Game of Thrones: Season One

Creator(s) - David Benioff (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Troy) and D.B. Weiss (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia)

Starring - Lena Headey (Dredd, The Purge), Sean Bean (Silent Hill, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring), and Emilia Clarke (Solo: A Star Wars Story, Murder Manuel)

Release Date - 2011

Genre - Fantasy/Action

Tagline - "The game begins"

Format - 4K Ultra HD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Most know me for my love of horror and exploitation but when I was younger I was a normal little boy.  I loved kid movies but I had a love for fantasy adventure tales.  I loved both Conan movies, Beastmaster, the Lord of the Rings animated films, Deathstalker, and a few others like it.  I was a huge fan of these films and they were such a huge part of my childhood.  When HBO announced their television adaptation of Game of Thrones I really wanted to check it out but work and writing reviews for movies took away most of my free time.  Season one moved on to season two and before long there was 8 seasons.  I knew I would get around to checking it out eventually but I gave up on checking them out when the episodes aired.  Recently, I received word that the series was getting a 4K release.  I reached out and was lucky enough to get a copy in for review...and now my journey begins!

     The first seasons follows 7 kingdoms under the rule of one king.  However, the king dies and news spreads that his son is actually the result of an incestuous relationship between his mother, the queen, and her twin brother.  This, along with others believing they are the rightful heirs to the throne, creates strife among the 7 kingdoms.

      Almost everyone I know is fans of this show with some going as far as to have various tattoos to dedicate their love of the show forever on their body.  The following for this series is very loyal and that only fueled my desire to finally check it out.  I enjoyed this first season but it wasn't as fun as I was hoping for.  In fact, if I wasn't told my fans to keep going I would probably stop here.  It was entertaining but nowhere near as entertaining as many lead me to believe.  The acting in this series is absolutely phenomenal.  There is so many amazing cast members in this show and if I was to talk about each and every one I would be here all day.  This is easily the best cast and acted show I have ever seen.  Everyone absolutely nails their performances and the characters will stick with you long after you stopped watching the show.  The story for this one is very much a political drama set against a fantasy adventure backdrop.  Think of House of Cards meets Lord of the Rings.  The political drama aspect does require you to pay close attention which is a little too smart of a watch for me at times.  However, the character development, action, and betrayal that happens really pulls the viewer in.  Finally, the film has some rather impressive fight scenes and plenty of blood.  It does have some moments of brutality and great practical effects but nothing hardcore horror fans haven't seen before.  Overall, Season One is a very entertaining watch.  The cast is the highlight of the show but the story is a little too politically charged for my own liking.  With that being said I enjoyed it.  

Clout

Director - Ariel Hansen (Ready to Burst, Paint the Town Red

Starring - Ariel Hansen, Catlin Franks (Fuck You World, Runts), and Lindsay Navarro (iZombie, Ghosting: The Spirit of Christmas)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Some people are dying...to be liked"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Sometimes a movie is more than just a movie.  Some have a story to tell while others take on more important issues while focusing on a specific genre.  Social media has always been a huge part of internet culture.  Long before Myspace and Facebook there was online forums, email, and chat rooms.  Popularity in these aspects has always had an appeal to some but once social platforms that were friend based became popular people started using their online social circles as validation of their success.  Platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube were places that flourished due to this mentality.  Several horror films over the years has attempted to make a horror story centered around this mentality but very few were able to actually capture the shallow and naive characters that these platforms nurture while staying true to horror.  A few days ago I was contacted by Bad Cookie Productions to review their newest horror short Clout.  Thank you for sending this one over!

     The film follows a social media influencer who often brandishes her fame to her peers while giving them unwanted advice.  However, they soon pass her in followers on social media while her views take a downturn.  To make matters worse, she just found out her boyfriend was invited to the opening of a new venue when she was not.  She dresses up and decided to go but something strange has bit her on her neck.  Before she arrives it has grown into a rather large bug and the party goers are in for a surprise.

     Clout was a very surprising body horror film that I was not expecting.  If I was going by title alone this would be one that I would skip but the film's poster really pulled me in.  The Goosebumps like artwork really tugged on my nostalgia strings and the short was really a fun watch.  The acting in this one is great.  Director and star Ariel Hansen does an absolutely phenomenal job.  Acting and directing are two equally difficult tasks but this talented young lady does a fantastic job.  The supporting cast does a great job as well but the characters are not as well developed and in the spotlight like Hansen's character.  The story for this one melts body horror with the world of social media influencers.  It works on several levels.  The biggest impact is how social media influencers rely on their looks to gain followers and likes.  This is the perfect set up for a well crafted body horror film.  The film, though it is a short, does take a little time to get rolling and the horror aspect is not in the film nearly as much as I would have liked.  Does the short work...the short answer is yes but it could have been a little more than what it was.  Finally, this is not a bloody and gory mess that most of us love.  Instead, its a very story and character driven short with some practical effects that look decent.  Also, the film does make use of some visual effects that actually works.  They don't look cheap or dated.  Overall, Clout is a well put together and acted short with a very solid story that speaks volumes about social media and some's obsession with popularity.  I highly recommend checking this out if you ever have the chance.  It will not disappoint.  

