Open Wide

Director - Sam Fox (Fck'n Nuts, Unagi)

Starring - Ashley Smith (Off Ramp, On Call),  Ethan Daniel Corbett (Headless Horseman, Blood), and Lara Repko (Karen's Family, Heavy Rain)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Format (Streaming) (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Sometimes I'm sent something for review and it leaves a lasting mark on me.  It's not common but it does happen.  What is rare is when that film happens to be a short.  I really enjoy shorts because they tend not to get straight to the point with no time to fuck around.  Sometime back I was contacted by filmmaker Sam Fox to review the short Fck'n Nuts.  I absolutely loved it and had planned on including it in my year end wrap up but I never got around to making a list.  A few weeks back I was contacted again to review a new short from Sam titled Open Wide.  I knew absolutely nothing about it but I couldn't wait to check it out.

     The film follows a young woman who goes home with a couple for some drinks and after hours fun.  The man is a bit odd and the woman is overtly sexual, but she stays just to see where things go.  However, once their "son" arrives wearing a gasmask, things take an unusual turn.

     I went into Open Wide daydreaming about Fck'n Nuts with my imagination working overtime.  I knew this short would be an unusual story and unforgettable and I was right.  The acting in this one is great.  I was recently turned on to Ashley Smith after checking out the Juggalo road trip adventure flick Off Ramp over the summer.  She is a phenomenal actress and it was great seeing her appear in the short.  I also enjoyed Lara Repko's performance.  Her character is a little more grounded and the most logical of the cast which she did an amazing job at bringing that to life in front of the camera.  With that being said, it was Ethan Daniel Corbett's erratic performance that stole the show for me.  I loved the intensity he brought to the short.  The story for this one is a bit of a mindfuck once the strangeness starts but does struggle with comprehensiveness.  I loved the wild characters and the awkwardness between the young woman and the couple.  However, the short does go off the rails with the introduction of the child and from there it's pure anarchy.  While I'm not 100% sure I know what is going on, it was still fun to watch.  Finally, the film is not a gruesome one.  We have some light make-up effects but those of you with a taste for blood will be disappointed.  Overall, Open Wide is not going to be for everyone.  However, if strong performances and weird stories are your thing then this one is for you.  Check it out.  

The Crazies

Director - Brock Eisner (The Last Witch Hunter, Fear Itself)

Starring - Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill, Pitch Black), Timothy Olyphant (Scream 2, Deadwood), and Joe Anderson (Doctor Who, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2)

Release Date - 2010

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Fear thy neighbor"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Many of you have heard the story about my grandmother watching Savini's Night of the Living  Dead while I was with her one night.  She wasn't expecting me to sit still long enough to watch it with her but I did.  I watched the whole thing with her and fucking loved it.  Right after this she left me watch the original from my favorite filmmaker, George A. Romero.  I was just a kid at this time and over the next few years I was lucky enough to watch others from him where I fell in love with them all.  Sadly, it wasn't until I was in high school that I was lucky enough to watch his underrated classic The Crazies.  I scored a VHS of this from the local video store that was closing and quickly tossed it in.  I absolutely loved it and when news several years later broke about a remake, I was excited to see it.  I went to the theater to check it out and loved it.  Eventually snagging a copy of the blu when it was released.  However, I never revisited it until now.  I recently received the new UHD steelbook for review and used this opportunity to rewatch it.  I want to thank Lionsgate for sending this one over for review.

     The film follows a small town sheriff (Olyphant) who finds himself in the middle of the outbreak when a plane carrying a virus to be destroyed crashes in the swamp that feeds into the waterway that supplies the town with their drinking water.  The infested become mad with some turning to homicide.  The military comes in to cover up the accident by killing everyone in the small town but the sheriff, his pregnant wife, and other escape and try to find safety before the soldiers track them down.

     The Crazies 2010 does borrow a lot of the story from the original with a more modern spin.  There is a lot to like about the film, especially if you've seen the first movie, but there is some things that I never cared for with this remake.  The acting in this one is top notch but the characters themselves are not very likable.  Olyphant delivers a great performance and what I assume was the role that lead to him landing the role of Rayan Givens in Justified.  The characters personalities are damn near identical.  I'm also a huge fan of Radha Mitchell and love seeing her in genre films.  She's an amazing actress and this is one of  my favorite performances from her aside from her iconic role in Silent Hill.  We also have a great supporting cast who, one again, bring very unlikable characters to life.  The story for this one does  borrow heavily from the original while making changes to make it more appealing to modern audiences.  We have the story where a small town becomes ground zero for a virus that turns everyone in contact with it into a homicidal maniac.  We then have a government cover up, the wiping out of an entire town's population by the military, and a group of uninfected fighting soldiers and their own infected neighbors.  However, the characters don't have a lot of personality written into them and they are not very  likable.  I knew how the film plays out but I couldn't help but want one of the infected to get ahold of them.  Finally, the film has a lot of blood and fantastic practical effects.   There is some visual effects but they are used wisely to make the scene have more depth.  The practical effects are great and steal the show.  Overall, The Crazies doesn't surpass the original but it does bring the story into the modern era.  It has a great cast and amazing practical effects.  I highly recommend checking out this release from Lionsgate.  

