The Blair Witch Project

Director(s) - Daniel Myrick (Under the Bed, Believers) and Eduardo Sanchez (Supernatural, Yellowjackets)

Starring - Heather Donahue (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Morgue), Michael C. Williams (Altered, Satanic Hispanics), and Joshua Leonard (Depraved, Torn Hearts)

Release Date - 1999

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "In October of 1994 three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland while shooting a documentary... a year later their footage was found"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      Getting old is something we all have to come to terms with and while I don’t think I’m that old I would be lying if I said being in my mid-thirties felt like it did when I was in my mid-twenties. One of the weirdest things about getting old is remembering specific moments in your life and how long it has been since they happened. When I was elementary and middle school I lived through some of the most iconic pop culture moments from the forming of NWO in WCW, the first Playstation, Tamagochi and DigiPets, Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski, and the marketing around The Blair Witch Project. I remember how exciting it was to talk with people at school about it. So many kids my age thought the movie was real and while I sometimes played into the hype I knew a movie depicting real deaths would never be allowed in theaters. Honestly, I can’t think of another horror release that caused such an stir like this one did with the public. I wasn’t able to watch it in theaters and by the time it made it’s way to VHS the cast had already been interviewed several times which ruined the image that the film was real. I remember thinking the film was alright but nothing that would stick with me over the years. Hell, I still think about the weeks or months leading up to the premier of the movie when people thought it was real but I have never had the desire to revisit it. A few weeks back I received the UHD steelbook release of the original film along with the 2016 sequel. I wanted to check them out during my October horror binge but couldn’t get them worked in. After spinning a few horror titles and an animated Batman film I figured now was the best time to check it out. 

      The film follows three filmmakers who hike in deep into the Maryland wilderness to film a documentary on the legend of the Blair Witch. Along the way they find themselves lost and low on supplies and at night strange things happen at their camp site. As tempers come to a boil the three realize they are not alone in the woods and the legend is true. 

      Some genre fans incorrectly label The Blair Witch Project as the first found footage film which is the furthest from the truth. While it wasn’t the first to use this style of filmmaker, it was the film that revitalized it when it showed just how lucrative it could be to make a found footage film. While The Blair Witch has catapulted the found footage style films to popularity that is still seen to this day, it is a fairly dull film that doesn’t really come into it’s own until the last 15 or 20 minutes. I respect the hell out of the marketing for the film but the movie itself is nothing special. It’s solid for a first time watch but I believe that many fans remember the hype and rumors surrounding the film during it’s initial release and it heavily influences what they thing of the film itself. The acting in this one is other-worldly. I seriously hate reviewing the acting in found footage films because the cast is trying so hard to make it feel like they are recording themselves doing the most mundane tasks. These scenes are usually abysmal to watch and when I’m not rolling my eyes I’m checking the display to see how much is left of the film. I can’t say the same about the acting in The Blair Witch Project. Their small talk, banter, and other dialogue just feels genuine. It doesn’t feel forced or as awkward to watch as the found footage films that soon followed. The story for this follows a legend that filmmakers Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez created prior to production and built the mythos just for the film’s purpose. Many argue that the Blair Witch was a legend prior to the film’s release but that is not the case. However, when you have a marketing campaign like this one anything can happen. We have a strong background centered around the lore of the witch and when you add in a group of amateur filmmakers documentary their adventure into the woods searching for any hint of the witch’s existence is pure gold. The found footage aspect does make it feel more genuine than if it was a standard film. I respect the hell out of it but it’s because of the found footage style and attention to detail that makes it a mediocre film. I would have preferred a more traditional approach to the story with more attention toward the legend itself and not their journey. Finally, the film has zero effects. We get some rock piles, stacks of sticks, and noises in the dark and that is all the movie needs to strike fear in the viewer. No one in the production of this film was setting out to create a classic or something with such longevity. They wanted to make a movie that people thought was real and once the luster wore off then so did the scares. I couldn’t imagine sitting in a theater with a group of people who went into thinking the people on camera had died or was missing but I bet it was an amazing experience. It’s the mindset that they are dead that made this movie so fucking eerie. Overall, The Blair Witch Project s a film with tremendous historical important for cinema. It was the film that forever made found footage a staple of the genre and it’s marketing and advertising campaign is something that was never seen before or we will see again. The film itself is one of those horror films that is considered the middle of the road. If you have never seen it by this point I would recommend it for a first time watch but it’s not something I would recommend revisiting after sometime or double dipping on the film. Considering the rarity of the blu I would say this UHD is worth it.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

Director(s) - Kevin Altieri (Stripperella, Transformers Prime), Boyd Kirkland (Batman and Mr. Freeze: SubZero, Wolverine and the X-Men), and Frank Paur (Gargoyles, Spawn)

Starring - Kevin Conroy (Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?, Jay and Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie), Dana Delany (Tombstone, The Batman), and Hart Bochner (Die Hard, Supergirl)

Release Date - 1993

Genre - Action/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "The dark knight fights to save Gotham City from it's deadliest enemy"

Forma - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I’ve been lucky enough to watch and review several of the animated Batman films over the last five years or so. The DC animated universe releases or films that I often get very excited for and when they find their mark they are seriously enjoyable. The great thing about the DC animated films is that they are continuously releasing new films while remastering and re-releasing some of the older films. When I was a kid I remember seeing TV spots and posters for Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. I remember immediately thinking of the Don Coscarelli film Phantasm and my imagination took over as I imagined Batman taking on the Tall Man and his legion of undead dwarves. Sadly, I never got around to seeing it and over the years I had completely forgot about it until I received the UHD release for review. I had heard nothing but good things about this one and I couldn’t wait to dig into it. I want to thank WB and DC for sending this one over.