King Kong

Director - John Guillermin (Sheena, King Kong Lives)

Starring - Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski, R.I.P.D.), Charles Grodin (Beethoven, So I Married an Axe Murderer), and Jessica Lange (American Horror Story, Tootsie)

Release Date - 1976

Genre - Adventure/Horror

Tagline - "The most exciting original motion picture event of all time"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I watched my fair share of great horror and sci-fi movies with my grandmother when I was growing up.  My dad would often leave town and I would spend a lot of time with her.  It was here that I watched Night of the Living Dead and Savini's remake for the first time.  It was also her that introduced me to showed like Red Dwarf, Doctor Who, Lexx, and so on.  I watched a lot of classic films with her.  I remember many years ago, I was maybe 8 or 9 at the time, I was sent home from school.  I was sick and had developed a fever.  My dad knew he would be leaving out of town soon and dropped me off.  My grandmother made me some soup and we watched t.v. together.  This was the first time I saw the 1976 remake of King Kong.  I have watched this one several times since then and I really enjoy it.  Sure, it doesn't have the same atmosphere and energy as the original but it's still fun in it's own right.  A few weeks ago Umbrella Entertainment announced that they would be releasing the film on blu.  I reached out and was able to secure a copy for review.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a group of explorers searching for crude oil when they enter a strange island.  When they don't find oil they find something else that can make them rich, a giant gorilla named Kong that is worshiped by the locals.  They tranq the beast and bring him back to the states as a sideshow exibit but he escapes his cage and flees through the city leaving devastation in his wake.

     The original King Kong is legendary.  The effects and story were something that still stands as a marvel in cinematic history.  The remake, though it did very well, it was met with hostitlity from avid fans of the original.  It's a solid film, a fairly decent remake, but it is a product of it's time.  Regardless of what others think, I enjoy it and always will.  The acting in this one is great but I never really cared for Lange's performance.  Her character just didn't work for me and there was several times where her character created awkward tension during the scene.  I don't think this was intentional and if it was what the purpose of it was.  With that being said, I really liked Jeff Bridges performance.  It's awesome to see how far he has come over the years and seeing him so young yet so talented.  The story for this one is a solid approach to the original.  It does feature a little more sexuality than the original mixed with the greedy "American" oil cliché that most companies make fun of us for.  I liked how close they stayed with the original but the dumb American trope and sexuality really did stick the movie in the 70s.  It is very dated and not a timeless classic like the original tale.  Finally, the film is not a marvel like the first film.  We do get some classic camera tricks and the like that makes the film work.  I never really cared for how Kong looked in this one but I have definitely seen far worse gorilla suits.  Overall, King Kong is a fun watch.  It's nothing amazing or something we haven't seen before but it's fun.  It works for a theatrical release from the late 70s and still entertains.  The blu from Umberlla looks solid.  The video and audio looks good  but I've seen blu releases that looks better.  It's still a worthy addition to any collector's collection.

Blood Vessel

Director - Justin Dix (Bounty Trail, Crawlspace)

Starring - Nathan Phillips (Wolf Creek, Chernobyl Diaries), Alyssa Sutherland (The Mist, Don't Look Up), and Robert Taylor (Kong: Skull Island, Coffin Rock)

Release Date - 2019

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     A few months ago I was sent the release guide from my friends in Australia, Umbrella Entertainment.  A few releases caught my eye but one that really stood out was the 2019 horror flick Blood Vessel.  This World War II period piece was one that I had previously heard about when it was announced as a Shudder exclusive.  Shudder's exclusives have been pretty solid so far so I reached out to Umbrella and they were kind enough to send over a review copy of this one on blu.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a group of Allied soldiers on a life raft after their boat was hit by a German u-boat.  With their rations running low they believe the end is near until they are approached by a Nazi ship.  They can't find anyone on the deck and board the ship where they find the corpse of the captain.  They do find a little girl and more remains.  Things take an even more unexpected turn when they uncover an ancient book detailing encounters with vampires and several coffins in storage.  Soon they uncover that the little girl is, in fact, a vampire and the coffins are her parents.

     I was really looking forward to this one and it did not disappoint.  I knew it was a World War II horror film but I had no idea that it was centered around vampires.  That was a very welcomed change and it worked very well.  I, honestly, really enjoyed it and I can see myself revisiting it several more times before I get sick of it.  The acting in this one is absolutely phenomenal.  The characters from various backgrounds really worked for the story and show how, even though the world was divided, they still came together to stop the Axis powers.  There is animosity among the various backgrounds but they still fight side by side beside each other for a common cause.  The cast does a great job at bringing those little conflicts together.  They really get into their characters and go above and beyond to make their performances feel genuine.  The story for this one is very centered around classic vampire mythology and tired it together nicely with the Nazi's obsession with the occult.  That, mixed with the claustrophobic story of the soldiers on an abandoned naval vessel, works very well.  The films does one hell of a job at building atmosphere and tension with the final battle something you predict but still love watching it unfold.  Finally, the film has some very impressive practical effects and make-up effects.  The film has some blood and doesn't shy away from it but if you are looking for outlandish amounts of gore you will be disappointed.  With that being said, the cadavers on the ship and the vampire make-up are all fantastic.  They really do need to be seen to be believed.  Overall, Blood Vessel is an absolutely blast.  I hate using the phrase "a must watch" but this film truly is a must see.  I fucking loved it and I'm sure that you will too.  Check it out.  

The Beach House

Director - Jeffrey A. Brown (The Wooden Box, Sulfuric)

Starring - Liana Liberato (Light as a Feather, Haunt), Noah Le Gros (Depraves, Wolves), and Jake Weber (Dawn of the Dead, The Haunting of Molly Hartley)

Release Date - 2019

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Wish you were here"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Shudder has really impressed me.  I was skeptical of the streaming service for some time but after reviewing several of their exclusive releases I decided to take the plunge.  For the most part their exclusives have been very entertaining and their streaming service has some very entertaining releases.  That's why when I saw that RLJE was releasing the Shudder exclusive The Beach House I had to see it.  I reached out to them for a review copy and they were kind enough to send one my way.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a young couple who visit's their family's beach house for a weekend getaway.  However, they were unaware that the home was occupies by friends of the family.  The two couples decide to share the home for the weekend and catch up.  However, things take a drastically dangerous turn when an unknown spore takes over the beach turning it into a beautiful sight to behold but the following day things are not as they seem.  Strange organisms wash up on the beach omitting a parasitic worm that takes over the host.  

