I Need You Dead!

Director - Rocko Zevenbergen (Meat Lovers)

Starring - Estevan Munoz (Zombie Cats from Mars, Abe Makes a Movie), Tyveon L. Ray (Black Widow, Dracula), and Lloyd Kaufman (#Shakespeare's Shitstorm, After School Lunch Special)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "A new psychedelic has hit the streets of Schmucksville.  Get dummy high, open your third eye...and prepare to die!"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Sometime last year I received a random email about the indie horror comedy I Need You Dead!  This was the first time I had heard about the project but the images, artwork, and so on had me hooked.  It sounded so absurd that I had to see it.  I replied to the email and director Rocko Zevenbergen promised to keep me in mind when he received the finished product.  Sometime passed and a few weeks ago I was sent an email asking for my address.  This really got me excited and when the movie finally arrived I quickly tossed it in.  I was not ready for this crazy ass film but I really enjoyed it.  

     The film follows Dood (Munoz) who likes to party and partakes in the occasional drug use.  After sampling Dummy Gummies he finds himself tripping and soon discovers a strange creature on the street.  The creature has sinister plans for Dood which sends him on an unexpected but dangerous jounrey through a horrible trip.  

     I knew this was going to be a wild fucking movie but I wasn't expecting it to be this fucking insane.  A lot of indie movies make up for lack of budget with creativity and imagination.  I Need You Dead! is a pretty ambitious story that works for the most part.  There is a few things I would have liked to see done differently but it's still a fun watch as it is.  The acting in this one is solid.  The cast is really into their roles and deliver some pretty fun performances.  Munoz is fantastic as Dood and carries the film very well.  I review a lot of indie releases and I'm pretty fucking shocked I haven't seen his name appear in the credits of some of them.  He is a fantastic actor and I hope he is cast in some other projects soon.  The supporting cast is decent as well.  Some of the characters are written with a little more detail than others but the cast does a solid job bringing them to life.  The story for this one is bat shit crazy.  It's like Troma meets Brain Damage.  I really loved the amount of humor and weirdness the films throws at the viewer.  It's not afraid of being different and does a fantastic job at holding the viewer's attention.  With that being said, I'm not really a fan of the "making a movie" aspect of the film.  It gave the film some run time but it does break the pacing of the movie up.  I could have lived without it.  Finally, the film has some pretty cool practical effects and pretty awesome looking creature.  It has plenty of blood and uses the solid practical effects very well.  I love seeing a monster in a no budget movie and this one looks absolutely amazing.  Overall, I Need You Dead! is a difficult movie to explain but it's well worth your time.  If you like the odd side of cinema then this movie is for you.  I highly recommend it.  

Amazing Stories: Season Two

Creator(s) - Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park, Jaws), Joshua Brand (A Year in the Life, The Americans), and John Falsey (Northern Exposure, I'll Fly Away)

Starring - Patrick Swayze (Road House, Dirty Dancing), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit), and David Carradine (Death Race 2000, Kill Bill)

Release Date - 1986

Genre - Fantasy/Crime/Drama

Tagline - "As one experience ends another adventure begins"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     A couple weeks ago I started watching season one of Amazing Stories that was sent to me to review from Umbrella Entertainment.  I really enjoyed myself with it but I wasn't able to binge the second season immediately after due to to my work schedule.  I didn't want to start it and have to stop it between episodes so I waited a few days to toss it in until I had a few days off together.  I recently found those days off and jumped on season two.  I seriously want to thank Umbrella for sending me this set because I really enjoyed myself with it.

     This season, much like the first, follows amazing stories following broad way murders, getting back at mean spirited teachers with magic, and rings that possess the wearer just to name a few.

     Season two is similar to the first season.  We have some seriously entertaining stories that is fitting of the Amazing Stories title but some of the other not as spectacular.  The yare still great episodes but not as memorable as others.  The acting in this one is absolutely amazing.  We have amazing performances from some of the most iconic actors of the 80s.  I was shocked to see Patrick Swayze, Danny DeVito, Chrisopher Lloyd, and David Carridine in this.  They deliver unforgettable performances and the supporting cast is just as memorable.  Amazing acting all around in this season.  The stories in this one range from amazing to not so much.  They are very inconsistent but not disappointing.  I really enjoyed the episodes so don't take it the wrong way but some are so amazing that you are thinking about them days later while others were forgotten as soon as the episode ended.  Finally, this one has a few visual effects that are really out dated by this point and a little blood but nothing memorable.  If you are looking for blood and gore you will be very disappointed and barking up the wrong tree.  Overall, Season Two is just a fun as the first season.  I highly suggest making time to binge both seasons on DVD from Umbrella Entertainment.  It was a great experience to finally watch the entire show.  