Dalek's Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.

Director - Gordon Flemyng (Lovejoy, The Bill)

Starring - Peter Cushing (The Curse of Frankenstein, Hammer House of Horror), Bernard Cribbins (Doctor Who, A Fantastic Fear of Everything), and Ray Brooks (Late Night Theatre, House of Whipcord)

Release Date - 1966

Genre - Sci-Fi/Adventure 

Format - UHD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Peter Cushing really was a wonderful actor.  I've seen his performances in television, horror, sci-fi and many other genres that I'm forgetting about but they all have one thing in common, they were all unforgettable.  I've been a huge fan of his for sometime now, along with Doctor Who, so when I saw that Severin Films was releasing both Dr. Who films from the 60s starring Cushing I had to jump on them.  I ordered them as soon as I could and when they arrived I quickly made time for them.  After watching Dr. Who and the Daleks, I quickly tossed in the sequel, Dalek's Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.

     The film follows a constable who finds himself in the middle of a burglary.  He rushes to a police call box and discovers the inside is bigger than the outside.  Unbeknownst to him, he has just entered the TARDIS, a space and time traveling machine created by Dr. Who (Cushing).  They then find themselves transported to Earth in the year 2150 and the Daleks have taken over.  They are mind controlling the people they believe to be intelligent while forcing everyone else to mine.   The Dr., constable, and the Dr.'s niece and granddaughter join a group fighting for their freedom to stop the Daleks.  

     I really liked Dr. Who and the Daleks but it wasn't as enjoyable as the Doctor Who series.  However, it made me want to see Cushing star in his own series of Doctor Who.  He would have done a phenomenal job.  This brings me to the acting.  The film has a great cast.  Cushing, like always, delivers a fantastic performance.  It truly is a damn shame we never got a series with him as the Doctor.  These two films are as close to it that we will get.  The supporting cast is just as great.  We even get to see a young Bernard Cribbins who would appear in the Doctor Who show as Donna's grandfather, Wilfred Mott.  The story for this one is a bit more bleak and action forward especially when compared to the previous Dr. Who film.  The film focuses more on perspective and progression than it does the characters and their backstories.  This is something I really liked especially after watching the first film.  This sequel doesn't take the time to bring the viewer up to speed if they skipped the first film.  With that being said, the film does feel a bit repetitive with the fight scenes and the multiple cat and mouse scenes.  Also, it doesn't follow the show as close as I would have liked.  We have the Dr., who is a human here, along with the Daleks but that is about the extent of it. Finally, the film relies on the props and locations to get the film's look. It's not a bloody flick but the Daleks have that classic look and I love the look of the Cybermen in this one.  Overall, Dalek's Invasion Earth 2150 is a solid sequel and a fun mid-60s sci-fi flick with the legendary Peter Cushing.  I highly recommend checking out the Severin Films' release.  

Dr. Who and the Daleks

Director - Gordon Flemyng (Shades of Darkness, Flight into Hell)

Starring - Peter Cushing (Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Horror of Dracula), Roy Castle (Dr. Terror's House of Horrors, Legend of the Werewolf), and Jennie Linden (Tales of the Unexpected, A Deadly Game)

Release Date - 1965

Genre - Sci-Fi/Adventure

Tagline - "The wildest space adventure on... or off the Earth!"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I learned a lot in college and I don't mean in my studies.  I started my college career when I turned 21 and then found myself opening up to a lot of things that I normally wouldn't.  I never gave Ronnie James Dio a chance because of my dedication to Ozzy and the original Black Sabbath line up but a friend in college hooked me up with some songs and I fell in love.  I was also introduced to sci-fi shows I had never seen before.  I was familiar with shows like Star Trek,  Lexx, Battlestar Galactica, and so on thanks to my grandmother but this friend sent me in a whole new direction.  He recommended shows like Red Dwarf and the iconic Doctor Who.  The Doctor Who revival was just a few seasons into it and I binged those seasons over and over again that summer.  I was hooked.  I watched it often up until Robert Capaldi became the doctor.  Not because I disliked him but because time just got away from him.  Over the years since then I've watched some of the original serious with the original doctors along with the two Amicus films starring Peter Cushing.  A few months back Severin Films announced that they would be releasing those two films on UHD.  I quickly preordered these films and when they arrived I quickly added them to  my watch list and started with the first film, Dr. Who and the Daleks.  

     The films follows Dr. Who (Cushing) who has a created a machine that can travel through space and time that he has named TARDIS.  However, a man who visited his home to pick his granddaughter up for a date accidentally turns it on and sends them to a distant world ravaged by atomic war.  A group of creatures seeking refuge from the atomic radiation has created machines to live in called Daleks.  After all these years they are still waging war with a human like race that has created a solution to the radiation problem.  The Daleks, after realizing how smart the Dr. is, tries to use him as a pawn to trick the others into giving them their secrets.  The Dr., seeing through their plan, helps the others while stopping the Daleks.