     I got a few press releases in for The Beach House but I never took the time to check out the trailer.  I knew it was one I would be watching fairly soon so I wanted to see it without any prior knowledge of the film like I do most movies I review.  Trailers often give so much away which lowers the impact of the film.  The film was not what I was expecting and I really enjoyed it.  The acting in this one is very well done.  I was really impressed with Liana Liberato and her performance.  Her character starts out as a fairly week and unoriginal and becomes a strong and resourceful character as the film progresses.  She's beautiful and extremely talented.  It was also nice to see Jake Weber in another genre feature.  His performance in the Dawn of the Dead remake is of more memorable from the film and he does a great job here as well.  The story for this one reminded me a lot of Annihilation starring Natalie Portman.  We follow a strange change in the surroundings followed by a luminescent scenery change and then mutated creatures begin infecting the people involved.  The two stories feature almost identical scenarios except The Beach House is smaller in scope and has the undead/infected vibe while Annihilation goes the sci-fi route.  Both films work for different reasons.  The pandemic level atmosphere in The Beach House really works well with the story and slightly mirrors the pandemic of this year.  It does drag it's feet during the middle portion of the film but picks up the pace near the ending.  Finally, this film is not as bloody as most of us would like but it does feature some great practical effects and some prop worms.  The practical effects the film has look great but they are nothing that really stands out.  Overall, The Beach House was not what I was expecting but that's a good thing.  It may not be a film full of action and blood but it does work.  If you are looking for something different then I highly recommend checking this one out.  

Bottom Creek

Director - Todd Chamberlain (The Test)

Starring - Cori Coulter (HogMaul: The Legend of Abrams County, The Ungulate), Davy Lantz Jr. (Jack Tarmite, The Ungulate), and Matt Burns (Bigfoot!, Radioactive Flesh Eating Foliage)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I remember a time when indie horror often dabbled in hixploitation.  In fact, when I started my review career I was getting films like Porkchop, Pig Girl, Incest Death Squad, Bubba: The Redneck Werewolf, Hans Crippleton, and many more.  Sadly, I rarely see these type of films anymore.  Most filmmakers from Appalachia and the south try to branch out and not associate with the type of films which is a damn shame.  As a West Virginia native I would be lying if I didn't admit how much I love a good hixploitation horror flick.  A few weeks ago Matt Burns reached out to me to review Bottom Creek.  This hixploitation film starred him and several others that have been around the indie horror scene for some time.  I was curious to check it out and I'm glad I did.  Thanks Matt!

     The film follows a recent widow who lost her husband and two dogs, which was the apple of her eye, in an automobile accident.  Once she recovers she is forced to care for two adult children who are mentally stunted.  She soon learns that her deceased husband had taken out several loans with the bank and their land is teetering the line with become foreclosed on unless they find some serious cash.  She decides to have her two sons abduct tourists and travelers and use them in their dog food.  Things look up for them until a body is discovered in the river with traces of their dog food on it.  This sends the police to their farm looking for answers.

     I remember getting news on Bottom Creek sometime ago but nothing came in after those first initial communications.  Honestly, I forgot about the film until Matt contacted me to review it.  Usually a film tries to be consistent with news when gearing up for a release but this one completely blind sided me.  With that being said, I really enjoyed this one but it was far from perfect.  The acting in this one is very uneven and inconsistent.  I spend a good bit of my time watching and reviewing no budget indie horror flicks so I've seen inexperience before.  This cast is very comfortable in front of the camera but there is times where their performances was just extremely flat.  The dialogue is just so forced and deadpan.  It was not natural and the scenes suffer for it.  The story for this one is pretty straight forward which I really liked.  We don't get any gimmicks or "mid fuck" twists that you can see coming from a mile away.  It's a story that isn't that original but it works.  I really enjoyed it and it unfolded.  Sometimes simpler is better and this was the case.  Finally, the film is bloody but the effects are not that impressive.  With that being said, I found a lot of the gags to be a little on the comical side.  The film has a decent amount of humor spaced throughout and these gags just seemed funny to me.  Overall, Bottom Creek is a fun no budget hixploitation flick that has some laughs and plenty of good ol' boy horror.  It is very rough around the edges but it still entertains.  I would recommend checking this one out.  

Warning from Space

Director - Koji Shima (The Story of a Blind Woman, Asphalt Girl)

Starring - Keizo Kawasaki (Punishment Room, Afraid to Die), Toyomi Karita (Tokyo Crime Map, Haha), and Bin Yagisawa (The Wandering Princess, Gonin No Totsugeki Tai)

Release Date - 1956

Genre - Sci-Fi

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've spent a little bit of time the last few months checking out the Ultra - Q and Ultraman series.  I've really enjoyed the Ultra - Q series and wish I had been more open to the Japanese sci-fi films of yester-year.  They seem to have a style all their own while delivering that familiar quality of films and television shows here in American that I enjoy.  Sometime back I got a press release from MVD in regards to Arrow Videos blu release of Warning from Space.  This is 1956 release is the world's first sci-fi film in color and one that set the tone for future films in Japan.  I reached out ot MVD and they were kind enough to send a review copy my way.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows the people of Japan who are visited by beings from another world.  They visit Earth to warn them of a coming meteor that will wipe out the planet.  They are star shaped beings with one single eye but their appearence sends the public into a frenzy so one of them transforms themselves into a pop star in order to communicate with the people of Earth.