      The film bounces between Bruce Wayne at the beginning of his crime fighting career when he was romantically involved with a beautiful and current day when leaders of the organized crime world are being hunted down by a caped villain. Everyone, including the police, suspect that the one behind the murders is Batman forcing him to work quickly to uncover the real killer while exploring his own past. 

      Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is based on the Batman Animated series and features one hell of a voice cast. While I do see why so many Batman fans enjoy this animated feature I will admit I am a bit underwhelmed. I absolutely loved the animated series as a kid but this film didn’t really have the same appeal and flow as the show. I was recently sent the show on blu for review and was able to revisit this classic series. While it has been some time since then I can still remember it very well. The film is decent but it is nowhere near the level of the show. The voice acting in this one gave me chills especially now after the passing of long time Batman/Bruce Wayne Kevin Conroy. It wouldn’t be an animated Batman film with Conroy if it didn’t have Mark Hamill as The Joker. We also have appearances from Stacey Keach, Dana Delany, and so many more. The voice casting in this is so impressive and everyone does a phenomenal job. The story for this one has a fantastic character arch and one hell of a reveal. However, the impact of the film is lost in the film’s flashbacks that throws off the flow of the film. The pacing is all off and the film’s climatic moments is made ineffective with the random flashbacks. The film needed a more traditional story that moves in a linear path instead of back and forth like it is. Finally, I love the film’s animation style. It’s the same style as the animated series and is more a traditional take on American cartoons. I love the look and it works well with the action sequences and the various assortment of characters. We also get the classic Gotham backdrops that was seen in the show which is another thing that I loved about the show. The back drop and still paintings look so fucking good. Overall, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is one of the more popular Batman animated films but I can think of better ones. However, it’s still a fantastic film that deserves a watch. The UHD release looks gorgeous and should be in any fan’s collection. Check it out.

The Boogeyman

Director - Rob Savage (Dashcam, Fear Haus)

Starring - Sophie Thatcher (Yellowjackets, The Book of Boba Fett), Chris Messina (Devil, Birds of Prey), and Vivien Lyra Blair (Bird Box, Obi-Wan Kenobi)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "It's not real.  It's not real.  It's not real"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Some of my favorite horror films are adaptations of Stephen King’s work. I’ve read some of his works over the years and while I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read I would be lying if I said I’ve read them all. I do enjoy reading but my day job and writing for Horror Society doesn’t offer up much in the line of free time. As much as I enjoy his novels, I would still rather watch the film and television adaptations. Some of my favorite films are adaptations of his work. I grew up with films like Silver Bullet, Pet Sematary, Maximum Overdrive, and Creepshow on repeat. His career is legendary and when I see a film has his name attached will automatically draw in my attention. Several months back I started receiving press releases for a new King adaptation. The Boogeyman was produced by Disney under their recently acquired 20th Century Fox brand and had a June release this year. I had heard mixed things about it but that is expected when King’s work is adapted to film. I wasn’t able to check it out during it’s theatrical run but decided to watch it recently on Hulu. I was sent a code sometime back to review but decided to host a giveaway around Halloween for one lucky fan on our Facebook page. 

      The film follows a therapist and his two daughters who are trying to pick up the pieces after their mother passed away unexpectedly. A unexpected man appears wanting to be seen by the therapist and later kills himself in one of the rooms in his home. The youngest daughter starts to believe that something is living in her closet while her older sister starts seeing strange things around the home. They suspect that the man’s death in their home was the beginning of something much more sinister and they soon learn that the boogeyman is real. 

      I went into this one really excited to see another Stephen King adaptation. While I was not familiar with the book, I had high hopes for this one despite the mixed reception it had received up to this point. I’m not one of those people that have to read the book and pick apart the movie. I always view the film as a separate installment that is inspired or influenced by the original novel, comic, video game, and so on. While I don’t know anything about the source material I can say that The Boogeyman is easily the worst of the King adaptations. It’s predictable with unlikable characters and one of the most generic monsters I’ve seen in recent years. The acting in this one is solid but I was expecting better performances. The characters are very unlikable and one dimensional. The cast delivers decent enough performances but their one dimensional characters that are unlikable makes their performances feel worse than they actually are. The story for this one is so predictable and is similar to other films I’ve recently reviewed including the indie horror slasher The Pumpkin Man. There has been so many films depicting teens or kids fighting their own version of the so called Boogeyman over the years that it makes this film feel almost like a blatant rip off of those films. What makes it even more depressing is that it’s from the mind of a true horror master. I would assume at this point that the book would be better with King’s own style of horror but this film is paint by numbers and easily forgettable. I hate being this way and having so much negative to say about one of the films based on his work but it is one of the worst films of the year. Finally, the film is not a bloody one and if you are looking for iconic horror moments like we’ve seen in many of his other films then you will be very disappointed. We get a horrible CGI monster that looks like the aliens from A Quiet Place but much worse. Overall, The Boogeyman is the biggest dud of the year and the biggest disappointment in my opinion. This is one film I cannot recommend.

Shocktail Hour with Aurora Gorealis: Werewolves, Zombies, and Blobs! (Review)

Starring - Melissa LaMartina (WNUF Halloween Special, Call Girl of Cthulhu)

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     Back in September I was doing some scrolling on Instagram when I came across a post from WNUF Halloween Special director Chris LaMartina about the blu release of the classic SOV horror film Cannibal Campout. He was sharing that he had copies of the blu available in his store. I wanted a copy of this for my collection but I couldn’t figure out the connection this release from Terror Vision had with LaMartina. I soon realized why when I was browsing his store and saw that his wife’s horror host persona Aurora Gorealis had an episode featured in the special features of the release. I also saw that a collection of episodes of her Shocktail Hour with Aurora Gorealis was available on DVD. While I was a bit bummed it was only available on DVD I still snagged a copy with the intention of adding it to my October horror binge. Sadly, I wasn’t able to squeeze it during the month so I added it to my November watch pile to check out. I’m glad I did because it was a lot of fun. 