Sacrifice

Director(s) - Andy Collier (Fairytale, The Seventh Kind) and Tor Mian (The Sky in Bloom, The Milky Way)

Starring - Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator, From Beyond), Sophie Stevens (Break, Doctors), and Ludovic Hughes (Murder Maps, Ride)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Dream well"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in middle school and high school I was obsessed with Barbara Crampton.  She was one of my first crushes in the genre after I rented Re-Animator on one of my many different trips to stay with my brother growing up.  He was living in Tennessee at the time and took me to Blockbuster.  I pretty much lived in the locally owned video store where I grew up but it wasn't until 7th grade or so that I actually saw a Blockbuster for myself.  I had snagged a few shitty no budget horror movies on DVD and noticed they had a small VHS section still.  I browsed it when I found Re-Animator.  I rented it and I was hooked on her smile ever since.  A few days ago I received an unexpected package from my friends over at Epic Pictures with a few promotional items and the blu for the new Norwegian occult horror flick Sacrifice.  I couldn't wait to dig into it once I saw that Crampton was in it.  Thanks guys for sending it over!

     The movie follows Isaac (Hughes) and his very pregnant wife Emma (Stevens) as they visit a small Norwegian island after Isaac inherits a piece of property there.  Things start out innocently enough when the two are invited to participate in the local customs.  Isaac seems to get into it more than Emma and soon becomes obsessed with it.  Soon Emma discovers that the locals are part of a cult and Isaac's past is connected to it.  

     I went into this one pretty fucking excited.  A cult flick with Barbara Crampton was something I didn't know I needed but I was definitely looking forward to seeing it.  Sadly, the movie was painfully dull and the cult aspect was not fully explored.  It was a great idea but poor execution.  The acting in this one is great.  Crampton has a surprising amount of screen time and does a great job in her role.  Stevens is fantastic as well and does a phenomenal job as the expecting mother trying to protect herself and her unborn from her fanatic husband.  With all that being said, I was really surprised by Hughes' performance.  His performance is very intense and he does an amazing job at bringing out all these different emotions.  The story for this one is an amazing premise but the movie itself is so dull.  The Norwegian cult aspect is extremely fun but the movie doesn't really explore it as much as I would have liked.  We need some backstory on the cult and a lot more time spent on it then what we get.  The movie itself is too focused on the psychedelic dreams the pregnant wife has which has nothing to do with the story in the bigger picture.  With how the film ends you would expect the dreams to have a bigger part of the story but they don't.  Finally, the film has a few bloody moments and the final death is pretty fun but these kills are nothing memorable or original.  The effects are solid as well which really makes the gag work for the film.  Overall, Sacrifice has a ton of potential but the story falls short.  I loved the set up of the story but the dreams sequences that lead to nowhere while the cult aspect doesn't contribute more to the story.  It's solid for a first time watch but misses it's mark.  

SexWorld - Revisited

Director - Anthony Spinelli (High School Memories, China Sisters)

Starring - Lesllie Bovee (Champagne for Breakfast, Sensual Encounters of Every Kind), Kent Hall (Mary! Mary!, Young Students), and Kay Parker (Sweet Young Foxes, Untamed)

Release Date - 1978

Genre - Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Welcome to the future... where every fantasy can be yours - - for the taking!"

Format - 4K Ultra HD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Many years ago I started writing for Horror Society and over time I became acquainted with several different labels.  When I befriended Vinegar Syndrome I did so to review their horror, exploitation, and sci-fi releases.  Soon they were sending me their monthly releases for review and among them were several sexploitation flicks.  I wasn't interested in reviewing these but in the coming years I found myself really enjoying them.  Now I find myself looking forward to their Peekarama releases over the horror ones.  Back in 2015 I reviewed the blu release of SexWorld from Vin Syn and fucking loved it.  I watched it a few times since then but when they announced the UHD release of the film I had to jump on it.  Money well spent if you want my opinion.

     The film follows a bus full of sexual adventurers as they travel to a sex resort known as Sex World. Sex World is a resort where your deepest sexual fantasies come to life. While on the bus we learn all the different reasons everyone is going to the resort. Some are going because they were told about it by others that went there, others are going looking for clients to photograph and paint, while others are going to find the spice that their relationships are missing.

     Sexploitation is not for everyone but fans of trashy cinema and exploitation will find it entertaining.  I didn't think it would be for me and, I'll be completely honest, I was a bit of a snob about it at first.  "I don't watch porn" is something I would often say but these are more than just porn flicks.  They are fuck flicks with a story.  They are surprisingly fun and most are movies that you can revisit later down the road.  SexWorld is an absolute classic that I really enjoy watching.  Hell, I'm reviewing it again just for the hell of it.  The acting in this one is solid given that the film is based around sex.  The cast really gets into their roles and delivers some pretty solid performances when not fucking around.  The characters are great and the cast really makes this one feel more than your typical sexploitation.  The story for this one is a sex-filled spin on movies like WestWorld.  We follow different people with different motives as they go to a sex resort that brings fantasies to life.  The character development is unlike any other sexploitation flick of the time and when you mix that with the SexWorld theme you get a surprisingly well written sci-fi adult themed film that really works.  I don't know why I love this story so much but I can watch this movie over and over again without ever getting tired of it.  It does have some slower paced scenes but the cast really does help the viewer move through them.  Finally, no blood and gore in this one.  We get some hot and heavy sex scenes with plenty of skin but if you want the red stuff you will be disappointed.  My favorite aspect of this film is the scenes from the command rooms.  They are seriously 70s but I love the look.  Overall, SexWorld is a must see for fans of sleazy movies.  This UHD release from Vin Syn is a must for collectors.  Honestly, this review doesn't need written because most fans already snagged a copy.  However, if you are on the fence I hope this review steers you in the right direction.  