     Ultra-Q is a series that I can't stop fascinating over.  It's Twilight Zone spin mixed with giant monsters just really mesmerizes me.  Warning from Space doesn't really have that type of vibe but the atmosphere and tone is very similar.  It was a very well put together and entertaining sci-fi flick that did remind me of some of the 1950 Universal Monster Movies in a way.  The acting in this one is what you would expect from 1950's Japanese cinema.  The female characters over re-act to certain situations while the male characters put on false bravery.  It is very cliched but it is still fun and fits the film very well.  That over the top style of acting is what made these atom age sci-fi flicks so much fun.  The story for this one not what you would expect to come out of Japan post-Godzilla boom.  A lot of movies coming out of Japan around this time was riding the kaiju and sentei wave.  However, this one stuck to it's guns and delivered a solid space invaders type film.  Sure, they don't really invade Earth like a lot of the American films of the time were depicting but it is still in that same line of film.  I enjoyed the message it tries to deliver.  Along to how well the story is the film also has some great pacing and timing.  Finally, this sci-fi installment is not a bloody film.  It does rely on a few camera tricks of the time to show a transformation and some classic visual effects.  It doesn't show anything memorable but it does work for the film.  Overall, Warning from Space is a very pleasing sci-fi romp from 1956 that works very well.  The film is not perfect but it is entertaining.  The blu release looks absolutely stellar with great video transfer and decent enough audio.  I highly recommend picking this one up.  

The Last Thanksgiving

Director - Erick Lorinc (I Am the Devil)

Starring - Samantha Ferrand (Helter Skelter: An American Myth, The Dark Priests of Sagamuth), Laura Finley, and Matthew McClure

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "After this year... there can't be another"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Thanksgiving is an often overlooked holiday.  Most chain stores jump from Halloween to Christmas with their displays and advertising while most movies focus on either Halloween or Christmas as the main theme if they are holiday oriented.  Thanksgiving doesn't really have that many horror films to enjoy.  Sure, we have Blood Rage, Blood Freak and it's remake, and both Thankskilling films but that is not nearly as many as Halloween and Christmas.  A few weeks ago Scream Team Releasing announced their newest blu release which was 2020's The Last Thanksigiving from director Erick Lorinc.  I needed it for my collection and jumped on it.  It arrived the day before Thanksgiving and I was able to give it a spin.

     The film follows a diner that is open during Thanksgiving.  While most of the employees are bitching about working the holiday there is a family who seeks out anyone who is not celebrating Thanksgiving.  They then kill and eat them which is a family tradition that was started back when the pilgrims first celebrated Thanksgiving with the Native Americans.  

     I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I was really excited to check this one out.  I'm a sucker for holiday themed horror flicks and seeing that Thanksgiving is lacking I was excited to add another film to my seasonal rotation.  However, The Last Thanksgiving just didn't work for me.  It had an interesting premise but the build and pacing was just all over the place.  It was a solid premise but poor execution.  The acting in this one is decent at times but some of the scenes are just painfully awkward.  I've seen films with absolutely no budgets shot in someone's backyard and I've seen movies with million dollar budgets.  Money doesn't always equal quality.  Some of my favorite films had no budget and some of the best acting I've ever seen.  Budget has nothing to do with the casting but this one has a mostly inexperienced cast which did create some level of awkwardness and inconsistencies.  Also, the characters are poorly written.  Most of the characters in the film consists of characters that the viewer will not like.  They are unlikable assholes or douchebags that you just want to watch die.  However, they are the film's protagonists so you know it won't happen.  The story for this one is a very interesting premise but the film itself feels rushed and not fully developed.  At it's heart it's a home invasion inspired film with the home scenario switched to a diner.  The cannibal pilgrim portion was actually pretty fun and really fit the Thanksgiving theme.  With that being said, the film's pacing is just all wrong.  Most of the film moves from a dull dialogued scenes that moves into a little bit of action before it is abruptly cut short as the film transitions to the next scene.  Also, the film struggles with building tension and atmosphere.  The movie jumps from the diner scene to the house scene but both scenes just unfold with no tension or drama.  We get the cast screaming, crying, and so on but it doesn't help set the scene at all.  Finally, this film's best quality is the bloody death scenes.  The film holds nothing back when it comes to the blood and gore.  The practical effects are very impressive and really caught me off guard.  Overall, The Last Thanksgiving just wasn't for me.  The acting didn't really mesh well with the film and the story was a little too forced and uneven to really work like it should have.  The film does have some amazing death scenes but they couldn't save the film.  This is one I would recommend skipping.  

The Hatred

Director - John Law

Starring - Zelda Adams (The Deeper You Dig, The Ascent), John Law, and Lulu Adams (The Shoot, Halfway to Zen)

Release Date - 2018

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Where there is no good... there is the Devil"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      After spending almost an entire month watching all things Friday the 13th I ventured to a recent Arrow Video release of The Deeper You Dig.  This 2019 drama/horror hybrid was a very visually stunning delight that I really enjoyed.  There was a few things I would have liked to see done differently but I enjoyed it for what it is.  When I was getting ready to check it out I noticed that the released had a second film which was 2018's The Hatred.  I was very curious to see what kind of movie this was sneaking into my collection.  I want to once again thank MVD and Arrow Video for sending this one my way to review.

     The film follows a family living in an isolated farmhouse during the winter when a group of American soldiers happen upon them.  They kill everyone except one of the teenage girls along with one of their own before taking what they need and moving on.  The daughter returns to find her family slaughtered.  Heartbroken, she resurrects the soldier that was slain and the two set out to get revenge on the soldiers.  

