Touch Me

Director - Addison Heimann (Jeff Drives You, Hypochondriac)

Starring - Olivia Taylor Dudley (Dude Bro Party Massacre III, Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls), Lou Taylor Pucci (Evil Dead, Daredevil: Born Again), and Jordan Gavaris (Orphan Black, Hacks)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Comedy/Sci-Fi

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I fucking love weird movies.  I grew up watching the weird shit Moonbeam was releasing for kids and that really stuck with me.  I love oddball horror and will go out of my way to watch any that I cross paths with.  Case in point.  A few weeks back I received a press release for the sci-fi comedy inspired by b-horror movies of yesteryear titled Touch Me.  I immediately noticed that the film starred Olivia Taylor Dudley and Lou Taylor Pucci which made me very interested in the film.  Dudley was in one of my favorite horror films of recent years, Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls while Pucci made his mark on horror with his performance in 2013's Evil Dead.  

     The film follows Joey (Dudley) and her roommate Craig (Gavaris) who find themselves in a shitty situation when sewage begins spewing up from their shower drain.  Unable to pay the repairs, they find themselves at the generosity of one of Joey's lovers, Brian (Pucci), who is actually an alien who is able to control people's emotions with a single touch.  He seems to have it all, hired help that will do anything for him, a sprawling estate, and the secret touch that is other-worldly.  However, the longer they stay with them, the more Joey suspects that something nefarious is in the works and Brian has a more sinister plan than just pleasing humans.  

     Touch Me is nothing like I was expecting but I did enjoy it at times.  It was still odd but it's not as odd as the story could have been.  Honestly, I was expecting a bit more 90s sci-fi influence with some what the fuck moments but the movie we were given isn't all that bad.  The acting in this one was great.  Dudley and Gavaris are fantastic together. Their on screen chemistry carries every scene they are in.  With that being said, Pucci makes the film.  His performance had me in stitches and the random dance scenes are absolutely brilliant.  I really look forward to seeing him in more genre pieces.  The story for this one is more dramedy than anything but it does have a few horror elements and a lot of sci-fi.  The film itself does struggle with pacing and a lot of the scenes are not that consistent but I do enjoy the ride we are given.  Finally, the film has some practical effects and a lot of visuals.  Honestly, the visuals look great and enhance the scene while the practical effects are solid.  We get a lot of blood at times but the film does it in such a way that we are more concerned with the story itself instead of those scenes.  Overall, Touch Me is not something I would recommend to someone looking for a horror title.  However, if you want a horny sci-fi flick then this one is for you.  Check it out.  

Showdown in Secret City

Director(s) - Vinnie Vineyard (Wrestling with Ghosts, Camp Smokey) and Luke Walker (The Hike, Haunted Graves)

Starring - Travis Graves (Swipe Wrong, Logan's Chapel), Kandi Thompson (WJHC AM, Tainy My Ride!), and Luke Walker

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Comedy/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Artificial intelligence vs low intelligence"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love reviewing independent features.  I don't care if they are movies that I like or dislike.  It doesn't matter if it was made for a few dollars to just shy of a million.  All that matters to me is that they are made by someone passionate about the project and not just someone wanting to cash in on whatever trend is sweeping through the horror community at the time.  Watching an indie movie is an experience that I really enjoy even if the movie wasn't that great to me.  Sometime ago indie filmmaker Vinnie Vineyard contacted me to review several of his films.  The movies that I was lucky enough to review were hit or miss with me.  For every movie that I liked, there was one that just wasn't for me.  A few weeks back he reached out to review his newest film which is a sci-fi comedy titled Showdown in Secret City.  I wasn't able to get to it right away and I would like to apologize to Vinnie for the delay on the review.

     The film follows a small production company when they realize they signed over all their rights when they signed an agreement to have their films streaming in a different country.  Now they are forced to film a movie written entirely by AI.  They do as instructed for fear of losing their jobs and find themselves responsible for a box office hit.  Instead of celebrating, they quickly realize that the company they started for fun is long gone and they are just a cog in an AI machine.

     I knew absolutely nothing about this one prior to giving it a watch.  The title didn't really stir my imagination and the poster did absolutely nothing for me but the film's tagline really peaked my interest.  AI is a huge deal among the indie community and I was really curious to see what that had to do with the film.  The acting in this one is inconsistent but it's not bad.  Some of the scenes have some forced dialogue that is a bit awkward to sit through while other scenes feature a more relaxed cast that is able to deliver dialogue more naturally.  The scenes later on in the film is much more genuine and the cast does a much better job interacting with one another.  The story for this one takes some time to get moving but once it does it is surprisingly fun.  The beginning 20 or 30 minutes of the film made me think that I was about sit through another film like The Hike.  However, I stuck with it and the film did pick up substantially.  I loved the way AI was used in the story, the addition of the "porn and cats," and how people absolutely loved the film made with AI.  AI is controversial as hell but we all know how people, especially keyboard warriors, are hypocritical.  With all that being said, a lot of the humor didn't find it's mark.  I did chuckle at their AI representative going topless due to the amount of people that search for porn.  It was about the only funny moment that I found in the film.  Also, there is a documentary film crew "filming" the entire ordeal but they only appear randomly through the film and it doesn't really feel like the mockumentary I was expecting early on.  Finally, don't expect a film with memorable deaths or a lot of blood.  Instead, this is a sci-fi comedy that is light on the comedy.  It's satirical in nature but not catered to those of us that have a taste for the red stuff.  We don't really have any practical or visual effects to enjoy.  Overall, Showdown in Secret City is not what I was expecting at all.  I could blame my age and cynicism because I didn't find the movie funny but it was enjoyable for the most part.  It has a clever story that was fun but is not without some holes in the plot.  Check it out.  

