesting trip to video store and that is exactly what this movie would be.  Not only did it come across extremely dated,  there weren't many moments for it to hang its hat on.  The effects (especially the mutant cat) were laughable, the performance ranges from bagd to cardboard,  and the storyline was, well, beyond a stretch. I mean everything that could be wrong with it,  was, and it came across as more of a headscratching comedy than horror film. But,  honestly,  that was what I expected when I read the synopsis and saw the year on Prime. Would I recommend it? Absolutely not, but to be fair,  there are worse movies out there,  especially from that period. Beware!

Animal (2014)

Saturday should be a day of rest. Unfortunately, for me, I had to make the trip to the institute for an open house event. Now that I am finally home relaxing, I felt it was time to dive into something rather mindless; my choice was the 2014 Chiller Films flick Animal.

Plot/ When plans for a weekend vacation hit a dead end; a group of close-knit friends find themselves stranded in unfamiliar territory, pursued by a menacing and bloodthirsty predator.

OK, so, I needed to watch something rather mindless, and this one definitely fit the bill. While it is not a terrible film by any means, it is just nothing special. In fact, it is rather cliché throughout, with the typical cardboard characterizations one comes to expect in most horror films in this genre. Sure, the performances are decent and the cast is all right, but other than that, there is nothing new to get anyone excited. The effects are uneven, the scripting predictable, and the decisions made by the characters make zero sense. In the end, this one is not bad and has some entertaining moments; it just does nothing to make it stand out within the genre. If you are a giant fan of this genre, give it a shot; if not stay away.