     I was looking forward to checking this one out after seeing The Deeper You Dig.  I knew it wasn't directed by the same filmmakers but it did star Zelda Adams who appeared in the latter.  Sadly, it was a beautifully shot period piece but the story and narrative just didn't work for me.  I wanted to like it because it really was aesthetically pleasing but it was a rough one to finish.  The acting in this one is pretty solid.  The characters all fit the film very well and they work for the story.  However, watching a movie with a broken narration like this has does makes it a little difficult to sit through.  I don't want to say the acting is bad, because it wasn't, but the unenthused narration during the film does make it feel rather goofy.  The story for this one runs around 50 some minutes but for the story we get it's about 30 minutes too long.  I really liked the story and how it was approached but there was no need at stretching it to 50 minutes.  It would have been a lot tighter with more impact if it was shortened and the fat was trimmed.  A supernatural thriller set during the American Civil War is extremely appealing but not properly approached.  Finally, the film has plenty of blood but if you are looking for graphic death scenes you will be very disappointed.  The effects are minimal but there is plenty of blood.  Overall, The Hatred is visually appealing but those looking for more than just visuals will be very disappointed.  If the narration and about 30 minutes was cut from the film we would have one hell of a short.  However, the movie itself is just drawn out and unappealing.  Skip it.  

The Deeper You Dig

Director(s) - John Adams (The Shoot, Halfway to Zen) and Toby Poser (Rumblestrips, Knuckle Jack)

Starring - John Adams, Toby Poser, and Zelda Adams (The Hatred, The Ascent)

Release Date - 2019

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Love won't stay buried"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I spent almost 3 weeks watching movies associated with Friday the 13th in one form or another.  I started out digging into several fan films before making the move to the pornographic side of the franchise with two films sharing the same title and another being a parody of the slasher series.  Once I was through those it was time to take a stab at the box set that was recently released from Scream Factory.  Once I finished with the set I needed a much needed break away from anything hockey mask affiliated.  I decided that this was the perfect time to dig into 2019's The Deeper You Dig that was sent my way from Arrow Video and MVD.  I was really curious about this one and I'm glad they hooked me up with a review copy.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a man who has purchased an abandoned house in the country with hopes of restoring it to flip for profit.  However, one night he had a few drinks and accidentally hits a teenage girl with his vehicle.  He takes her body back to his place but she awakens.  Shocked and panicked, he kills her and tries to dispose of the body.  He is unable to forget about the events of that night and over time he starts seeing her.  Before long she starts controlling him.  While this is going on her mother is frantically searching for her and suspects he has something to do with her disappearance.  Soon the two are spending time together and the mother notices odd things about him that were common traits of her daughter.  That's when she realizes he is responsible for her disappearance and she is trying to communicate from the otherside.  

      The Deeper You Dig is not a straight in your face style horror film.  In fact, the film flows like a dark drama that ends on a horror note.  I enjoyed it and how it went a different path than most films would go.  However, there was things about it I didn't necessarily care for.  The films attempt at breaking up the scene with arthouse inspired scenery and melodramatic moments really distracts the viewer from the film itself.  The shots are beautiful but these scenes are out of place.  The acting in this one is absolutely great.  Directors turned stars John Adams and Toby Poser are absolutely amazing together on screen.  Their characters play off of each other so well and their on screen chemistry is phenomenal.  It only makes sense that these two co-directed the film.  I would say that is why their performances were so perfect because they knew exactly what they were looking for in the roles.  The supporting cast is solid as well but they don't carry the scene like these two do.  The story for this one unfolds like a dark drama about a man who did something unthinkable and is forced to live with his decisions while a woman spends all her time searching for her beloved daughter.  A little supernatural element pops up here and there but nothing that truly stands out.  With that being said, the ending takes a violent and bloody turn which really hits hard.  Its a rather quick scene but the payoff was well worth it.  My only complaint about the story is the random artsy inserts that really breaks the tone and atmosphere of the film up.  Finally, this film is fairly bland until the final scene then we get some blood and plenty of practical effects.  There is two death scenes with one taking place off screen and the second being the highlight of the film.  This is not one that stacks up the body count.  Overall, The Deeper You Dig will not be for everyone.  Fans of traditional horror will find this one lacking but if you are looking for a beautifully shot dark drama with some blood on top then this one may be for you.  Check it out.  

Friday the 13th

Director - Marcus Nispel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Frankenstein)

Starring - Jared Padalecki (Supernatural, House of Wax), Danielle Panabaker (The Flash, Sky High), Amanda Righetti (Captain America: The First Avenger, Deranged Granny)

Release Date - 2009

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Welcome to Crystal Lake"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in college I wasn't collecting movies like I once was.  I was on my own, working a full time job, and a student full time.  That doesn't mean I had cut horror completely out of my life.  I just was unable to spend the money on movies like I once was.  That didn't stop me from going out and watching the Friday the 13th remake when it was released.  I know I went to see it opening weekend but I didn't remember a damn thing about it.  I even picked up the DVD when it was released and watch it...yet I don't remember a damn thing about it.  While I was digging through this box set I went ahead and finished with this easily forgettable remake.

     The film opens with a woman killing counselors at a summer camp before she is beheaded by one of them.  We jump forward several years and the camp is now abandoned and falling in on itself.  A group of twenty-somethings are camping nearby when they are attacked by that woman's son, Jason.  A few months go by and one of the victim's brother arrives looking for her as another group of college students arrive to drink it up and party.  Jason once again crashes their party forcing them to fight for their lives or die by his hand.