Honor Killing

Director - Mercedes (Evul Twinz, My Night Job)

Starring - Mercedes, Jim Schumacher (Hellfire!, Clownsploitation), and Tina Alper (Rose and Viktor: No Mercy!)

Release Date - 2018

Genre - Action

Tagline - "Honor thy father.  Honor thy family.  Honor thy killing"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     A couple weeks ago I was browsing indie horror releases on Amazon when I came across several interesting titles that caught my eye.  Some were no budget zombie flicks while others were slashers that looked right up my alley.  However, one release that really caught my eye was a new blu from Troma.  Honor Killing is a 2018 action exploitation film from actress, director, and fetish model Mercedes.  I was familiar with her other work, Rose and Viktor, so I was really curious about this one especially since it was another Troma release.  I went ahead and ordered a copy and when it arrived I threw it in as soon as I could.  

     The film follows a young woman who has a love for learning but her strictly religious father does not want her to educate herself.  He wants her to submit to her religion and follow the traditional norms for women.  One day on her way home from the library she is raped but survives.  Her rape brings great shame to her family so her father takes her out to kill her.  She survives but loses an eye.  Her father flees to hide stay with his brother because he was ashamed of his daughter's rape.  This sends her on a ruthless quest to find him and kill him.

     My previous experience with Mercedes was with her film Rose and Viktor.  I follow her on social media so I know of the other work that she is known for but her film experience with me is very short lived.  I didn't know what to expect from Honor Killing but the artwork was really giving off Rose and Viktor vibes.  Both are similar but Honor Killing does have a message.  The acting in this one is very inconsistent but not enough to take away from the film.  Mercedes not only takes over directing but she carries the film as well.  Her performance has it's own ups and downs.  Some of the scenes are fantastic while others are very underwhelming.  I couldn't imagine starring in an exploitation film like this and directing it.  The supporting cast is solid with some delivering a little better performances than others.  We see Rose and Viktor's Jim Schumacher returning as Viktor which is fun but a short lived cameo.  The story for this one could serve as a prequel to Rose and Viktor but does stand well on it's own as well.  What we have is a Muslim centered story that toes the line between Thriller: They Call Her One Eye and Rose and Viktor.  The honor killing leading her on a bloody path to her father is very similar to Thriller but having a woman seek out Viktor to train to kill people is very much Rose and Viktor inspired.  I really liked how the story was centered around honor killings with the exploitation approach.  It was really fun and I enjoyed it a lot.  Finally, the film has some pretty bloody and fun kills but they don't really stand out or are that memorable.  The film uses visual effects with minimal practical effects.  The kills work for the film but they will not stick with you after you watch it.  Overall, Honor Killing drags it's feet at times but I really enjoyed the story and how Mercedes approaches it.  It's something different and very well done.  I highly recommend this one.  

Boneyard Racers

Director - David Heacock (Hyde, Babageddon)

Starring - Thomas Kassian (Hot Box, The Hive), Ryley Shandro, and Neil Chase (Christmas with a Crown, Silence of the Clause)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Drama/Horror

Tagline - "Put it all on the line"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     A few days ago I went around to various horror groups and made a post asking filmmakers, producers, actors/actresses, and so forth for news on their upcoming projects.  I received a lot of positivity from the posts and met a lot of great people in the indie community after making them.  One of those people that I met was Neil Chase who told me about the film Boneyard Racers.  After I saw the poster for this short I had to see it and he was kind enough to send a link my way.  Thanks so much Neil!

     The film follows a young couple leaving a party on Halloween when they come across a late night drag race.  A group of ghoulish characters are listening to music and enjoying themselves when a demon named Johnny (Chase) notices their Corvette.  He then challenges the young man to a race with the pink slips on the line.

     I was told this wasn't a horror film in a traditional sense but it looked close enough for me to check it out.  As I stated earlier, I absolutely love the poster for this short and I couldn't wait to dig into it.  It didn't let me down and I really enjoyed it.  Oddly enough, my biggest complaint about this one is that it is a short.  I really want this to be a feature.  The acting in this one is great.  The entire cast, though small, does a fantastic job.  Everyone works so well with each other but my favorite character, and I'm not sucking up, was played by Chase himself.  The baby-horned demon Johnny brought just enough demonic fun to the film to hook me.  I really need to see this character return in more late night mayhem.  The story for this one is simple enough.  It's Halloween night and all the things that go bump in the night gather together for a bit of fun.  It's Are You Afraid of the Dark? meets rockabilly and I love every bit of it.  The short running times does work against it.  The way the story is written we have so many amazing possibilities to explore and one short just doesn't do it justice.  Finally, this is not a blood and gory horror flick for you sick fucks out there.  We do have some fun make-up effects but that's the extent of that.  Overall, Boneyard Racers is a fun tale of ghoulish racing and supernatural twists.  I really enjoyed what Heacock gives us but I really hope that this gets expanded upon.  Check it out.        