     Dr. Who and the Daleks was a new spin on the Doctor Who serials that were popular of the time.  While it did offer up a lot of differences from the show, it still delivered on the whimsical side of sci-fi that wasn't explored a lot before then.  The acting in this is great.  Peter Cushing, along with Christopher Lee, is one of the bests to ever do it and this is no exception.  He brings on a new spin to the doctor and is brilliant in it.  The same can be said about his supporting cast.  The characters are all likeable and the acting is phenomenal. The story for this one has similarities to the show along with some major differences.  The TARDIS and Daleks are here in the same form they can be found in the show along with the companions that usually accompany the doctor.  In this adaptation, the companions are his grandchildren while the doctor, who is an an alien from Gallifrey, is human in this film.  We get some family friendly humor, some sci-fi action, and a huge scope for such a small film.  Finally, the effects are very dated which adds to the charm of the film.  It's not a bloody flick, but we do have some gorgeous sets, make-up effects, and the look of the daleks are iconic.  Fans of 60s science fiction will truly appreciate the effects in this film.  Overall, Dr. Who and the Daleks doesn't follow the show that closely but does borrow the important parts while making it's own path.  It's a lot of fun and Severin did a wonderful job with this release.  I highly recommend it.  

     

Jack the Ripper

Director(s) - Robert S. Baker (Black Out, The Hellfire Club) and Monty Berman (Melody Club, The Siege of Sidney Street)

Starring - Lee Patterson (Death Wish 3, The A-Team), Eddie Byrne (Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Island of Terror), and Betty McDowall (The Omen, Shades of Greene)

Release Date - 1959

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Why were his victims always ladies of the night?"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      True crime is extremely popular right now.  There is no short supply of podcasts, YouTube channels, documentaries, books, and so on.  People have always had an interest in the macabre with serial killers, unsolved murders, and mass shootings always drawing fascination from those who secretly find death fascinating.  One of the most popular unsolved true crime stories that has baffled investigators and left arm chair sleuths guessing is the Whitechapel Murders that was believed to be connected to the mysterious Jack the Ripper.  To this day this murder spree has not been solved but many believe it to be the work of a failed surgeon, a demented drunk, and even a rich businessman from the U.S.  There has been several films based on the murders and a few weeks back I was sent one for review from Severin Films.  Like always, I want to thank Severin for sending this one my way!

     The film follows Scotland Yard as they work every clue and angle they have  find the maniac that is mutilating working women on the streets of Whitechapel.  They get some help from a detective visiting from New York City but he finds himself sidetracked by a beautiful young woman who happens to be the daughter of a doctor who just happens to be absent during the murders.  

     Jack the Ripper isn't a memorable film or anything that changed cinema history.  The Whitechapel Murders are part of pop culture and was already infamous by the time this film was released.  Viewers knew how depraved the murders were and the film doesn't do them justice.   It's  rather tame even by late 50s standards but I still found myself enjoying it especially for a first time watch.  The acting in this one is a bit over dramatic at times but very well done.  Some of the scenes does a bit campy but nothing like you can find in more popular titles of the time.  I liked the characters and well the cast  found their footing in their roles.  The story for this one is a crime drama for the most part.  We do get a little romance and some character development that was unexpected but it does lack the horror and gruesome details that made the murders so infamous.  Finally, the film doesn't have the memorable deaths or terrifying moments that I was looking for.  Instead, the film focuses heavily on the characters and their interactions to get the story across.  Overall, Jack the Ripper is a solid late 50s crime drama that does not offer up anything new but is still enjoyable.  While I would have loved a bit more atmosphere and horror elements, it is still great as it is.  I highly recommend checking out this release from Severin.  

Unknown World

Director - Terry O. Morse (Godzilla, Godzilla: King of the Monsters)

Starring - Bruce Kellogg (They Were Expendable, The Golden Eye), Otto Waldis (Gomer Pyle: USMC, Hogan's Heroes), and Jim Bannon (Good Neighbor Sam, Wagon Train)

Release Date - 1951

Genre - Sci-Fi/Adventure

Tagline - "Adventure into the unknown!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I say this all the time and I absolutely mean it.  I wish I lived during the golden age of drive-in cinema.  I could see myself basically living at the drive-in watching every campy double feature and cheesy sci-fi and horror flick they had to offer.  While I was born decades after the fall of the drive-in, I still like to fantasize about what it was like as I watch these older films sent to me for  review.  A few weeks back my friends over at Severin Films sent me a few flicks to check out and among them was the 1951 sci-fi adventure flick Unknown World.  Like always, I want to thank Severin for sending this one over!

     The film follows an expedition team as they seek out a place inside the Earth for mankind to live if a nuclear war happened to occur.  During their voyage they do discover a vast land that could potentially be home to the human race along with a vast ocean network.  However, they soon learn that something is making those there sterile but before they could uncover the cause they are forced to flee when a volcano erupts.