      The collection features three episodes where we follow Aurora Gorealis as she mixes drinks, deliver puns, and a host of other characters to contribute various segments to each show. 

      The three episodes follow themes such as werewolves, zombies, and blobs. I knew Chris’ gorgeous wife Melissa was a horror host but that was the extent of it. I never had the luck of seeing anything related to her Aurora Gorealis character, however, after watching this collection I can see that I was seriously missing out. I lived in an area that didn’t have their own regional horror host and I couldn’t piggy back off of other channels to get something like that but I did have the Elvira tapes at my local video store to enjoy. While Shocktail Hour continues in the horror puns and macabre themes, it doesn’t rely on sexual humor like Elvira does. Elvira is an icon and for good reasons but she is not something that I can watch with my kids unless I want to lie to them about what she meant when she said “I’ve never had complaints before” when someone asks how her head is. Shocktail Hour is something I didn’t know I was missing in my life and I seriously hope they consider releasing more collections. The acting in this one is great. I don’t know Melissa LaMartina but I can only imagine that this is an extension of her personality. She is this character and she does a phenomenal job in the role. The supporting cast is fun and their characters fit the show very well but it’s LaMartina and Aurora Gorealis that makes this what it is. The story for this one is a mix of a variety show meets The Ghouligans and I’m here for it. The jokes are funny for the most part, the skits and other aspects always fit the theme of the episodes, and I love the characters in each episode. While I can only speak for these three episodes, I can only imagine how enjoyable the other ones are. Finally, the film is not a bloody or gory one. Instead, we get some fun make-up effects, a lot of costumes, and a campy set that takes the viewer back to classic shows like The Munsters and Addams Family. Overall, Shocktail Hour: Werewolves, Zombies, and Blobs is a fantastic watch for genre fans who enjoy the campy side of the genre. I highly recommend snagging this. You will not be disappointed.

The Pumpkin Man

Director - Ryan Sheets (The Pumpkin Man: Demon of Fall, The Letters of Wailing Creek)

Starring - Esteban Abanto, Matthew Beaton (Bloodshine, Human!), and Barbara Desa 

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Some tales are better left untold!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Way back in September I started preparing for my October horror binge. I always try to sneak in as many horror or Halloween titles that I haven’t seen so I spend the month before ordering movies to add to my watch pile. I went to Scream Team Releasing’s website when I was ordering movies to snag some of the releases I haven’t seen yet. I bought The Barn Part 2, 10/31 Part 3, HeBGB TV, Beneath the Old Dark House, and The Pumpkin Man. I watched the four previously mentioned films during my October binge but I completely forgot about The Pumpkin Man. I was organizing my movies when I found the blu and realized I had fucked up. I decided to check it out instead of waiting until October of next year. 

      The film follows a teenage girl who is obsessed with the local legend of the Pumpkin Man. It’s said that he is a sacrificial demon that can be summoned to extract revenge on those that wronged the summoner. She visits a tour of the home of the witch that conjured him all those years ago where she finds her spell book. She convinces a few of her friends to meet one night and do one of the rituals found in the book. The do and accidentally summon Pumpkin Man who begins a bloody rampage through their little town on Halloween. 

      The Pumpkin Man is one of the main reasons I made an order at Scream Team Releasing. I started receiving press releases for the blu and VHS release sometime back and knew this would be a perfect addition to my October. I hate that I missed it during my month long binge but after finally watching it I can safely say that I subconsciously skipped it for a reason. It was a generic Halloween slasher that borrowed heavily from classic films like Pumpkinhead and Hocus Pocus. I really wanted to like it but it was so middle of the road that I found myself watching the clock more than the film itself. The acting in this one is fairly well done. The characters, though cliched, fit the film very well and it gives the cast something to work with. The cast really does fully dedicate themselves to their roles which results in some solid performances for most of the film. However, some scenes felt like the cast was being rushed or some things were changed on the fly resulting in them being unprepared for what was really needed for the scene to work. The story for this one feels inspired by films like Hocus Pocus and Pumpkinhead. We follow a town obsessed with their town’s history especially the story of the Pumpkin Man in a similar manner as the town in Hocus Pocus. We then follow teens who sneak into the home of the witch and steal something that has magical importance just like Hocus Pocus. We then move into the raising a pumpkin-headed demon that kills people much like the classic horror film Pumpkinhead. Honestly, this sounds like a movie I could seriously get behind but it’s the long, drawn out scenes with very little significance to the story that drags this one down. Also, the mythology around this film is just missing something that makes it stand out from other films. I have a feeling that several key moments in the story was changed during filming which didn’t help the story get the big push that it needed. Finally, the film has some bloody moments that fit the film very well. The effects are very well done and the Pumpkin Man looks awesome. The mask does resemble Stingy Jack from Chris Seaver’s Death O’ Lantern but you can only go so many directions with a pumpkin mask. Overall, Pumpkin Man is not a new Halloween classic to toss into your October rotation. I wanted to love it but this was one I struggled to finish. Skip it.