Unknown Visitor

Director - Isaac Rodriguez (House of Prey, Witchboard)

Starring - Brittany Dunk (Sanitarium, The Stream), June Griffin Garcia (From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Killer Women), and Jason Scarbrough (A Darker Fifty Shades: The Fetish Set, Remy's Demons)

Release Date - 2019

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Don't let her in"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several months ago a video went viral in one of the horror groups I'm in.  The video was recorded late at night/early in the morning and showed an elderly woman walking on the sidewalk.  It was recorded with a person's doorcam and the elderly women seemed to be distraught or lost.  Watching a confused elderly woman walking on the sidewalk at night is nothing horrifying or news worth.  However, this confused woman was walking at night while carrying a kitchen knife.  Jokes aside, if I saw that on my doorcam the following morning I would be freaked the fuck out.  Back in 2019 filmmaker Isaac Rodriguez realized that doorcams were an invaluable tool in the found footage sub-genre and created a film around it.  He recently contacted me to review his film Unknown Visitor.  It looked interesting enough so I agreed to check it out.  Thanks Isaac for sending this one over!

     The film follows a young woman (Dunk) who moves into a new home.  Her friend (Scarbrough) installs a doorcam for her to ease her mind but she's uncomfortable in the new home.  Things take a dark turn when a mysterious woman starts paying her nightly visits.  Is she real or a product of an unmedicated women with a mental disorder?

     Most of you know that I'm not really a fan of found footage flicks.  Some have been alright but most bore the living hell out of me.  The small talk, the cliched "how do I work this camera" when the movie begins, and the shaking and jumping as the action roles.  I can see why it's so appealing to some but they just don't work for me.  However, Unknown Visitor has a different take on the found footage sub-genre.  Instead of shaky camera work and awkward dialogue the issue is fixed with a fixed camera at the door and scenes pertaining to the story.  The awkwardness of standard found footage is removed by this gimmick.  The acting in this one is surprisingly well done.  I really liked the characters that Brittany Dunk and Jason Scarborough bring to life.  There is a few scenes that are a bit underwhelming but for the most part this small cast does a fantastic job.  The story for this one is perfectly written for the film's set up.  I enjoyed the mental twist the story delivers, the woman crying on the porch angle, and the veteran suffering from combat.  All of this works very well for the most part.  However, there was a few things that I wasn't feeling and this does go into spoiler territory.  I'll refrain from getting too deep into that but the film should have kept the paranormal course.  Finally, this one has a few deaths.  One is simple but it works and the other has a bloody moment with some make-up effects.  I enjoyed the deaths that we get but those of you looking for a bloody flick will be disappointed.  Overall, Unknown Visitor is a unique found footage film.  The idea works but there is only so much you can do with a scenario like this but Rodriguez pulled it off.  I enjoyed it but I don't see myself revisiting it anytime soon.  Check it out.  

Play. Pause. Kill.

Director - David Teixeira (Visiteur, Girls Night)

Starring - Lucas Dutilleul (Woke) and Anasthasia Hilda (L'echiquier Des Deux Reines)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (YouTube)

Rating (out of 5):

     I recently had a horror binge after receiving requests from several filmmakers to check out their work.  I started my little marathon with a Finnish extreme horror short titled Melody of Madness.  When I finished with that one I moved on to the French short Visiteur.  I enjoyed it but it was a little difficult to review due to it being so short.  The third short in my marathon also came from Visiteur director David Teixeira.  I want to thank David for sending over Play. Pause. Kill. to review.  I greatly appreciate it.

     The film follows the beautiful Julia who is speaking through text to Henry.  After a small chat Henry agrees to come over for dinner and horror movies.  Before long the two make their way to her bed where things take a sexy, yet deadly, turn.  

     Before I watched this short I was really digging the poster.  When you look at me you don't expect to see a guy that liked lime green and hot pinks but I do.  Bright colors are my trademarks so I love seeing posters that have these type of color schemes.  Play. Pause. Kill. doesn't really fit the poster but it was a fantastic horror short with great atmosphere and some solid tension.  The acting in this one is great.  Dutilleul was solid in his role but Hilda was absolutely phenomenal.  She's stunning and delivered a fantastic performance.  Her gorgeous looks was only overshadowed by her bloodlust.  The story for this one was not what I was expecting but it was painfully fun.  I don't want to get too far into the story to prevent spoilers but this was not twist I was expecting.  Once the movie started rolling I assumed the movie was going to go a certain way but it didn't.  The twist really worked.  Finally, the film has a seriously bloody moment that will leave most men cringing.  The practical effects are limited but the blood flows freely.  There may be one kill but this one kill fucking works.  Overall, Play. Pause. Kill. is a fucking blast.  Anasthasia Hilda carries the film with her beauty and talent and the story takes you down a path most men would never want to go.  I highly recommend this one.      

Visiteur

Director - David Teixeira (Play. Pause. Kill., She's Not Alone)

Starring - Emma Rodriguez and David Teixeira

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Open the door"

Format - Streaming (YouTube)

Rating (out of 5):

     A few weeks ago I went around to various groups making posts looking for news on upcoming indie projects to share on the site.  I was greeted with overwhelming positivity and met a lot of great filmmakers, actors, actresses, producers, and so on after making those posts.  Honestly, I wish I would have done this sooner because this has been a great experience.  One of the filmmakers that I came into contact with was David Teixeira.  This French filmmaker has several shorts available on his YouTube and sent me a few links to check out for review.  The first I hit play on was his three minute short Visiteur.  Thanks David for reaching out!