     I genuinely love remakes.  John Carpenter's The Thing, Vincent Price in the House of Wax, Marcus Nispel's Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Tom Savini's Night of the Living Dead are fantastic remakes that I've spent many hours enjoying.  I say this because I'm not one of these people that immediately hate on remakes without giving them a chance.  Friday the 13th is not a bad remake but it's painfully forgettable without bringing us something new to watch.  Honestly, it could have been a little more entertaining if I had not spent the last week watching the original series before this one.  The acting in this one is enjoyable but far from perfect.  I'm a huge Supernatural fan and I enjoy the second remake of House of Wax so it was awesome seeing Jared Padalecki in this one.  He is a bit of an odd duck in the film and doesn't really fit in but his Sam Winchester performance does oddly work here.  I also enjoyed Danielle Panabaker as the film's female lead.  She's not a strong final girl but the film mixes it up on us with her.  The supporting cast is solid as well but there is several characters that you just wont like.  The characters are written that way but the cast does a solid job at making them unlikable.  The story for this one blends the first four films of the original films into one while changing some of the characters around.  I kind of liked the meshing of the important moments from the first four films but it does make these aspects feel meaningless.  The pacing is fairly smooth and we get plenty of slasher action to break up some of the more slower scenes.  Finally, the film features some slasher inspired kills.  The practical effects are solid and the kills match the film but they are nothing we haven't seen before.  In fact, when compared to all the other films these kills are fairly easy to forget.  Overall, Friday the 13th is not a bad remake but its painfully bland and forgettable.  It's fun if you are wanting something different but if you are binging the Friday the 13th franchise I would stop before this one.  

     

Freddy vs. Jason

Director - Ronny Yu (Bride of Chucky, Fear Itself)

Starring - Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm. St, Supernatural), Ken Kirzinger (Stan Helsing, The X-Files), and Monica Keena (Aftermath, Night of the Demons)

Release Date - 2003

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Place your bets"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in high school I was already fully obsessed with horror.  Movies like Thir13en Ghosts, Idle Hands, Jason X, and so on were movies that were hitting store shelves during these years.  When I was a sophmore or junior in high school the battle all horror fans wanted, Freddy Vs. Jason, was finally getting the big screen treatment.  This was something that had been hinted at a decade earlier during the end scene of Jason Goes to Hell.  Fans wanted to see these two slasher titans face off and the movie was finally here.  I went to theaters with my brother to watch it and then rushed out to pick it up after school when it got a physical release.  I loved it...but it did not age well and now I feel stupid that I actually enjoyed it all those years ago.

      The film follows the kids of Elm street who is being hunted down by the Crystal Lake slasher Jason.  Freddy scoured Hell looking for someone to help him the kids of Elm street remember him so he can regain his powers.  Jason's rampage works and the kids on Elm street start dreaming about Freddy but Jason doesn't stop forcing the two to face off over who has the right to slaughter the teens.  

     I can remember watching Freddy vs. Jason several times in high school and once or twice when I was in college.  I enjoyed it at the time which is why I watched it so many time.  However, it did not fucking age well and it was rough to finish especially if you marathon all the films like I did.  It almost works as A Nightmare on Elm St. movie but even then it comes up short.  The acting in this one is a little better than Jason X but not by much.  Robert Englund delivers another amazing performance as the iconic Freddy.  This character's personality is unforgettable and at this point Englund is the only one that can do it right.  The others characters are ok but we only want to see them die.  I know that's an asshole thing to say but in a Freddy vs. Jason film we want to watch them both hack and slash through teens.  The story for this one is, once again, on the goofy side.  It doesn't feel like a very good continuation of the Friday the 13th film but you can almost see if as another ANOES.  The film uses an interesting idea to bring the two together BUT there could have been so many other ways to get these to face off.  With that being said, a lot of the scenarios the "teens" find themselves in and how they handle it just feels rushed and not thought out.  I feel like the film was brought together in a brainstorming session with not rewriting or polishing done to it.  Finally, the film has several death scenes and does not shy away from the blood.  Some of these use practical effects but most use some form of dated visual effects that really takes away from the kill.  Some of the more entertaining death scenes features some of the most laughable visual effects.  Overall, Freddy vs Jason was a huge part of my high school experience but after revisiting it 17 years later I have to admit that it's a read dud.  This one accompanies Jason X as being the worst installments in the franchise.  

Jason X

Director - James Isaac (Skinwalkers, The Horror Show)

Starring - Kane Hodder (Jason Goes to Hell, The Twilight Zone), Lexa Doig (Supernatural, Smallville), and Jonathan Potts (The Strain, Swamp Thing)

Release Date - 2001

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Evil gets an upgrade"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     Jason Goes to Hell may have been my introduction to Jason but Jason X was the first Jason flick that was released while I was conscience of him and the Friday the 13th series.  My generation finally had their own installment in the series and I couldn't wait to see it.  I didn't make the theatrical run but I did get the VHS from Wal-Mart when it was released and later upgraded that to the DVD.  I only watched it a few times and remembered some cool moments but outside of that I couldn't tell you much about it until I rewatched with the others in the Scream Factory blu set.  This movie did not hold up well and I can safely say that this is the worst in the entire series.  It's almost painful to watch now.

     The film follows Jason who is captured by the government and imprisoned in chains.  However, he is able to escape but finds himself trapped and cryogenically frozen, along with a female scientist.  They awaken almost 250 years into the future when they are discovered and thawed.  Those on board have no idea about the hell they just unleashed on their craft and the carnage that will fall in his wake.  

     Jason X was released 21 years after the original and 8 years from the previous installment.  A lot had changed in that time.  They tried to give this one an edge that made it stand out from the others which turned out to be the film's downfall.  This futuristic sci-fi approach sometimes offers up some cheesy fun like in Leprechaun in Space.  However, it was just too cheap and not enough cheese in this case.  The acting in this one is rough for me.  In fact, I can't really find any aspect of the cast that I enjoyed.  The characters are all sci-fi clichés and can be found in almost any SyFy original film.  Even when I first laid eyes on this release I never cared for the cast or characters which is even more apparent all these years later.    The story for this one tries too hard to be a sci-fi flick that it completely disregards the Friday the 13th aspect of the film.  It's an insult to the franchise and really scrapes the bottom of the barrel.  The only redeeming aspects of the film is the kills and we only get one or two that stand out.  Finally, the film has a few unforgettable death scenes and a few that are not as wild.  These two or three kill scenes really use some creativity and great practical effects.  However, some of the other kills are painfully bland.  Also, the film uses some extremely dated visual effects that was laughable in 2001 and even more laughable now.  Overall, Jason X is a humiliating entry in the series.  I remember being excited for a new installment but now I'm ashamed of the film and embarrassed for anyone associated with it.  