The Latent Image

Director - Alexander McGregor Birrell (Braincell, Sleepaway Slasher)

Starring - Joshua Tonks (The Society, What's Left Inside), Jay Clift (The Bleeding Edge, Supergirl), and William Tippery 

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Inspiration can be deadly"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I’ve learned over the years that my reviews are going to be scrutinized no matter what I saw about the film or television show that I’m reviewing. That doesn’t stop me from writing what I want to write but I do prepare myself mentally for the dumbasses to pile out of whatever hole they have been living in so they can comment bullshit that I never take the time to read. Several years ago I was introduced to the fantastic film Fags in the Fast Lane. This was my introduction to queer cinema which is something I never really thought about. I fucking loved everything about this film and I’ve watched several queer films since then. While I am a straight man and understand that I am not their target audience, I still enjoy horror and exploitation regardless of sexuality. A few weeks back Cinephobia Releasing. I watched the trailer and couldn’t wait to see it. In fact, I tried to sneak it into my October horror binge but time didn’t allow it. Regardless, I want to thank Cinephobia Releasing for sending it over! 

      The film follows an author who leaves his boyfriend behind to travel to an isolated cabin for a few days so he could write without distractions. However, a stranger finds his way into the cabin where things heat up and turn deadly. 

      I went into this one excited to check it out. The trailer and synopsis really painted a vivid picture which really pulled me in. Some of the best horror films follows a struggling author who is trying to find inspiration away from the mundane. Sadly, The Latent Image delivers a predictable and extremely cliched story with a gay twist. It had so much potential to be something that stands out. Instead, it went down the road that is very traveled. The acting in this one is very well done. The cast is very small but everyone is fully dedicated to their roles. While the characters are a bit one dimensional and cliched, the cast did the best with what they were given and deliver some solid performances. The story for this one has so much potential but goes with a story that has been told numerous times before. Over the years the setting of an author secluded in the woods when something strange happens and, as a direct result, inspires the author’s next story. It’s not that original even with the queer spin to it. I like that it was added to the story to give queer cinema more of a voice but the film itself was predictable and dull. Finally, if you want some blood and gore then you will be very disappointed. The film does lack this. It’s a character piece that focuses more on the situation than the blood. Overall, The Latent Image has an interested premise but fails deliver something not predictable or cliched. I hate to say it but this is one I would skip.

Black Circle

Director - Adrian Garcia Bogliano (Night of the Wolf, La Exorcista)

Starring - Christina Lindberg (Pandemonic, Outrage), Felice Jankell (The Bunker Game, Follow), Ericas Midfjall (Jag Saknar Dig, Oppna Inte Ogonen)

Release Date - 2018

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several weeks before I began my October horror binge I started working on my movie list. I wanted horror movies I had never seen before that I could watch and review. It was around this time that I received the blu release of Black Circle from my friends over at Synapse Films. This 2018 Swedish horror film really peaked my interest so I decided to work it into my schedule for the month. Sadly, after about 30 minutes into the film the disc I had stopped working. I was already invested in it so I snagged a copy from Amazon. While I couldn’t finish it during my October horror binge I was still able to actually finish it. I want to thank Synapse for sending this one over for review. I really enjoyed it! 

      The film follows two sisters who finds an old record from the 70s that was meant to provide self-help for the listener. However, the album creates doppelgangers of the listener and after each listen it becomes more and more powerful. Over time the doppelgangers replace the original and live out their lives. The two turn to the woman who created the album for help and to stop them from being replaced by their doubles. 

      Black Circle is one of those films that is predictable yet you find yourself enjoying it. The film has beautiful cinematography and extremely likable characters which carries the story further than it has any right to be. While I want to love the film I find myself picking apart the story and some of the slower scenes. It’s a fun first time watch but it isn’t without it’s own faults. I liked the acting in this one. The characters are very well written which gives the cast a lot to work with. Their interactions are very genuine and they interact very well with each other. While I would have enjoyed it a little more if some characters had personalities that would stick with the viewer. The story for this one is one of those films that tries to confuse the viewer with characters getting replaced by clones/doppelgangers/doubles. However, it’s not confusing if you actually pay attention and it works. I loved the self help album from the 70s creating doppelgangers. However, the film takes this solid story and stretches it a little too thin. Some of the scenes in the middle of the film does feel a bit dry. If some of these scenes were trimmed down the film’s pacing would improve drastically. Finally, the film is not as violent as I was expecting. There is a little blood and some minor effects but nothing that will stand out to the viewer especially if you are an avid genre fan. Overall, Black Circle is an enjoyable first time watch but there is some aspects that could be tweaked to improve it. Check it out now on blu from Synapse Films.

Redhead

Director - Johnna Hodge (Reunion from Hell, Taste of Revenge) and Sam Hodge (Twelve Pole, Undead Fred)

Starring - Johnna Hodge, Ashley Stinnett (Dawson's Creek, Snapped), and Sara Stinnett (Before Daybreak, 1861)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Will Autumn Blacksmith kill every man around her?"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out or 5):

      Many years ago now I befriended West Virginia filmmaker Sam Hodge on social media when he was promoting his feature film Twelve Pole. I find it impressive when any West Virginia native doesn’t turn to drugs and finds a creative outlet to express themselves. I find it even more impressive when they turn to something like filmmaking as a way to channel that. I watched and reviewed the film and several of his short films since then as well. I’m a fan of his work and look forward to anything he is attached to. I was truly excited when he announced his newest film Redhead starring his lovely bride Johnna who also co-directed. He was approaching this project much differently than his other projects so I knew it was something that really meant a lot to the both of them. Over time they released images and clips of the film and it looked like a beautiful tribute to rape revenge type films like Thriller: A Cruel Picture and I Spit On Your Grave. I followed the project and talked with Sam several times about reviewing it and that glorious day finally arrived. He reached out to me to review it and I couldn’t fucking wait. I want to thank Sam and Johnna for remembering me when looking for reviewers for the film. 

