Midsummer Nightmares

Director - Ryan Stacy (Midsummer Nightmares II: Summer's End)
Starring - Chad Collard, Amanda Collins, and Stacy Freeders
Release Date - 2011
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "All they wanted was a killer party"
Format - Streaming (Youtube screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Concept Media is an indie label that I have began to respect tremendously.  I was under the impression that director Shawn Burkett was the only one to direct the films for the company but I was wrong.  Burkett has a partner in crime, Ryan Stacy, and he was the one responsible for this slasher flick.  After watching their films Bludgeon and The Sleeping Soul I was looking forward to the companies first venture in to film-making, Midsummer Nightmares.  I knew before hand that the film was indeed a slasher but I did not know what to expect.  In fact, I had heard no mention from any one about it.  Most companies hit with a solid film on their first outing and then keep delivering shit there after.  Due to the fact I liked both of their latter films I was very curious to see the film that helped start this small company.
     The film follows a group of twenty somethings as they prepare for a "Halloween in June" party.  The group start to notice strange occurrences as they prepare and plan for their party.  While two of the girls are talking on the phone one of them is stalked and then stabbed to death.  The other girl tells the group about what she had heard and they play it off to a prank done in bad taste.  As it gets closer to time to party another member of the group goes missing and the group chalks it up to a coincidence.  However, that night many members of the group are murdered before the killer is revealed along with his/her motive.
     My love for slashers is very well known by now.  I buy more slashers than I have time to watch.  Therefore, I absolutely love this new emergence of 80's style slasher throwbacks.  However, some attempt to make a throwback and lose sight of what it truly meant to be an 80's slasher.  After saying that, I honestly don't think Concept Media and the director Ryan Stacy set out to make an 80's style slasher even though the poster makes you think otherwise.  This movie is your typical slasher, however, it is a post-Scream slasher and that is blatantly obvious.  Now on to the actual film itself.  The acting in this one is not the best I have seen that has came from Concept Media.  I do not want to blame the cast because I honestly think the acting is bad because of the dialogue.  The film is very dialogue thick but it is not rich.  Many scenes are filled with extremely boring dialogue that makes the entire scene awkward and uncomfortable to watch.  Also, when the scene involves more than one female it feels like they both are screaming at each other which is very annoying, and once again, hard to watch.  The story is nothing original nor award winning but it does unfold very well on screen with no snags or hiccups.  Though it is not original it is very well written and a lot of thought and care was placed in to each scene in regards to story.  Finally, the film does not offer great special effects but we do get a good bit of kills and a lot of blood.  Overall, this film is not the strongest flick in the Concept Media arsenal but it does entertain.  You may not love it but you will not hate it.  Check it out and support Concept Media.