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday

Director - Adam Marcus (Let It Snow, Secret Santa)

Starring - John D. LeMay (The New Kid, The Twilight Zone), Kari Keegan (The Prince of Pennsylvania, Mind Games), and Steven Williams (The X-Files, Supernatural)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Evil has finally found a home"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in elementary school my uncle randomly appeared.  My family was not that close and this was one of the first times that I remember meeting him.  The only reason this meeting stood out with me was because he gave me Conan the Destroyer, Jason Goes to Hell, and Die Hard on VHS.  All were in those clear clamshell cases that most video stores used so I assumed it was stolen from a video store where ever it was he lived.  I watched these movies a lot growing up but Conan would be my go to but I still enjoyed the others for the most part.  Jason Goes to Hell will always be the first movie I saw in the Friday the 13th franchise which will be a lasting experience but when you watch it back to back with the previous films you can't help but laugh at how ridiculous it is.  

     Jason is baited back to Crystal Lake where a military outfit blows him up.  His body is taken to study but the heart is not dead.  It forces one of the doctors to eat it and once inside possesses the host sending him on another bloody rampage jumping from body to body until it reaches Crystal Lake.  A bounty hunter claims to know how to stop Jason for good and needs a relative of Jason to put a stop to him before more bodies pile up.  

     Jason Goes to Hell follows in the outlandish exploits of Jason that started to pick up from part VII until now.  Though it is crazier than a telekinetic camper and Jason in New York it still pulls the viewer in with the crazy practical effects and gruesome scenes.  The movie tries to add some depth to the Jason character by giving Jason a supernatural history and a much broader story than the original films did.  However, it fails to really gain any traction.  The acting in this one is pretty solid.  Some of the characters are comic reliefs while others are a little too serious for their own good.  We have Leslie Jordan and Rusty Schwimmer delivering some funny performances as the off beat couple that are polar opposites of each other while Steven Williams is just a little too serious.  In fact, some of the scenes comes off as comical because he is just too into it.  Aside from these three, I found the movie to be pretty well grounded and the cast does a pretty great job in the roles.  The characters are standard cliched horror characters but the cast does a solid job with it.  The story for this one blends the already established Jason mythos with a newer one that paints him more than just an undead slasher.  The film gives him a reason to kill aside from revenge with a much bigger family origin story.  It would have worked if it was something established 9 films previously but randomly inserting it into the 9th film in the series makes it feel rushed and doesn't have the impact that it would have had if it was introduced earlier in the franchise.  With that being said, it is an interesting concept that brought about a much bigger scope than just a masked man killing campers.  Finally, this one has some of the most impressive practical effects and kills out of the entire series.  KNB Effects was in charge of this and it's one of the most memorable kills and unforgettable effects.  With that being said, I don't care for the look of Jason in this one but he's only in the film for a short time.  Overall, Jason Goes to Hell will always hold a special place in my heart as the first Jason film I had seen but I know it's a mess of a film.  The kills are fun and the story starts something than is never fully explored but stands without saying.  It's watchable but sinks to the bottom of the pile.  

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan

Director - Rob Hedden (Friday the 13th: The Series, Star Trek: Enterprise)

Starring - Todd Caldecott (21 Jump Street, Fear), Tiffany Paulsen (Daredreamer, Love 101), and Kane Hodder (Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings, Jason X)

Release Date - 1989

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "New York has a new problem"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in elementary school I watched the entire Friday the 13th series with my grandmother for the first time, at least the movies that were released up to that point.  I had watched Jason Goes to Hell several times before this but I had never seen most of the other films before.  I was at my grandmother's house for the night and one of the channels was running a marathon.  We decided to check them out and I watched them and fell in love with them.  They were all fun but I was so shocked by how much better most of the movies were than Jason Goes to Hell.  One that always stuck out with me was the 8th installment.  Jason Takes Manhattan is never the Friday the 13th movie that fans talk about but I absolutely loved it.  In fact, I would say that it's probably my favorite in the series.  I know it's not as good as the other films but, to me, I have the most fun with it.  

     This one, once again, follows Jason as he is accidentally freed from his watery grave by a boat anchor.  He then finds himself aboard a cruise liner going from Crystal Lake to the Big Apple taking students there as part of their class trip.  

     I know Jason Takes Manhattan is one of the weaker installments.  It has a chaotic and unorganized story, it has some of the worst character out of the entire franchise, and there is a complete subplot that not only doesn't make sense but it's so absurd that most people can't look passed but I fucking love it.  With that being said, I'm not so self absorbed that I don't know when something is bad.  I know it's bad but holy fuck do I have fun with it.  The acting in this one is easily the most lackluster of any of the films.  The characters are flat and painfully cliched with the cast giving it a minimal effort.  I watched a bunch of direct to video horror titles from the 90s when I was growing up and this movie puts a good bit of them to shame.  The story for this one is outlandish before you even toss in the sub-plot following the film's lead who was almost drowned by the kid Jason in the lake.  Yea, you read that right.  The sub-plot follows the film's lead, when she was younger, who was dragged under water by the child Jason...the same Jason that actually grew up into adulthood.  Why, you ask?  Because, fuck you.  That's why.  It makes no sense but I guess they used it as a distraction to make everyone forget that Jason just boarded a cruise liner and is headed to New York.  I know this is stupid and most fans hate this but I fucking loved him in New York.  This was a welcomed change from the previous 7 films that was rather becoming stale.  The outlandish changes in recent films didn't really bring about change.  The sub-plot should have been scrapped and the New York adventure should have been fully embraced.  Finally, this film still delivers on the kills.  We get the standard slasher fair with plenty of blood, practical and make-up effects, and the best looking Jason to date.  Overall, Jason Takes Manhattan is not the most original or important installment in the series but I will always have a soft spot for it.  However, it is one of the weaker films in the series regardless of how I feel about it.  I still recommend checking it out.  