      The film follows Autumn (Johnna Hodge) who is finds herself beaten and abused by a man in his pleasure dungeon. After the man kills her husband she is able to escape but the mental strain the ordeal has pushed her over the edge. Now Autumn has a score to settle against the opposite sex and she takes every chance she can get to cut the opposite gender down to size. 

      Redhead takes me back to the golden age of video with the video nasties and other graphic films that featured serious depravity. I know I was watching this with the goofiest smile spread across my face. There was so much blood and some genuinely impressive practical effects. While I do think the characters and overall story could have used a little more attention I still absolutely loved this slice of cinematic madness. The acting in this one is fairly well done. I always try to put myself in the scene when I’m watching an indie production. I know a lot goes into the film and a lack of budget brings about so many issues which is one of the many reasons indie productions utilize friends, family, amateur talent, and so on. Redhead is no exception. We do have several cast members with some credits under their names but not everyone has acting experience. That doesn’t stop them from delivering some solid performances. Johnna Hodge is fantastic as Autumn. Her imdb page shows that she stepped in front of the camera for the first time in 2019 which is mind blowing to me. She is extremely comfortable in front of the camera and makes the film what it is. Honestly, I don’t the film would have worked if the role of Autumn was cast to someone different. The supporting cast does a fairly solid job but a few scenes are a bit awkward to watch. The dialogue is very forced and doesn’t feel genuine in these scenes which does throw the pacing of the film off. It doesn’t ruin the film but inexperience does rear its ugly head. The story for this one took me back to when I watched the notorious rape revenge films of the late 70s and early 80s. We follow a woman who has her husband taken from her violently and then forced to watch other meet their end at the hands of a sadistic man. The trauma is too much to bare so she starts taking out her anger and frustration on men. Honestly, it’s such a beautiful and simple story for a film that wants nothing more than to be mean spirited. It doesn’t take long to get to the blood and the movie is quick to move from death scene to death scene. With that being said, I really do wish some of the characters had a little more development. This included the titular character as well. We follow her through so much but we really don’t know shit about her. A little more look into her life before and after the incident would really bridge the gap between the film and the viewer. Finally, the film is violent and extremely bloody. We get some seriously impressive effects, some vomit inducing gags, and one scene in particular that I had to rewind multiple times to enjoy just how craft it was. These effects are top notch especially when you consider the film’s budget. Overall, Redhead took me back to when movies were violent and the women were bad ass. This is the kind of film that suburban housewives warn parents about. I cannot recommend this film enough. It’s a must see.

The Hoot Owl

Director(s) - Jason Rader and Jason von Godi

Starring - Augustine Frizzell (Euphoria, I Was a Teenage Girl), Carl Bailey (Final Summer, The Stalker Part II), and J.D. Brown (Cross Bearer, The Cemetery)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Home is where he lays your head"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I started planning for my October horror binge several months ago to make sure I had at least one new movie to watch each day in October. While I was looking through hashtags on Instagram I came across several posts for the indie slasher The Hoot Owl. The artwork and title really pulled me in but I couldn’t find a place to snag a copy. After some digging I was able to track down the filmmaker and I reached out to him. After some talking he offered to send over a copy for review. I’ve had it for a month or so but held off on watching it until this month so it would be apart of my month long binge. I want to thank Jason Von Godi for sending this one over because I had a lot of fun with it. 

      The film follows a young couple who bought an old fixer upper online without seeing it. The pair is looking for a new start after a miscarriage and invite over some friends to help clean and repair the home. What his wife doesn’t know is that the house was once the site of a grisly murder and a pair of children went missing just a few weeks prior. Now, as the group attempts to party and fix the place off they are unknowingly being picked off one by one by something, or someone, that has been living in the back of one of the barns on the property. 

      I went into this one really excited after seeing the trailer and staring at the artwork for a few weeks. I had high hopes for the film and it thoroughly enjoyed it. I posted about it on social media and had some discussions with other genre friends about the film, the baby scene, and the state of modern indie horror. Honestly, I was under the impression that those that had seen it did enjoy it after my Facebook posts. Sadly, that was not the case. While preparing for this review I discovered that the film was available on Tubi and many have went to sites like imdb and review bombed it. While I’m sure not all of the negative reviews were done by trolls, I can only assume that a majority of them were done by people with a lot of time on their hands because the film was very enjoyable. The acting in this one is great. I absolutely loved the characters the film gives us and the cast does a great job with it. They all feel very natural in front of the camera and their dialogue delivery works very well for the film. While there was a few scenes that seems a little awkward with mindless banter and casual conversation, the cast delivers fantastic performances. The story for this one is not that original but it’s enjoyable. They go into this one with a story in mind and delivered on it. They didn’t reinvent the wheel or try to spawn the next horror franchise. Instead, they made a movie that’s enjoyable for genre fans which I think they achieved. The movie is a little one sided with most of the film used to establish the characters, their backstories, and the history of the home before we get to the horror. Typically this would be a huge turn off for me but the characters are likable, the performances work, and the writing is done so well that you find yourself pulled in. These scenes could be trimmed down to work with the pacing but I didn’t mind them the way there were. My biggest complaint is how the killers identity is never fully revealed aside from a few parts about the story of the home that was told earlier in the film. Slashers are known for their iconic killers with memorable back stories and this one seems to have every aspect of the film wrote out except the killer. Finally, the film has a lot of blood and some gruesome practical effects. The kills fit the film and the effects look great but I was expecting more gore. Overall, The Hoot Owl is a very well done slasher that delivers on the blood. The character development and backstory is very well written but the killers need more work. I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it.