    I went into Unknown World knowing absolutely nothing about it and it was nothing like I was expecting.  I liked it's unique set up and how the story got to where it was going but the ride itself was painfully dull and boring.  I seriously wanted to like it but it just wasn't for me.  The acting in this one is extremely cheesy but that is what makes these drive-in classics so much fun and enjoyable.  The over-reacting in some scenes and the underwhelming reactions in others is exactly what I was expecting.  The acting in films like this is my favorite part and this one did not disappoint.  The story for this one starts out in a fun way that really captures the time in which the film was made.  We are in the beginning years of the Cold War and the film starts out like a film meant to prepare you for the "big one."  We then move on to a cheesy sci-fi adventure to the middle of the Earth with generic characters, a little romance, and a lot of boring dialogue that doesn't help the movie out at all.  It's almost as if the film was being pulled in too many direction resulting in a finished film that fails to gain traction.  Finally, the film has some miniatures and some campy sets but that is about the extent of it.  Those with a eye for the red stuff will be very disappointed in that regard.  Overall, Unknown World is an interesting idea and one I could normally see myself enjoying but the execution here leaves us with a bit of a dull flick.  Fans of Cold War era sci-fi flicks might enjoy this one but I couldn't.  

Wan Pipel

Director - Pim de la Parra (Lost in Amsterdam, Rubia's Jungle)

Starring - Borger Breeveld (The Obsessed One, Wiren), Diana Gangaram Panday, and Willeke van Ammelrooy (The Killer is on the Phone, Paradise Lost)

Release Date - 1976

Genre - Drama

Tagline - "At last a movie with heart"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I never know what will show up for review but each and every film I receive makes me excited.  Is this going to be a new favorite, something historical that will stand out in the history of cinema, or will it be something that I don't care for?  I never know until I pull the trigger on the play button.  Most of the time the films are horror or, at the very least, have some sort of horror theme within.  However, that's not always the case.  A few weeks ago I received the blu release for the 1976 drama Wan Pipel, or One People, from my friends over at Cult Epics.  This was a new one to me and even though it wasn't a horror flick, I was still excited to check it out.  Like always, I want to thank Cult Epics for sending this one over.

     The film follows a young man who is studying in Amsterdam when he receives a call that his mother was dying in his home country of Suriname.  His girlfriend gives him the money  to return home and he does.  However, once he returns home he begins to become enthralled with his heritage and country.  He even goes as far as to fall in love with a local woman and refuses to go back to the Netherlands to finish his studies.  

     I knew absolutely nothing about Wan Pipel prior to watching it but I actually enjoyed it.  It's not a movie I can se myself revisiting anytime soon but it was solid for a first time watch especially for something that wasn't horror-centered.  The acting in this one is solid but there was a few scenes where the acting was very forced and the cast didn't show a lot of experience.  The cast is fully submersed in their roles but the scenes are not consistent.  The story for this one is a fantastic character driven story about patriotism and embracing where you are from.  However, this story does somewhat run thin once you see the direction the film is actually going.  A little more character arcs or an interesting dilemma would have made the film much more enjoyable.   Finally, those of you looking for blood or memorable deaths will be very disappointed.  The film is a strict drama with focus on character development and growth.  Overall, Wan Pipel is a solid foreign drama that is a fun first time watch.  This is a great release from Cult Epics that I highly recommend checking out especially if you are a collector.  

Graveyard Shark

Director - Matthew A. Peters (Big Brood, Axegrinder 666)

Starring - Stephanie Ward (Stranded, Radiant Dark), Michael John Gilbert (The Man with No Pants, Barely Coping), and Berndele March (Slade Collins and the Tree of Life, Romeo 3000)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been a fan of indie horror for as long as I can remember.  This deep seeded love started with Evil Dead II and spiraled out from there.  I love horror, regardless of the budget, sub-genre, nationality, and so on, but the creativity found in indie horror flicks is unmatched.  Over the years I've crossed paths with some wild flicks that I knew I had to see and several of them spun in my head for days until I could write about them.  One of those films is the 2024 horror comedy Graveyard Shark from director Matthew A. Peters.  I snagged the blu from Makeflix sometime ago and forgot all about it until I came across my copy while sorting my review stack.  I immediately tossed it in to check out.

     The film follows a paranormal/cryptid investigator who visits a graveyard where several people were ravaged by a shark.  She soon learns that the stories are true and a local fisherman, who claims to have fucked a mermaid, is responsible for the beast's bloody rampage after killing his mother when asked for child support.  

     I went into this one expecting a lot of cheese and was a bit surprised by the film itself.  The title made me think I was getting a Chris Seaver style flick with a campy creature and a lot of shark themed puns.  Sadly, the film struggled with it's own identity.  The acting in this one is pretty solid and consistent.  The characters are not that memorable, with the exception of a few, but the cast does a great job with their roles.  Everyone really dedicated themselves to their roles which made the scenes go by so much better.  The story for this one has so much potential but struggles with it's own self-identity.  The film has the perfect premise for horror flick overflowing with humor.  Instead, the film flows like a serious slasher with the killer being a shark...in a graveyard.  Aside from the creature's backstory, the film doesn't really embrace the comedic side.  The serious tone it takes feels out of place.  Honestly, the film would have been so much more fun if it followed the tone we see during the fisherman's tale of what the shark is.  Finally, the film has a lot of fun practical effects that fit the film.  I liked the look of the creature and the way the deaths flowed like a slasher but the kills are not that memorable.  Overall, Graveyard Shark has a few enjoyable moments but wasn't for me.  The movie flirted with comedy but never crossed the line which made a few scenes really stand out.  I wanted to like it but it wasn't for me.   