     The film follows Emma (Rodriguez) who is home alone.  She is getting ready when she received a strange phone call.  She chalks it up to being a prank call but soon realizes something strange is going on.

     It's kind of hard to review a movie that runs around three minutes.  You can like a short but you really need something there to write about.  Visiteur is fun for the three minutes but if Teixeira would have stretched it out any further it would have been a pointless short.  He knew his limits and did a great job at creating this short yet sweet film.  The acting in this one is pretty solid.  It is a one woman show and Rodriguez does great.  She delivers a wide range of emotions and almost has a dual role of sorts.  She is a fantastic lead in this and does an amazing job.  The story for this one leaves a lot to the viewer's imagination but it works.  We get a little twist at the end that is fairly enjoyable.  The short running time does work against it at creating tension and atmosphere but Rodriguez is able to pull it all together.  Finally, this one has some blood but if you are looking for some bloody and gory deaths you will be very disappointed. This one is very story driven rather than bloody.  Overall, Visiteur is a fun way to spend three minutes.  It's short, simple, and well put together.  I highly recommend checking it out.  

Melody of Madness

Director - Matti Soikkeli (Blood for Blood, Finnish Christmas Story)

Starring - Jani Laakso (Hell Closet: The Closet that Ate People, No Voice in the Sky), Ville Rajakangas (Blood for Blood, Finnish Christmas Story), and Romeo Soikkeli (Get Out Sam, Luna di Morte)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm not much on extreme horror.  I have good friends that are avid extreme horror fans but I find most of the extreme horror flicks to be a bit boring.  They are one trick ponies if you will and rarely mix it.  For those of you that don't know what extreme horror is, it's essentially horror flicks that push the boundaries.  They rely on extreme violence, degradation, and shock value to tell a story.  I get why some horror fans enjoy these kind of films but I tend to nod off to sleep when I spin one of these films.  I absolutely love gore but without a decent enough story the gore is pointless.  Might as well be watching a behind the scenes documentary.  Anyway, a few days indie filmmaker Matti Soikkeli reached out to me to review his newest short Melody of Madness.  I tend to avoid extreme horror flicks but where this one was a short I decided to give it a spin and I'm glad I did.  It was pretty fun.  Thanks Matti for reaching out!

     The film follows a deranged man that murders, rapes, and dismembers a man.  

     I went into this one knowing it was just going to be a few minutes long.  As I stated earlier, extreme horror is not really my bag.  I love a good gory flick but I need some sort of story.  Melody of Madness does not waste the viewer's time at just six minutes and doesn't over stay it's welcome either.  Short, quick, and to the point.  If all extreme horror flicks would follow this example I could really get behind some of them.  The acting in this one is not acting in a conventional sense.  The film is pretty much a one man show.  The lead in the film does bare it all for his role and so does his "victim."  The two are very dedicated to their roles.  The story for this one is super short and very simple.  For a six minute short it works but if it was any longer this story would have been stretched too thin.  With that being said, it was still a fun and mindless watch with some solid moments.  Finally, this film has some fun kills, a lot of cheap practical effects, and a bit of sodomy for those of you looking for it with your horror.  Overall, Melody of Madness is not the kind of film I would typically check out but I did enjoy it for what it was.  Sick, depraved, and entertaining.  Check it out if you ever get the chance.  

Truly, Madly

Director - Brian Dorton (Crazy Fat Ethel, Trashology)

Starring - Adam Freeman (Piggy, Cannibal Hookers), Sondra Carver, and Brian Dorton

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Drama/Horror

Tagline - "Mother may I?"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I spent the last few days watching a few no budget schlockers from filmmaker Nick Millard.  After I had watched Criminally Insane 1 and 2 I wanted to finish my horror binge with Brian Dorton's Crazy Fat Ethel which is a modern retelling of that 1975 classic.  Right before I started my binge I was contacted by Dorton and informed that his newest film, Truly, Madly, was available for review.  I was already about to watch his 2016 film so I went ahead and made it a double feature.  Thanks Brian for allowing me to review the film.

     The movie follows a young gay man who loses his father in a horrible automobile accident.  His mother struggles with the loss and turns to her religion to find comfort.  Her son's sexual identity becomes a problem and soon she finds herself afraid of losing him to another man.  This fear leads her to murder and once she starts she has a hard time stopping.  

