Ginger Snaps (2001)

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

Continuing to review werewolf movies in chronological order, I'm now at 2000 with this, an independently-made movie from Canada being the tale of two teen sisters-Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) and her one-year younger one Brigitte (Emily Perkins). They're both fascinated with depictions of death to the point of photographing each other in various ways of deadly accidents. Then Ginger gets bitten by a wolf while she and her sis are walking down the road...This was both horrifyingly scary and a little funny (I dug that scene of that school nurse giving advice on menstruation). And seeing Mimi Rogers as the deadpan mom was also a hoot to watch especially after she's told what's going on! So on that note, I highly recommend Ginger Snaps.

Sisters Brigitte (Emily Perkins) and Ginger Fitzgerald (Katharine Isabelle) live in the cookie-cutter suburbs of Bailey Downs where something is killing the dogs. They are obsessed with death and are outcasts in school. Ginger intends to hold Brigitte to their pact. "Out by 16 or dead on the scene but together forever." They love staging bizarre deaths. Brigitte is picked on by popular girl Trina Sinclair and the girls try to stage killing Trina's dog. Ginger finally has her first period at 15 but is attacked by a werewolf. Brigitte saves Ginger and drug dealer Sam runs over the wolf with his van. Soon Ginger starts turning and turning heads at school. Brigitte tries to find a cure for Ginger with the help of Sam.I love so much about this movie. Firstly I love both actresses. They have terrific sister chemistry. Katharine Isabelle does a great slow walk down the hall. Emily Perkins is a terrific disheveled nerd. That song is hauntingly beautiful. I love all the bizarre deaths staged by the sisters. This is such an unique take on the werewolf transformation weaving it into the sisters hormonal transformation. It's one of the reasons why the original Carrie was so great. There is great sly humor and Mimi Rogers is a good solid foundation at home. The gore is a bit amateurish but that's indie horror for you. What they lack in expertise, they make up for it in fun. Slipping on your own vomit is such a great way to die.

Kathrine Isabelle and Emily Perkins give what is nothing less the performances of their very lives in this terrific film. Under the direction of John Fawcett they are absolutely electric in their respective roles as sisters. Screen writer Karen Walton creates characters here that the two leads can realistically bring to life and embody. It is not your typical horror script with girls in jeopardy and behaving helplessly. These young women are relatively strong and proactive in facing their ungodly peril. Perkins and Isabelle are simply unforgettable and hopefully this film serves as a vehicle which will get them noticed for future projects. Kudos to all involved with this production but especially to those responsible for the screenplay, the gifted director, and the two magnificent young women leading a fine supporting cast.

I have no idea how I have never heard of this movie before. It seems to have been left off the cult horror movie list, maybe due to all the let's call it "animal cruelty" - which honestly made me want to puke but aside from that it's a good horror film. There is so much teen angst and drama to keep you entertained and it's truly frightening and freaky. To break up some of the tension there are the occasional moments of hilarity, whether intentional or not it provides the audience with some much needed lightness in an otherwise dark film.If you love horror films and have not yet had the pleasure of watching Ginger Snaps then I highly recommend it. I hope the rest of the installment proves to be as good as this one.