The Abominations of Frankenstein

Director - Sebastien Godin (Ouija Mummy, Blood Rites of the Vampyr)

Starring - Anthony D.P. Mann (Phantom of the Opera, Terror of Dracula), Vicki Bitis (DinoGore, Poisonous Dreams), and Melissa Radford (Bug-Eyed Monsters Invade the Earth!, Once a Millenuim)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Stitch by stitch... he created a nightmare"

Format - Streaming (YouTube)

Rating (out of 5):  

     Several years back I befriended indie filmmaker Seb Godin on social media and began following his career. Around the time I met him he was releasing a few of his project on DVD and I snagged them for review. I loved his fondness for messy practical effects and horror films of the 80s and 90s along with the amazing titles like DinoGore, Lycanimator, and Slimoids. A few years back Godin began work on another film. The film, The Abominations of Frankenstein, looked like another enjoyable film. I followed it for sometime but things got away from me and I missed the release of the film and any news they shared about it. Over time I forgot about the film and never followed up with it until I saw that Seb had posted a link to their YouTube channel where several of their films were streaming for free until Halloween. I really wanted to see it so I worked it into my annual October horror binge. I want to thank Seb for allowing genre fans the opportunity to see his work for free during the Halloween season! 

      The film follows the great Dr. Frankenstein who is once again working on another patchwork creation in Canada. After prolonging his life for centuries and working in secret, he has created artificial life.

      The Abominations of Frankenstein is nothing like the previous films that I mentioned from Godin. While a lot of their other films felt like direct to video horror films of the 80s and 90s, their most recent films feel like a loving tribute to the classic Hammer horror films of the 60s and 70s meets arthouse. Blood Rites of the Vampyr had that fantastic European vampire charm that was popular in the mid to late 60s while The Abominations of Frankenstein felt like the mid-80s Full Moon Entertainment films that I grew up loving. Regardless of the inspiration, I loved the film. The acting in this one is seriously unbelievable. The film’s lead, Anthony D.P. Man, is fucking brilliant as the great doctor. He delivers one of the best performances I’ve seen in recent years and one that I’m still thinking about days after watching it. The supporting cast does a solid job but this is one film where one cast member outshines the rest. The story for this one is pretty straight forward. We have a beautiful rendition of Frankenstein and his obsession with creating life. We then have an assortment of characters make appearance but they are not as colorfully written before we meet the “monster” that is not really a monster at all. It does stay faithful in that extent but does add a more modern look into the tale while Godin adds his on spin to it. Finally, this is not a bloody or violent film like some of Godin’s other works. It’s a character driven piece that does a damn good job at holding the viewer’s attention. Overall, The Abomination of Frankenstein may not be for everyone but for those that have read the classic tale from Mary Shelley can really appreciate what Godin and company brought to life. I highly recommend it.

The Killer Shrews

Director - Ray Kellogg (The Giant Gila Monster, The Green Berets)

Starring - James Best (Return of the Killer Shrews, In the Heat of the Night), Ingrid Goude (Flight, Wild Heritage), and Ken Curtis (Airwolf, Perry Mason)

Release Date - 1959

Genre - Horror/Sci-fi

Tagline - "all that was left after..."

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love campy horror films. I love cheese on my food and my movies are no different. I was excited when Film Masters sent over the UHD release of The Giant Gila Monster. I couldn’t wait to revisit this one and reminisce about watching this old movies with my dad and grandmother. However, I was surprised to see a second film on the release that I had never seen before. Included in the release was 1959’s The Killer Shrews. This is a movie I thought I had seen before and but couldn’t recall a damn thing about it. This only made me even more excited to see it but once I hit play I quickly realized this was a first time watch for me. I want to thank Film Masters for sending over this lovely release. 

      The film follows a ship captain that stops on an isolated island to drop off supplies when news of a hurricane reaches him. He ventures onto the island to meet a team of scientists and other crew who are working on an experiment to reduce the size of humans to prevent the eradication of resources. They are conducting the experiments on shrews due to their quick rate of reproducing but they accidentally create a mutation that makes the shrews the size of dogs with a taste for human flesh. As the hurricane makes it way to them they must barricade themselves indoors and fight off the ongoing horde of killer shrews. 

      I fucking loved The Killer Shrews way more than I should have. I know it’s another film that often gets mocked and riffed by shows like MST3000 but I enjoyed it a lot. In fact, I watched it twice in just as many days. It’s a lot of fucking fun even though it is extremely cheesy. The acting in this one is not as bad as I was expecting. In fact, I actually liked the characters and how the cast depicted them. While several characters are painfully cliched and modeled after other films featuring science gone too far, I still found myself enjoying their performances. The outlandish characters and situations really does fit the campy nature of the film. The story for this one is so predictable but it’s not the destination that is so enjoyable here. Instead, it’s the journey and the situations these survivors find themselves in is so fucking funny and outlandish. Viewer’s can’t help but smile he entire time the film is on and at just roughly over an hour you will not be out that much of your time. Finally, the film is not a bloody one. We get dogs in shrew costumes and gimmicky deaths but that is the extent of it. Viewers need to remember that this is a no budget horror film with more focus on the shrews than anything else. Overall, The Killer Shrews is a fantastic no budget treat from the golden age of drive-in cinema. It’s cheap but it works. I know genre fans will be quick to jump in the comments and bash the review but I fucking loved it. I highly recommend it.

The Giant Gila Monster

Director - Ray Kellogg (The Killer Shrews, The Monroes)

Starring - Don Sullivan (Curse of the Undead, Teenage Zombies), Fred Graham (The Crimson Ghost, Thriller), and Lisa Simone (The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse, Missile to the Moon)

Release Date - 1959

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Only Hell could breed such an enormous beast... only god could destroy it"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     While I was born in the late 80s and survived the 90s, I lived in the household with an older dad that had an eye for classic cinema. He was constantly watching films from the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Like many of us, he was trying to revisit his childhood and the fond memories he had watching these films with his friends and families. I was introduced to a lot of films from this time. Most were westerns but I was lucky enough to watch a few sci-fi and horror titles with him. One weekend I remember watching the original Giant Gila Monster from 1959 along with a few horror and sci-fi films from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. I credit this with my love for drive-in era schlock. A few weeks back I received the UHD release of The Giant Gila Monster for review and was extremely excited to revisit it. I want to thank Film Masters for sending this one over for review. 

