HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL

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William Castle's 1959 B-Movie horror classic retains its goofy charm with a litany of gimmicky sight gags that, however tame by today's standards, keep their childish appeal.

The popular set-up trope for this tale of murder involves five specifically chosen people to attempt winning $10,000 for each one that can withstand an entire night in Vincent Price's "haunted" house.

Wealthy Frederick Loren (Vincent Price) in unhappily married to Carol Ohmart's Annabelle. The couple hate each other so much that either one could kill the other.

So it goes that Frederick supplies each "party" guest with a loaded gun, presented in cute little coffin cases.

Vincent Price does his all-knowing wink to the audience as he glides through the action with marvelous aplomb.

"House On Haunted Hill" is a kid-friendly horror movie that tickles as much as it surprises.

Of special importance to the film is it's use of the historic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Ennis House in Los Feliz California.

William Castle ("King of the Gimmicks") revels in the story's silliness. It's all an excuse to get the audience to scream along with the actors.

If you want silly fun for your Halloween popcorn-eating enjoyment, "House on Haunted Hill" is a safe bet.

Not Rated. 75 mins.

MIDSOMMAR — SHOCKTOBER!

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Writer/director Ari Aster's brilliant horror/social satire is a film that would make M. Night Shyamalamadingdong jealous, very jealous.

"Midsommar" is everything that M. Night imagines his movies to be, but are not. Namely, being truly terrifying, albeit with a keen wit regarding theme and plot development. Smart.

Bold.

You want "character-driven"?

Well here it is.

Carried by Florence Pugh's flawless performance, "Midsommar" could have yet been improved upon with a good 12 minutes of editing.

Nonetheless, Ari Aster isn't afraid to shock his audience into submission. If ever there was a Halloween movie guaranteed to shock you, "Midsommar" is it.

Prepare for the worst.

This is one brutal movie. Not for the faint of heart.

"Midsommar" will not be everyone's cup of tea.

That said, if you're down with Aster's nuanced restraint, even his graphic depictions are engaging.

The violence is just literal enough, but you can clearly make out rubber from flesh.

The cycle of life, as carried out in a dystopic Swedish cult community, is the social Petri dish that Ari Aster uses to examine death, for the complex confusion and fear that it instills in all humanity.

Indoctrination is an essential part of the cult plan.

There's even a slasher-film aspect to "Midsommar" that tips its hat to black comedy.

All you need to know going into this transgressive (if surrealistic) film is that it covers: animal abuse, cannibalism, incest, suicide, matricide, homicide, and some serious fucking.

My work here is done.

Get thee thinking cap on.

Rated R. 148 mins.

RATED X

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"Rated X" is a hidden gem of a biopic. Emilio Estevez maximizes the film's tame budget to deliver a power-smack of familial drama.

You can't help but equate the real-life brother factor of Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen playing siblings with addiction problems.

Their performances here are not easily forgotten.

Art and Jim Mitchell, purveyors of porn who made the hugely successful porn film "Behind The Green Door," went on to run San Francisco's famous O'Farrell Theatre.

It was one of the first porn houses to feature live sex acts. Hunter S. Thompson is said to have worked at the Mitchell Brothers O'Farrell Theatre in the late '80s, as preparation for a book he was working on.

Jim Mitchell (Emilio Estevez) and Art Mitchell call each other Bob, their overbearing father's name.

The on-the-nose irony is not lost on the brothers' fraught relationship that unravels beneath the weight of drugs, sex, lawsuits, and divorces.

Tasteful, dramatic, and fascinating, "Rated X" is a damned good movie that is sorely overlooked.

This is one wild ride of a biopic.

Rated R. 115 mins.