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood

Director - John Carl Buechler (Troll, Ghoulies Go to College)

Starring - Susan Blu (Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School, Deadly Weapon), Lar Park-Lincoln (Children of the Night, House II: The Second Story), and Terry Kiser (Pet Shop, The Golden Girls)

Release Date - 1988

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "On Friday the 13th, Jason will meet his match"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

    The time of milestones with the Friday the 13th is behind us.  From Part VI forward we get outlandish stories and scenaries set against Jason killing people in brutal and inventive ways.  When we move on from Part VI we enter Part VII which is more of a supernatural horror tale featuring psychics, ghosts, and an undead Jason.  It is one of the more unique Friday the 13th films and probably one of my least favorites.  

     The film follows Tina (Park-Lincoln) who is taken back to the cabin at Crystal Lake where her father was killed.  Tina is telekentic and accidentally killed her father when she was a child.  Her doctor and mother bring her back to the same cabin in hopes to help her get over it.  However, the doctoris hoping to use her powers to benefit himself.  What they don't expect is that her powers will free Jason who is chained and trapped in the lake.  Once again we follow Jason as he goes on a muderious rampage.  

     A piss poor Friday the 13th is still better than most slashers.  I love this series which should be evident from these reviews.  However, I beleive that this installment is the low end of the franchise.  It's just so far out there from the original films that it almost doesn't feel like a Friday the 13th movie.  Hell, if you changed the killer it would have been a different movie.  The acting in this one went from the best acted in the series to one of the worst.  The characters and the cast in this one has always made me laugh with their soap opera like demeanor and reactions.  The characters are cliches of what you would find in most slashers but how the cast reacts to different scenarios always made me laugh.  The story for this one is just one absurd moment to another making this one feel less like a Friday the 13th movie and more like a late 80s Full Moon flick.  We follow a woman with psychic abilities who struggles mentally with killing her father.  We then have her dad who is dead but nota ghost or rotting, living in the lake that helps her at the end of the film.  Honestly, I always felt that the writers were high as fuck when they wrote this one.  Finally, this one keeps it up with the death scenes.  The kills are not as polished as the previous films but it still satisfies those looking for slasher deaths.  The practical effects are solid but we don't get anything we haven't seen before.  Overall, The New Blood is easily the most laughable entry in the series.  It's still a fun watch but it is easily the most out there entry in the entire series.  

Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives

Director - Tom McLoughlin (Freddy's Nightmares, Friday the 13th: The Series)

Starring - Thom Mathews (Return of the Living Dead, Return of the Living Dead Part II), Jennifer Cooke (Deadly Nightmares, V), and David Kagen (Freddy's Nightmares, 21 Jump Street)

Release Date - 1986

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Kill or be killed"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     There has been many milestones with previous Friday the 13th films.  The second film introduced Jason, the third introduced his iconic hockey mask, the fourth was Jason's death and the introduction of Tommy Jarvis.  Part V continued the Tommy Jarvis saga but did not introduce anything new to the film.  However, Part VI: Jason Lives would be the turning point for the franchise while establishing Jason as the undead slasher that he is known for.  The film is a lukewarm entry to the series but is still an important one.

     The film follows Tommy Jarvis (Mathews) who is still obsessed with Jason after killing him at the end of The Final Chapter.  He finds his grave and unearths it with plans to burn his body to set his mind at ease.  He stabs the body with an iron spike before setting it blaze but lightning strikes it reanimating Jason and sending him on another bloody rampage through Crystal Lake that has been recently renamed Forest Green.

     Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives is the turning point in the series where the films no longer feel like a slasher like the first five films.  Instead, it recreates Jason and an undead and unstoppable force that can't be stopped.  Personally, this is where the franchise took a bit of a dive for me but it is still fun and has plenty of fans out there.  The acting in this one is probably my second favorite in the series.  Thom Mathews is an amazing actor that not only kills it as Tommy Jarvis but has fans quoting him from his peformances in the first two Return of the Living Dead films.  Feldman brought the character to life when he portrayed him as a child but Mathews is the Jarvis most of us think of.  It's a real shame he was not cast as Jarvis in the previous installment.  The supporting cast is just as good with most of the characters more down to earth and serious.  I do enjoy the more out there characters but this darker story would have fell apart if those comedic performances were delivered.  The story for this one takes Jason in a new direction and this portrayal is more well known among horror fans.  When most people think of Jason they immediately think of the undead version.  His rotten and broken hockey mask is just as iconic as his rotting body.  Fans, at the time, loved this Jason which is why the franchise would have several more installments.  With that being said, the film does start the beginning of stories that are little more out there and far fetched.  Compared to the following films, this one is pretty grounded.  Finally, this film has several death scenes that features some top notch practical effects along with make-up effects.  Jason looks amazing which would be one of the many factors that contributes to this look being his most iconic.  Overall, Jason Lives is another solid entry in the Friday the 13th franchise.  It re-established Jason in a different manner than the previous films but still delivers the slasher-esque kills that slasher fans enjoy.  With that being said, the look and tone of the previous films is absent which does turn some of the fans off.  I recommend it but it's not among my favorite installments.