      The film follows a mechanic who is working with the police collecting wrecks and abandoned cars. When some friends go missing he partners with the sheriff to find them. His search leads him to another wrecked car and signs of something big visiting the area. He soon realizes that a giant lizard is attacking cars and eating the people. No one believes him but once it starts making it’s way to town they realize he was right and they are all in danger. 

      I love cheesy and campy films so I often gravitate towards these low budget films of the drive-in era spanning from the 50s through the 70s. These movies are often mocked and riffed on by genre fans but I enjoy them. The cheesier the better in my opinion and these type of films are the cheesiest. The Giant Gila Monster is far from perfect but I absolutely love it. The acting in this one is so campy. The cast is over dramatic and their timing is so wrong. They talk over each other, look at the camera, and offer up very little emotional range but I fucking love it. When you add that to the generic characters and stiff acting you get something that is unintentionally funny which adds another layer of fun to the film. The story for this one is a bit repetitive and extremely goofy but fans of drive-in cinema know exactly what to expect. The film is extremely low budget and I would almost bet that the film was being written as they filmed. The characters have very little depth aside from the protagonist and the story is predictable. What makes it so enjoyable is the bearded dragon that is being passed as a gila monster and the miniature sets. Finally, this is not a bloody film. We get lots of wrecked vehicles, footage of a bearded dragon crawling around, and questionable acting to hold our attention. Overall, The Giant Gila Monster is a campy film that is easy to mock but I find it rather enjoyable. Fans of campy cinema will want to check out this UHD release from Film Masters. It looks beautiful which is something this underrated classic needed.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later

Director - Steve Miner (House, Friday the 13th Part 2)

Starring - Jamie Lee Curtis (The Fog, Halloween), Josh Hartnett (The Faculty, 30 Days of Night), and Adam Arkin (Full Moon High, The Twilight Zone)

Release Date - 1998

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "This summer, terror won't be taking a vacation"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was a kid I spent a lot of time with my grandmother while my dad was out of town for work. I liked staying with her because I had an uncle that was just a few years older than me so we played video games or watched movies together. My grandma was a movie fan as well so we would watch a lot of television shows that she liked like Red Dwarf, Lexx, Doctor Who, and so on. When we wasn’t watching television shows we would be watching movies that I had rented or the random movies that aired on cable. This was the first time that I had seen John Carpenter’s Halloween. This is a franchise that I believe has been played out but I’m still a huge fan of the films. Well, I love all the films besides the new Halloween Trilogy. Most fans of the franchise despise certain installments but I have a soft spot for almost all of them. One that catches a lot of hate is 1998’s H20. I can somewhat see why people are quick to hate it but I love it. I love the casting, the location, the direction the story took, and how it ends. I’ve defended this film for years and I will continue to do so every October. A few weeks ago I received a press release for the UHD steelbook release of the film. I try to watch this franchise every October but this release actually gave me a reason to check it out. I want to thank Paramount for sending over this beautiful steelbook for review. 

      The film picks up 20 years after the first film with Laurie (Curtis) adopting a new name in hopes of putting her past behind her. She is now the headmaster of a private school and has a 17 year old son. With Halloween approaching she is on edge but her son fails to understand the nightmare that she lived through all those years ago. Now, her worst nightmare is emerging as Halloween quickly approaches when Michael Myers escapes and starts making his way to her and her son who is the same age as she was when he first attacked. 

      MY opinions on films often draw criticism and I’m completely fine with that. I like what I like and a lot of time that goes against the collective. I love all the Halloween entries with the exception of the Blumhouse produced films. I prefer Rob Zombie’s Halloween to the original but I still love Carpenter's take. I think Season of the Witch is the best film in the series and the Danielle Harris saga is fantastic. While Resurrection is the weakest of the franchise I still prefer it over the Blumhouse trilogy. H20 draws a lot of hate from franchise fans but I have so much fun with it. The acting in this one is very campy but I love the characters and the late-90s characters. I always found it vaccinating that Jamie Lee Curtis is portraying the same person as the first film but with 20 years between the two films has hardened her character. Her character has grown a lot and she is still amazing in the role. I was a fan of Josh Hartnett in the late 90s and while I do prefer The Faculty to this film I still enjoy H20. His performance is far from award winning but it’s his hamming up each scene that makes it what it is. It reminds me a lot of the male characters in Scream and the sequels. I also liked the supporting cast. The performances are just as cheesy but if anyone watches the original Halloween and can say with a straight face that they are not just as cheesy is lying to you and themselves. The story for this one is extremely realistic when you consider what it is. The film is not overflowing with Halloween imagery and that’s because the headmaster of the private school survived a massacre on Halloween and associates the holiday with the bloodshed. Once you realize that you start to see other aspects that are a repercussions of the first film. We get the same silent and stealthy kills that Myers is known for, characters that are very well written and support the story, and the deaths are very memorable. Finally, the kills we get in this one use solid practical effects and camera tricks. The ice skate to the face is one of my favorite slasher kills. With that being said, I’m not a fan of the deaths taking place off screen. I want to see them so I can truly enjoy the characters demise and the amazing effects that go into making them look real. Overall, Halloween: H20 is not as bad as people claim it to be. It’s a very well thought out sequel with a great cast and some decent deaths. I highly enjoy it and the UHD release looks absolutely fantastic. Fans and collectors alike will need this one.