An Evening with My Great Aunt Bedelia

Director(s) - Toby Lerone, Chris Seaver (Death O' Lantern, The Dingleberries), and Josh Suire (Deck the Halls, Happy Helladays)

Starring - Josh Suire and Toby Lerone

Release Date - 2012

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "You'll inherit... THE WILLIES!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been fortunate enough to review a good bit of Chris Seaver's films over the years.  I've been a fan for sometime now and I've collected most of his work over the years.  A decade or so ago I snagged several Warlock Home Video releases on DVD and immediately watched them when they arrived.  I thought I took the time to write reviews for all of them then but looking back I realized that I missed this one.  A couple weeks back I upgraded by DVDs of Die-B-Que and An Evening with My Great Aunt Bedelia to blu.  While revisiting the films I quickly realized that I never  reviewed this one.  

     The film follows a young lady who visits her ancestral home after she received word she inherited something.  Things start out innocently enough until she learns the true intentions of her Great Aunt Bedelia.

     This is a typical Warlock Home Video release.  It doesn't have the most memorable story or characters but it has the sexually charged dialogue and puns that we have grown to expect from Seaver.  While it's not my favorite of his films, it's still a fun one.  The acting in this one is exactly like the other Warlock Home Video releases.  The cast really gets into character and it looks like filming was a party among friends.  They are having a lot of fun in their roles and it shows in each scene.  The story for this one reminds me a lot of the late 70s and early 80s haunted house horror flicks that took on the taboo topics of the time like demon possession and Satanic cults.  While this one doesn't dive that deep into them like the original films did, it still embodies that style and tone.  These films are a lot of fun and I love finding ones I had never seen before.  With that being said, this film is not that long but some of the running time could still be trimmed to improve the pacing.  Like a lot of the films from Seaver, the editing is not the best and it's evident in this one.   Finally, the film is a no budget flick and the effects are  very minimal.   In fact, they are pretty much nonexistent.  The film's focus is on the characters and story itself which works for the most part.  Overall, An Evening with My Great Aunt Bedelia is a fun late night horror comedy from one of my favorite filmmakers.  This film, much like his filmography, is not for everyone but it's a lot of fun.  I highly recommend it.  

Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project

Director - Max Tzannes (12 Mill Road, Two Niner)

Starring - Brennan Keel Cook (Take the Night, Snowfall), Chen Tang (Mulan, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), and Erika Vetter (Stay Awhile, Only Murders in the Building)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     A week or so ago I received the press release for the horror comedy Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project.  I'm a huge fan of cryptids and I'm very familiar with the Patterson-Gimlin footage so I was very interested in the film.  I was hesitant about requesting a screener link due to the fact that I typically don't enjoy found footage flicks.  However, after watching the trailer for the film I realized that it wasn't going to be a found footage film.  At least one in the traditional sense.  I'm glad I took the chance because it was a lot of fun and one I was not expecting.

     The film follows a documentary film crew that is following a low budget film crew as they make a found footage horror film inspired by the Patterson-Gimlin Footage.  As the crew moves through securing the miniscule budget, casting mishaps, and location issues, they soon discover that the place they are filming their film is home to a dark presence that is unleashed when they opened the door to the room is was locked in.  Small mishaps grow to disappearances and possession forcing them to fight for their lives.

     Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project is not the film I was expecting and I'm honestly grateful for it.  The movie starts out very slow and makes you wonder what the point of it is then it pick up the speed and delivers.  While it will not be making the top of any year end lists, it was still fun for a first time watch.  The acting in this one is great and very consistent.  The characters are not that memorable and are rather cliche but they deliver fantastic performances.  With that being said, the film really needed a comedic character that carried the film especially during the first portion where the film is establishing itself.  The story for this one starts out painfully slow, so much slow that it will deter many from finishing the film.  It's painfully mundane and dull.  However, once the the film hits the last 30 minutes or so it becomes very interesting.   Personally, I would have loved a bit more time spent on the characters so the slow leg of the film wouldn't have been so dull.   Finally, the film has some fun make-up effects and a bigfoot costume that looks better than 90% of the horror films I've seen that features the cryptid.  Sadly, it's not a bloody or violent film so those of us looking for a lot of the red stuff will be very disappointed.  Overall, Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project is a decent late act Evil Dead inspired horror flick that kind of misses the mark with the comedy.  While I did enjoy it for what it was, it does fall short in a few categories.  Regardless, it deserves a watch especially if you dig occult horror flicks.  

Death O' Lantern 3: Corn on the Mac-Cob

Director - Chris Seaver (Die-B-Que, Moist Fury)

Starring - Desiree Saetia (Phantom of the Grindhouse, The Weirdsies), Nichole LaRoche (Terror at Blood Fart Lake, Evil Dead Inbred Rednecks), and David Autovino (Filthy McNastier: Maximum Dousche, Resident Horror)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Human pie isn't the only desert on the menu.  Stingy Jack is hungry for a bride!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Many of you know how much I enjoy the films of Chris Seaver and his production companies Low Budget Pictures and Warlock Home Video.  I had collected his films for damn near 20 years now when I bought Ghoul School with two Chris Seaver flicks in it.  I fell in love with them and sought out more of his films immediately.  Sometime later I found a website for Warlock Home Video with obvious fake names attached.  It wasn't until years later that I discovered this was another gimmick from Seaver.  These became some of my favorite releases in my collection and movies I often hope Seaver would revisit with sequels or spinoffs.  Over the years we've been luck enough to get a few sequels and a "remake" to his Halloween classic Death O'Lantern and at the end of last year he gave us Death O'Lantern 3: Corn on the Mac-Cob.  I thought I had ordered a copy but I completely forgot to and missed watching it on Halloween.  I rectified that as soon as I realized and added it to my viewing list.  