     I had covered Truly, Madly sometime ago when Brian first announced the project and couldn't wait to check it out.  I absolutely loved Trashology but I hate to admit that I never did get around to seeing Preexisting Conditions.  After seeing Big Fat Ethel and Truly, Madly you can bet your sweet ass and half a tit that I'll be looking for Brian's other films that I've missed over the years.  Truly, Madly is not the kind of movie I would typically go out of my way to watch and I would be missing out.  The mix between religious drama and horror works very well for this story.  The acting in this one is great.  Adam Freeman is great as the young adult dealing with the loss of his father while his mother has forsaken him due to his sexual orientation.  He's so natural in his role and his emotions are very genuine.  Director Brian Dorton takes on a dual role and does an exceptional job at it.  His characters are both a huge part of the story and he does a solid job.  The real surprise of the cast here is Sondra Carver.  She has no imdb credit aside from this film and she absolutely nailed her performance here.  This is a name I can expect to see pop up in more indie productions in the next few years.  The story for this one is equal parts religious drama and horror in the same line as Criminally Insane and Crazy Fat Ethel.  Having a widow sink deep into her religion as a cushion is nothing uncommon especially along the bible belt.  This obsession puts her beliefs above the happiness of her child but kick-starts her murderous side in a similar way that food starts Crazy Fat Ethel's murder spree.  With that being said, the similarities end there.  The movie stands out on it's own by showing one of the many obstacles that the LGBTQ+ community deals with.  Not only with the general public but among their own family.  Finally, the deaths in this one is not as bloody and gory as I was expecting but they are still fun.  They fit the film very well and show some serious amounts of blood.  The effects are minimal but they work for the gags.  Overall, Truly, Madly is not going to be one for everyone.  However, for those of you looking for a well made dark drama with religious backstories and an LGBTQ+ flair then I highly recommend it.  Also, I would highly suggest pairing it with October Moon.  Those two would make for a seriously fun double feature.  

Crazy Fat Ethel

Director - Brian Dorton (Trashology, Preexisting Conditions)

Starring - Dixie Gers (Piggy, 13 Slays Till X-Mas), Jenny Coulter (Trashology, Preexisting Conditions), and William Allen Nugent (Trashology)

Release Date - 2016

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Kill for meals"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     A couple summers back I befriended director Brian Dorton after I saw him post in a horror group.  He was selling copies of his movies and I was interested in grabbing a few.  It was then that I realized that Brian was the director of Trashology which I had reviewed sometime before when Olive Films sent me a review copy.  I was interested in his blu release of Crazy Fat Ethel which was a remake of Nick Millard's Criminally Insane.  I snagged a copy for my collection but I never really found the time to watch it for fun.  With Dorton's newest film available I figured now would be the best time to finally check it out.  

     The film follows Ethel (Gers) who is released from a mental care facility to live with her aunt.  Ethel loves to eat but when her family and friends get between her and her meals things turn deadly.  

     I had just binged both Criminally Insane films so I was ready for this retelling from Brian Dorton.  The original Criminally Insane was fantastic but the follow up was a huge disappointment.  Dorton's Crazy Fat Ethel took what fans love about the original and then gave them exactly what they wanted with the original.  I love both films and for different reasons but Crazy Fat Ethel is exactly how Criminally Insane should have been.  The acting in this one is pretty fucking solid.  I didn't know how the movie would play out with Gers in the lead.  She's such a sweet person and I couldn't imagine her in the lead role and the mentally unstable Ethel but she absolutely nailed it.  She's such a phenomenal actress and I saw a lot of Priscilla Alden's Ethel in her performance.  I was really impressed by how far she went with this performance.  The supporting cast is solid with some delivering a little more memorable performances than others.  It's inconsistent but nothing bad.  The story for this one is based on what we were given with the original with a little bit more of a backstory, a look at her life in the mental institute, and the cannibalism that was just barely explored in the first film.  Dorton really is a fan and took what he enjoyed from the originally while expanding it and making it more bound in the genre.  I really enjoyed how we watch the abuse Ethel suffers before we transition to her being at home and becoming the unhinged food obsessed killer that we expect.  Seeing this slowly build and then finally erupt is a rewarding watch and then we are given even more carnage with the cannibalism aspect which really does fit in well with the food obsession aspect.  Finally, the film has plenty of blood and some surprisingly well used gore.  A few of the kills are reminiscent of the original film using a meat cleaver and some camera tricks and gags.  However, there is one seen that stands out because the production steals a page from the Dawn of the Dead handbook where they used real gore from a butcher I would assume.  Really caught me off guard and works so well for the film.  Overall, Crazy Fat Ethel is a fantastic retelling of a classic genre hit.  Dorton really does this one justice and knocked this one out of the park.  I highly suggest you snag a copy of this one when you can.  It was a blast.  

Criminally Insane 2

Director - Nick Millard (Death Nurse, Criminally Insane)

Starring - Priscilla Alden (Criminally Insane, Death Nurse), Robert Copple (Naked are the Cheaters, Death Nurse 2), and Charles Egan (Video Vixens!, The Devil's Gas)

Release Date - 1987

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Never come between Ethel and a well stocked refrigerator"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Back when indie filmmaker Nick Mallard made his 1975 classic Criminally Insane he didn't expect it to be as big as it was.  Star Priscilla Alden became a cult star and the film found an audience in the coming video boom of the 80s.  The film's popularity would come a little later than it's original release which prompted Millard to half-hazardly release a sequel 12 years later.  I had heard nothing but great things about Criminally Insane but when fans mentioned Criminally Insane 2 they always did so in a way that you knew it was going to be a bad experience.  These are the types of movies I love so I couldn't wait to dig into it.

     The film follows Ethel (Adlen) who is in an insane asylum after the events of the first film.  However, due to overcrowding and budget cuts she is sent to a halfway house where she returns to her murderous ways when anyone gets in between her and her food.  