The Third Saturday in October Part V (Review)

Director - Jay Burleson (The Nobodies, The Third Saturday in October)

Starring - Kansas Bowling (Murdercise, Psycho Ape), Poppy Cunningham (Cherry, The Death of Dick Long), and Taylor Smith (Angels on Earth: The Light of Faith)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "He's back.  Again!  Just like the other times"

Format - Streaming (Tubi)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I started my October horror binge I was excited to check out the two new films from Jay Burleson. I’m a fan of his film The Nobodies and when I heard that he had made two films back to back titled The Third Saturday in October and The Third Saturday in October Part V I knew I had to see them. I wasn’t able to check them out when they were released but I knew I would be able to work them into my month long movie binge. I just finished watching the first one and while I loved the late 70s look and eye for detail, I found the overall film to be a slow burner with the last 20 minutes or so being the film’s saving grace. I decided to go ahead and watch Part V so to say that I gave them both a fair chance and I fucking loved it. I don’t see myself revisiting the first film but IV was so fucking good. 

      The film follows the convicted serial killer that survived his own execution who returns to the town he left bloody seven years earlier to wreak havoc on them once again. This time he just happens to arrive while a group of twenty-somethings are preparing for the big Third Saturday in October game.  

     The Third Saturday in October Part V is the film I thought we were getting. The first film spent too much time building the back story for the two people who lost someone to the killer and the connection they share. It’s a touching part of the story but not something that needed that much time to establish. This left the bloodshed and slasher hijinks in the backseat so to speak. However, Part V gets straight to it. It’s follows the traditional slasher formula and doesn’t disappoint. The acting in this one is solid. In fact, I prefer the characters in this one to the first film. They have way more personality and fall into some of the horror clichés that I like while bringing some intentional and unintentional laughs. The story for this one is similar to the first film without the bit that followed the two that lost someone to the killer trying to stop him. This angle took up too much time and this follow up film works not having it. We have a standard slasher with some enjoyable characters and much better pacing. Finally, the film once again delivers some bloody and enjoyable death. We get some fun effects as well that really fits the film. I would have liked a bit more gore but I still thoroughly enjoyed the film as it is. Overall, The Third Saturday in October Part V is the film I hoped for. It’s a fantastic slasher that looks like it was made during the 80s. So many films of the last twenty years has tried to capture this look and failed. While I don’t like the first film I highly recommend this one. Check it out.

The Third Saturday in October

Director - Jay Burleson (The Nobodies, Feast of the Vampires)

Starring - Darius Willis (The Dead Center, Music City Paranormal), K.J. Baker (The Reaper Man, Queen Rising), and Allison Shrum (Painted in Blood, American Hunt)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "You wont live to see Sunday morning"

Format - Streaming (Tubi)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several years ago I was attending my favorite convention, Cinema Wasteland in Ohio. I was doing my usual rounds around the convention floor talking with familiar faces and meeting new friends when I made a stop at the Troma table. It was here that I met filmmaker Jay Burleson and actor Bart Hyatt. They were at the con working with Troma for the release of their film The Nobodies. I talked with them for awhile and took a copy of it home to review. The film seriously impressed me and I’ve recommended it in several groups when discussion of Troma pops up. Fast forward a few years and Jay announces on social media that he is working on a new film with Bart appearing in it alongside Kansas Bowling. It seems like the posts from Jay started to become less and less until I stopped seeing them. That’s when he hit us with the news that not only did he finish one feature film but he was able to make two. Both films are tied together with one being a classic slasher and the other being the 3rd sequel released sometime later. I loved the idea and wanted to check them out but my day job and reviewing for the site got the best of my time. However, with October in full swing I decided to work both films into my October horror binge since they were streaming on Tubi. I, obviously, started with the first film, The Third Saturday in October. 

      The film follows the botched execution of a convicted serial killer who escapes his burial. He makes his way to a nearby home who is preparing for the annual Third Saturday in October rivalry game. As the group party and watch the game, their eventual killer makes his way through the home killing one by one. 

      I was really looking forward to checking this one out. The Nobodies is a very solid and well put together film so I didn’t expect anything less with this one. While it is genuinely one of the most authentic looking throwback films I have ever seen, it is slow to gain traction until the last leg of the film. I wanted to love it but the first 45 minutes to an hour was very dull in my opinion. The acting in this one is great. We have a lot of genuine interactions between the cast that fit the scene very well. The cast does a wonderful job working together and do a fantastic job at bringing the characters to life. I would have liked to see more characters with the slasher clichés but I’m a huge fan of late 70s and early 80s slashers. The story for this one has so much potential but doesn’t fully commit to it. I loved the idea of a slasher being set during the Third Saturday in October. It doesn’t fit the Halloween vibes that a lot of horror movies try to replicate. It works for October with the fall colors and cooler weather while giving the crew a break from worrying about Halloween decorations. With that being said, the movie moves at a snails pace with the first portion of the film being extremely dull. It does give us some characters backstories but this could have been done in half the time before moving on to the meat and potatoes of the story so to speak. I liked the last leg of the film but getting there was a difficult chore. Finally, the film has a bunch of great practical and make up effects that really solidifies that slasher vibe. While the kills were impressive, they are not as impressive as the 70s look and style of the film. It’s difficult for an indie production to capture that look and feel but this one fucking nails it. That is a feat in itself. Overall, The Third Saturday in October is a bold film that looks amazing but the story is lacking. I seriously wanted to love it but found myself underwhelmed. It deserves at least one viewing but don’t expect something to add to your annual October watch.