     The film follows a young woman who finds herself spilling blood on a pumpkin plant.  This awakens the monstrous Stingy Jack yet again who sets out this time to find himself a bride using the very woman who raised him with her blood.  

      The Death O'Lantern series has some ups and downs but this one is pure Chris Seaver carnage.  It's full of horny dialogue, fun one liners, and kills that fit the film perfectly.  This one was meant to be a lot more absurd than the previous films and it succeeds.  The acting in this one is exactly what  you would expect from a Seavage flick.  The cast is just having fun in front of the camera but it translates very well with the humor the film is looking for.  They have bigger than life personalities and they give the film everything they got to make it entertaining.  The story for this one continues with the saga of Stingy Jack without overstaying it's welcome.  The film itself is not that long and the story fits in the run time very well.  We have a lot of humor and a story straight out of a direct to video horror flick of the 90s.  Stingy is resurrected by accident when a woman cuts herself on a pumpkin plant. She then becomes connected with the monster who wants her to carry his children.  It's fun, straight forward, and extremely funny.  Finally, the film, like a lot of Chris Seaver's flicks, have minimal effects.  We get some fake blood and some effects that fits the theme of the film but they are nothing memorable or that stands out.  Overall, Death O' Lantern 3: Corn on the Mac-Cob is a fantastic installment in the already must see Death O' Lantern series.  It's the type of no budget fun that I'm always on the look out for.  I highly recommend it.  

Eating Miss Campbell

Director - Liam Regan (My Bloody Banjo, Self Induced Nightmares)

Starring - Lyndsey Craine (How to Kill Monsters, Book of Monsters), Lala Barlow (Metro Sexual, Get Krack!n), and Vito Trigo (Pig Pen, Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High aka Vol. 2)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Nostalgia is cancer"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I get films in all the time for review.  Some are movies I request while others are sent my way to check out without my knowledge.  I'm always grateful for the films that I get in for review but sometimes I find a film I really want to see that isn't sent my way for review.  I typically watch them while I'm working on a review but every once in awhile I'll catch a flick that wasn't sent for review but I want to talk about it.  For a few years now I've followed Liam Regan and his film Eating Miss Campbell.  I donated to his campaign for the film and received a copy of it on blu along with his previous film My Bloody Banjo.  I put these up to watch at a later time and completely forgot about them until I was organizing some things.  As soon as I found the blu I quickly tossed it in  to check out.  

     The film follows a vegan goth high school student who is often the butt of the popular kid's jokes while living in aa cliched horror film that only she can see. As the new school year ramps up, she becomes infatuated with the new teacher, Miss Campbell.  She also discovers that she has a taste for human flesh and uses that to her advantage to get rid of a date raping jock.  She then plans on enrolling in a contest where she can win a gun so she can use it to end it all.

     Eating Miss Campbell is a truly unique horror comedy that pokes fun at America while paying homage to counter-culture cinema.  Honestly, I was not expecting the film to have as many layers as it does but I really enjoyed it.  The acting in this one is amazing.  I absolutely love the energy and intensity that Vito Trigo brings to his films.  He's a phenomenal actor that steals every scene he's in and Eating Miss Campbell is no different.  His character is the embodiment of all the problems that many American's face.  Honestly, as I sit here looking through the imdb page for the film I'm realizing that I will be here all night if I was to acknowledge every amazing performance the film has to offer.  Lyndsey Craine does a fantastic as the film's lead.  She's a natural beauty and extremely talented in front of the camera.  The supporting cast is just as great as well.  They do phenomenal jobs and bring about some very memorable characters.  The story for this one has a lot going on.  We have a lot of fourth wall breaking, school shootings, cannibalism, teacher student relations, and so much more.  The movie almost has too much going on but I do like the way it all comes together.  Honestly, some of the side stories could have been cut to improve the pacing but it's still fun the way it is.  Finally, the film doesn't shy away from the blood.  We get some solid practical effects at times but some of the props are laughable.  With that being said, the death are not that memorable but they are violent and bloody.  Overall, Eating Miss Campbell is a beautifully shot indie film that throws so much at the viewer who is not prepared for it.  It has one hell of a cast, an out there story, lots of blood, and self aware.  I highly recommend this one.  