     I was all about a follow up to the first Criminally Insane film but the way Millard approached this one is a slap in the face of the fans of the first film.  The movie is roughly 40 or so minutes of new footage with the rest of the film consisting of flashbacks to the original.  Not only that, the new footage is piss poor quality with some sort of weird ass humming or buzzing noise throughout many of the scenes. I thought it was the speakers on my television going out but after a quick google I discovered it was something going on when this was filmed.  It's obvious Millard wanted to cash in on the unexpected fame of the first film with minimal effort.  The acting in this one is not as fun as the first.  Priscilla just doesn't seem that interested in the role at all.  Her blank stare and angry screams lacked the intensity that the first film had.  Her age and possibly health may have something to do with it by this point.  The supporting cast attempts to deliver the best performances that they can but they lacked the experience and direction needed.  The story for this one is non-existent.  It's the first film shot in 40 minutes with the rest done in flashbacks.  Painfully dull and cheap.  It's almost disrespectful the way Millard approached this for his fans.  Finally, the kills are the same as the first film.  They have minimal effects and take place off screen. Overall, Criminally Insane 2 is a slap in the face of genre fans and fans of Millard in general.  I really want to know more behind the making of this one to see why some of the choices were made.  Skip it.  

Criminally Insane

Director - Nick Millard (Cemetery Sisters, Death Nurse)

Starring - Priscilla Alden (Death Nurse, Death Nurse 2), Michael Flood (.357 Magnum, If You Don't Stop It...You'll Go Blind!), and Jane Lambert (Kung Fu, Happy Days)

Release Date - 1975

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "250 pounds of maniacal fury"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5): 

     May years ago I received a couple of movies from Olive Films and Slasher//Video to review.  Several of them were from no budget filmmaker Nick Millard and I became obsessed with them  Even if I didn't like the movie I still had a lot of fun watching them.  After I reviewed what was sent to me I turned to Amazon to snag a few more of his films.  I grabbed a triple feature that included Satan's Black Wedding and both Criminally Insane films.  I just finished SBW and decided it was time to finally watch the 1975 classic Criminally Insane.  

     The film follows Ethel (Alden) who is released from the mental asylum to the care of her grandmother.  Ethel is obsessed with eating and when she is unable to obtain food she goes into a rage.  When her grandmother refuses to let her eat at will she murders her before making her way through the delivery boy and anyone else that gets in the way of her next meal.

     When you talk about the films of Nick Millard you often hear how great his Criminally Insane film is.  After finally seeing it I can safely say that this is, by far, his best film.  I'm already a day distanced from watching it and I can't stop thinking about it.  It's so simple and yet it's amazing.  I fucking loved it and I can see myself spinning this one again here soon.  The acting in this one is decent enough but there is plenty of room for improvement.  Priscilla Alden carries the film as Ethel.  She's hungry, mean, and forward in her performance.  The supporting cast is dedicated to their roles but they do have some awkward moments scattered throughout the film.  Inexperience does rear it's ugly head.  The story for this one is absolutely amazing.  It's so simple yet it has so many possibilities.  We have the woman who becomes extremely violent when someone comes between her and her food.  I feel like a good cannibal angle was missed here but it's still extremely fun as it is.  Finally, the film has some cheap kills with very minimal practical effects and lots of bright red blood.  They are bad but they are fun for the film.  Overall, Criminally Insane is a must see for genre fans.  It's an absolute blast.  I highly recommend it.  

Satan's Black Wedding

Director - Nick Millard (Death Nurse, Dracula in Vegas)

Starring - Greg Braddock, Ray Myles (Blood Orgy of the She-Devils, Isla Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks), and Lisa Milano (Cemetery Sisters, A Tribute to Priscilla Alden)

Release Date - 1976

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "A blood marriage of ghouls!"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several years ago I went through a Nick Millard phase.  Olive Films had teamed up with Slasher//Video to release a few of his older S.O.V. horror titles like Death Nurse and Cemetery Sisters.  I become absolutely obsessed with these releases and grabbed them to review.  After I reviewed all those releases I turned to Amazon and snagged the Millard triple feature release with Satan's Black Wedding and both Criminally Insane films.  It was time I finally dug into those two releases.

     The film follows a young man who is visits his deceased sister's home after she commits suicide.  The suicide is completely out of her character so he starts investigating her death when he uncovers her severed finger.  After more investigating he uncovers that she is now a vampire and is using her new found abilities to exact revenge on the living.

     You don't turn on a Nick Mallard movie expecting to see the best.  You turn on a Nick Millard movie for some weird no budget fun.  His movies are hit and miss with some but I find myself having fun even if I don't like the movie.  Satan's Black Wedding is another weird but entertaining ride.  It's not going to be for everyone but if you are that particular about the movies you like then you wouldn't be watching this one anyway.  The acting in this one is not bad but it's pretty awkward at times.  The cast really does try to get into their roles but their inexperience and lack of direction does create some pretty cringe worthy scenes.  Not all the scenes are like this but there is some.  The story for this one is pretty simple but is stretched pretty thin.  A man investigating his sister's death to uncover she's a vampire is nothing knew especially by the late 70s.  We have Hammer Horror to thank for similar stories.  However, the way this was approached leaves the viewer with several slow and drawn out scenes that do nothing to further the story along.  Some of this could be trimmed off.  With that being said, it's good cheesy fun.  Finally, there is some blood in this one but nothing memorable.  We get a few generic vampire kills with fake blood and so forth but they fit in with the schlock of the film.  Overall, Satan's Black Wedding is a fun late night watch that's bad but still fun.  I recommend it.  