Fear Street: Prom Queen

Director - Matt Palmer (Calibre, The Gas Man)

Starring - India Fowler (The Strangers: Chapter 1, The Trail), Suzanna Son (Red Rocket, The Idol), ad Fina Strazza (Paper Girls, FBI: Most Wanted)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Drop dead, gorgeous"

Format - Streaming (Netflix)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm a product of my childhood.  I had one of the most iconic childhoods and was fortunate enough to live through what I would consider the most radical decades.  I was born in the mid 80s and grew up through the 90s.  I was introduced to Goosebumps by R. L. Stine when I was in third grade.  This opened the door to Christopher Pike, Stephen King, and so on.  However, my love for R. L. Stine never faltered.  I soon sought out his other series like Fear Street, Ghosts of Fear Street and so on.  He was my introduction to horror and I wouldn't be who I am if it wasn't for him.  In 2021 Netflix released the Fear Street trilogy.  The three films released a week apart and instantly became my favorite horror films of recent years.  Sadly, it took a few years before we got another installment.  Hell, I knew the film was coming but I had no idea it was released until I saw people posting about it on Facebook.  I quickly made time to check it out.

     The film takes place in 1988 as the senior class of Shadyside High prepares for their annual prom.  The popular girls in school work together so that their leader, Tiffany (Strazza), wins.  School outcast Lori (Fowler) enters the contest in hopes of winning so she can overshadow her past.  The students, especially Tiffany, often harass her.  Lori's father was murdered and her mother was trialed for the crime but was acquitted.  As time counts down to the crowning, the prom queen candidates are murdered one by one by a masked killer.

     I went into this one thinking about how amazing the original Fear Street trilogy was.  Sadly, this one is no where near as good but it was still worth a watch especially for the kills.  The acting in this one is great.  The characters, though cliched, was very well portrayed.  The dialogue felt natural, the characters pull out the correct emotions from the viewer, and the characters that was meant to be disliked is really unlikable.  While no one performance stands out, the film has an excellent cast.  The story for this one is very predictable.  It has cliched characters with a lot of detail and character development.  However, the film itself is very predictable.  As soon as the murders start you immediately start suspecting who the killer is and as the film progresses it becomes painfully clear who the real killer is.  Don't get me wrong, it's a decent straight forward slasher inspired by 90s slashers but you know what's going to happen before it does.  Finally, the film has several memorable kills with some knockout practical effects.  The kills are very unexpected and deliver a serious amount of blood that I honestly didn't think Netflix had the ball to give us.  The film is worth the watch for the death scenes alone.  Overall, Fear Street: Prom Queen is a film that you can enjoy for the fun kills but the predictable slasher story is not that imaginative or memorable.  I enjoyed it but I know a lot of the genre community will not because I am a little biased.  Fans of the books or R.L. Stine might want to check it out with an open mind.  

Welcome Week: A College Horror Anthology

Director(s) - Blake Douglas, Ethan Gomez Zahnley (Johnny Wick: Chapter 2, Satan's Servant), and Lenny Ibarra

Starring - Joanna Zimbler (The Night Never Fades, Bad), Angelo Kern (Planetquake, Bull Shark 3), and Kimberly Girkin (Stage Fright, Monsters of Mine)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been a fan of horror anthologies for as long as I could remember.   I've mentioned several over the years that I grew up watching over and over.  Movies like Creepshow, Creepshow 2, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Tales  from the Darkside: The Movie, From a Whisper to a Scream, and so on.  I love checking out a new anthology and absolutely love when they have a fantastic wrap around segment that ties everything up neatly.  A few weeks back I found a post on Instagram for the indie horror anthology Welcome Week: A College Horror Anthology.  I really liked the artwork and decided to reach out to the page.  They got back to me with a review link to check out.  I decided to check it out after my Visual Vengeance and want to take a moment to thank the folks over at the Welcome Week Instagram page for sending this one over!

     The film follows a group of college freshman going to a party during their first week at school.  However, things take a deadly turn when someone starts killing the students in gruesome manners.  One of the students reveals that he had hand to hand combat training in order to attend college because his siblings all met horrific fates while in college.  While trying to save his friends, he recounts their tragic tales while making his way across campus.

     I went into Welcome Week knowing absolutely nothing and was surprised by just how unique the film was.  Sadly, a lot of the film wasn't for me but that doesn't mean it will not find it's targeted audience.  I went into this one with an open mind but found myself not enjoying it like I had hoped.  The acting in this one is very well done and consistent which is something you don't really see in anthologies featuring segments from varying directors.  The characters are cliched and not written that well but the cast does a solid job with what they were given.  The stories for this one varies.  The wrap around segment is a cool idea while I was watching it but after watching the film it feels like a cheap way of pulling them all together.  It would have been more effective if each segment was written for the film and consistent.  Instead, it's clear that each one was filmed at different times and just happened to feature freshman in college meeting a horrible end.  Aside from the wraparound segment, none of the other segments reference each other.  Also, some of the stories actually feature similar stories to one another.  We follow college students dying to a mysterious killer or something supernatural and occult like.  Finally, the film has some blood and solid enough make-up effects.  These do fit the film but they are not memorable or imaginative.  Overall, Welcome Week: A College Horror Anthology is one of those films that is interesting on paper but didn't work out too well on film.  It features a great cast but the stories themselves requires the viewer to overlook a lot for it to make sense.  Sadly, this is one I would skip.  

Furious

Director(s) - Tim Everitt (The Evil Inside Me, Rats in the Wall) and Tom Sartori

Starring - Simon Rhee (Double Impact, Bad Blood), Arlene Montano (L.A. Streetfighters), and Phillip Rhee (The Kentucky Fried Movie, Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave)

Release Date - 1984

Genre - Actio/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Karate heroes fights aliens for control of the astral plane!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been lucky enough to review several martial arts movies over the years.  Most of them were a lot of fun while others were clearly quick cash grabs.  Over the years I've found that I enjoy the more outlandish and absurd kung fu flicks over the ones that are grounded and centered around crime.  Several weeks back Visual Vengeance announced the blu release of the 1984 martial arts sci-fi flick Furious.  The artwork didn't strike my interest but the synopsis sold me on the film.  I went ahead and preordered it along with Dinosaur Valley Girls and when they arrived I quickly made time for them.

     The film follows Simon (Rhee) who is investigating the death of his sister.  His journey takes him to the city where he uncovers that she was murdered because of an amulet that was split into two pieces and given to them.  If the two halves of the amulet is put together it could mean certain doom for this plane of existence.

     Furious is said to be a cult classic at this point and I can see how it could have been traded around on VHS back in the day.  It had a few funny moments and the story is truly out there but it wasn't one I enjoyed.  Aside from the few laughs, I found myself waiting for it it end.  The acting in this one is consistent but it's laughably bad at times.  I've seen horror movies made with no budget in a teenager's back yard with no acting experience.  I've also seen horror flicks with a budget consisting of millions of dollars.  Both have offered up solid acting.  However, this one was not the best.  In fact, this one features some of the weakest acting I've seen.  The characters are pretty generic especially for a kung fu flick and their personalities are extremely bland.  Also, the sounds they play over the acting during the fight scenes had me cracking up.  I don't know what the thought process was for this decision but it's fucking hilarious when it shouldn't be.  The story for this one really is at home for the early 80s.  It is a solid adventure story with a martial arts twist.  I could see myself really getting into this if it was a straight forward narrative and not a film solely focused on kung fu.  I would have loved the film if it follows the man searching for answers while meeting characters with more depth than the almost dialogue-less film that we have full of fight scenes with funny sound effects.  Finally, the film doesn't really offer up anything in regards to a body count or gore.  Instead, it focuses heavily on the martial arts action which is not as impactful as they intended.  It was funny at first but does run it's course fairly early.  Overall, Furious is a film that I can see why so many people enjoy but was one I didn't enjoy.  It was dull and the laughs it delivered were clearly unintentional.  I seriously wanted to like this one but I couldn't.  Skip it.  

Dinosaur Valley Girls

Director - Donald F. Glut (The Vampire Hunters Club, The Mummy's Kiss)

Starring - Jeff Rector (American Horror Story, Star Trek: The Next Generation), William Marshall (Blacula, Pee-Wee's Playhouse), and Griffin Drew (The Bare Wench Project 2: Scared Topless, Billy Frankenstein)

Release Date - 1996

Genre - Comedy/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "A land where time stands still and the exotic action never stops..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I was in elementary school when Jurassic Park hit theaters.  I wasn't able to check it out in theaters but as soon as it hot VHS I was able to snag a copy at K-Mart.  This started a small obsession with dinosaurs and it wasn't long before that love spread over into my love for movies.  I was soon religiously watching movies like Adventures in Dinosaur City, Prehysteria, Land of the Lost, and any other dinosaur flick I could find.  I still find myself getting excited when I find a dinosaur flick I had never seen before.  A few months back my friends over at Visual Vengeance announced the release of the 1996 sci-fi comedy Dinosaur Valley Girls.  This looked like a sleazy good time so I quickly pre-ordered a copy.  It was several weeks before the film arrived and once it did I quickly added it to my watch pile.

     The film follows failing action star Tony (Rector) who is having weird dreams about beautiful women and dinosaurs.  While visiting a museum, he finds an old talisman that he has seen in his dreams.  He soon finds himself transported to a time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and early man, who we suspect was not around at that time, is trying to survive without becoming dinner.  

     I was really excited to check this one out especially when I saw that that there was a PG-13 cut of the film.  So, like any curious mind, I watched both versions of the film and neither one of them were for me.  It was a cool idea but the execution and diluted scenes made it a tough one for me to finish.  The acting in this one is inconsistent but not bad.  Some scenes feature smooth dialogue and dedication to their characters while other scenes have dialogue delivered too fast to understand and absolutely no energy.  I have no idea what the shooting schedule was like but it clearly drained the cast at some point.  The story for this one is simple and pretty clever but it loses it's traction fairly early on.  I was all for a failed action star with primitive hotties who hate clothes as they fight dinosaurs.  Instead, we get a story that stubbles through it's run time with nothing really happening.  Finally, the film has some impressive dinosaur props with some decent mechanics.  I was not expecting them to look as good as they did.  Also, the women are gorgeous as well and their lack of clothes, if you watch the standard cut.  Overall, Dinosaur Valley Girls is something I could see playing on USA Up All Night when I was little but it wasn't a film I particularly enjoyed.  It did have it's moments but it was difficult to finish.  With that being said, the release from Visual Vengeance looks good.  Collectors will want to snag it but those looking for something new to watch may want to skip it.