The Point

Director - Fred Wolf (Strawberry Shortcake, The Wuzzles)

Starring - Ringo Starr (Alice in Wonderland, Sabrina the Teenage Witch), Paul Frees (The Return of the King, Wonder Woman), and Mike Lookinland (The Brady Bunch, The Towering Inferno)

Release Date - 1971

Genre - Adventure

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Over the years I've talked about my childhood in my reviews.  I like to connect with the movies before I review them that way the reader can get some sort of connection with me and why I felt the way I did with the film I'm reviewing.  As a child I grew up in front of the television.  Cartoons, movies, documentaries, it didn't matter.  I watched anything and everything as a kid.  I remember being very little when I watch The Point for the first time.  It was a fun little animated flick but as I got older I didn't remember a lot about it.  Hell, I forgot about the film until MVD announced their release of the film on blu as part of their Rewind Collection.  I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send a copy my way.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows Oblio (Lookinland) who was born with a round head in the village of people with pointy heads.  He's often picked on and bullied and eventually forced out of the village for being different.  On his adventures through the pointless forest he discovers many different types of people, as well as, his sense of worth.

     The Point isn't the pinnacle of animation and it's not the most original story but it's fun for what it is.  It's a children's story written by a man tripping on acid.  That's pretty fucking wild if you ask me.  It's even better when you consider that the film has three different versions with different narrators.  The video release of the film has Ringo Starr while the cable cut of the film has Alan Thicke narrating.  When I watched this for the first time I was watching the Alan Thicke version.  Regardless, it's not the most amazing animated film but it's still a fun watch.  The voice acting in this one is fun.  The voices match up pretty well for the characters but having the same voice actor portraying different characters without changing their voice was a little confusing and lazy.  Several of the cast members voiced multiple characters but they never tries to change their voice.  A lot of different animated films and shows recycled voice actors for different characters but they used their voices to create different characters.  The Point doesn't do that.  We get the same voice for different characters.  The story for this one is a solid enough children's adventure tale following a kid that's different as he learns his place in life.  It may have been inspired by an acid trip but it still speaks to children.  It's perfect for kids that are bullied, born different, coming to terms with their sexual identities, and so forth.  It's very relevant but it's not the most original even for 1971.  There has been countless other shows and movies aimed for children with similar stories.  Finally, the animation for this one is unique but not something that sticks with you.  I like the animation style used for the film but a lot of the younger generations would not appreciate it as much as us older generations do.  Overall, The Point is a fun watch especially if you've never seen it before.  The blu from MVD looks great and I love that they took the time to put this release together.  Their work as preserving underrated and obscure films is top notch.  Be sure to add this one to your collection.  

Nemesis 5: The New Model

Director - Dustin Ferguson (Ebola Rex, Angry Asian Murder Hornets)

Starring - Sue Price (Nemesis 2: Nebula, RoboWoman), Schuylar Craig (Amityville Toybox, Chills Down Your Spine), and Mel Novak (Apex Predators, Rattlers 2)

Release Date - 2017

Genre - Sci-Fi

Tagline - "You can't stop the future"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Back when MVD announced the Nemesis stand along release along with the Nemesis triple feature I went to their website and saw that they were handling the DVD release of Dustin Ferguson's Nemesis 5: The New Model.  I was going to request the two Nemesis blus so I thought it would be fun to review all five films.  Ferguson is a very polarizing filmmaker.  His stand alone films are tough to finish.  He seems to rush through projects in order to move on to the next one with not much time put into quality control.  However, his horror documentaries are pretty fucking good.  In fact, I would highly recommend checking out a few of them if you havent.  I was on the fence about Nemesis 5 especially knowing how Ferguson is with his films and just viewing Nemesis 4.

   The film follows a little girl, Ari, who is found and reluctantly raised by Alex (Price).  As the war between humans and the cyborgs rages on she trains Ari to become a fighter to win the war for all humanities sake.  

     I wasn't expecting a lot from this one but I was hoping it was better than the fourth installment.  It wasn't.  In fact, this one was easily the worst sequel in the franchise.  I don't know why Pyun would want a sequel after 21 years but this was not the way he should have went.  Honestly, this was the toughest watch to date.  The acting in this one is not as bad as the fourth film but the cast just didn't seem to know exactly what to do for the scene.  It's almost as if they were told to film the scene and then was left without direction.  A lot of the scenes they are very underwhelming and the emotional range is just not there.  The story for this one is actually an interesting and decent enough expansion of the original series but the execution is all wrong.  The movie is slow paced that even the action scenes are boring.  Where part four was a chaotic mess of poorly edited scenes we get scenes that are just too damn long and pointless.  A good 30 to 40 minutes of dialogue and pointless scenes could be shaved and we would still be left with the story.  I guess they had a run time limit they really needed to hit with these unnecessary scenes.  Finally, the film is not a bloody one but we do get an instance or two of fun make-up effects and a lot of horrible visual effects.  The visuals are bad but not in a so bad they are funny tone.  Overall, Nemesis 5 is a huge waste of time and a pointless entry in the Nemesis series.  Pyun should have left it along with 3.  Skip it.