The Degenerates

Director - Andy Milligan (The Naked Witch, The Man with Two Heads)

Starring - Bryarly Lee (Omnibus, Studio One), Marcia Haufrecht (The Sopranos, Dog Day Afternoon), and Anne Linden (The Vixens, The All American Honeymoon)

Release Date - 1967

Genre - Sci-Fi

Tagline - "They always go down to the lowest depths of human sensuality"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     There is a lot of filmmakers that were lost to time over the decades as beta and VHS made way to DVD and blu but many boutique labels have made it their mission to find these films. Director Andy Milligan is a filmmaker I was somewhat familiar with.  I began collecting movies when I was in high school and sometime during my college years I found a copy of The Ghastly Ones on DVD for a decent price.  I went ahead and snagged it for my collection.  One of the campus officers would often borrow this movie and during my last year there I gifted it to him.  Sadly, this was one of the few Milligan films that I had seen until a few years back when Severin released their Andy Milligan set.  I snagged a copy and checked it out.  Not all of his films hit for me but I enjoyed most of them.  A few weeks back Severin announced a second Andy Milligan release and this one would feature several lost films of his along with a documentary.  I quickly shot them an email requesting this one for review and they were kind enough to send it over.  It only made sense to start with the The Degenerates from 1967 which is the movie of his that I had always wanted to see but never had the chance.  I want to thank Severin for sending this one over!

     The film takes place some time after a nuclear disaster.  A group of men are searching for survivors when they cross paths with a group of women barricaded in an old farmhouse.  They soon learn that no everyone wants saved and not everyone is a victim.

     I went into The Degenerates knowing a little about the plot but that is about it.  I knew what to expect from the acting and the story but it wasn't until I was getting ready to put my review together that I learned that the film was originally unfinished and had to be edited together to make it more coherent.  With that being said, I actually enjoyed it for what it was.  It is extremely rough around the edges but it's still fun.  The acting in this one is what you would expect from an early Milligan flick.  The cast is really into their roles and you can see how dedicated they really are in some of the more intense scenes but the overacting and lack of emotional depth made a few scenes really awkward.  Some of the cast would go on to have pretty stellar careers but it's clear that this is some of their first films and used it as a learning experience.  The story for this one fits in with the late 60s sci-fi trend with the cold war in full effect.  However, what sets it apart from the others is the role reversal of the women being the depraved.  The film does suffer from pacing issues and I can only assume that some of the middle portion of the film was never filmed which left some gaps in the story but it still finds a way to work in a sexploitation kind of way.  Finally, those of you looking for a bloody flick will be very disappointed.  The film is very light on the effects and the deaths are not gruesome. The movie is clearly a no budget affair and they did not have money in the budget for memorable deaths.  Overall, The Degenerates could have been a career defining film from a fringe filmmaker but was never finished for various reasons.  I would have loved to see what Milligan really envisioned but this is the best we can do.  This is a must see for any cult cinema fan.  Check it out.  

Colony Mutation

Director - Tom Berna

Starring - Joan Dinco, David Rommel (Downer), and Anna Zizzo 

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Don't be afraid of..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Visual Vengeance quickly became one of my favorite boutique blu labels of recent years with their dedication to S.O.V. cinema.  I'll be honest, a lot of their films do not benefit from being restored and put on blu but it's awesome having a lot of these in my collection with many of them being stuck in VHS hell.  Some of these movies are proudly displayed in my collection.  A lot of them are movies I had never seen before and it was thanks to VV that I was able to finally check them out.  However, for every movie that I live, there is one that just didn't do it for me.  A few weeks back Visual Vengeance sent me the 1995 sci-fi horror mashup Colony Mutation from Tom Berna.  I had never seen this one before but I couldn't wait to dig into it.

     The film follows a man who is sneaking out on his hot scientist wife with another woman.  She learns of the affair when she gets his credit card bill and confronts him.  She slaps him and then throws a chemical her colleague is working at him before he beats her to death.  After hiding of her body, he tries to go about his life as if nothing happened but soon learns that the chemical he was hit with has altered his body.  His limbs are now carnivorous creatures with a taste for human flesh.  

     I went into this one knowing very little about it.  It looked like an attempt at the science gone too far films that many of us would watch on the Sci-Fi Channel before their rebranding.  While it does feel like that at times, the story is just different enough to make it feel like something somewhat unique.  It had some fun moments but loses itself during the last half of it's runtime.  The acting in this one is rough at times but I appreciate their dedication to their roles.  Most of the scenes feature dialogue spoken without conviction and a lot of their mannerisms are unnatural.  They are really into their roles but their lack of experience shows in every scene.  The story for this one is another science gone too far creating body horror.  We've seen this type of films before with films like The Blob and The Fly remakes.  I loved how the film started.  We have a cheating husband and a scientist who catches him.  In a fit of rage, she throws a chemical on him before he kills her before his body slowly changes into a flesh eating beast.  I really love how the film is written but it's the second half of the film where it loses me.  The whole body horror aspect is half-assed resulting in a poorly put together last act that has nothing enjoyable for the viewer to see.  Honestly, I feel this part was changed during filming for unknown reasons.  Finally, the film has several deaths but they are not as fun as they could have been.  The effects are very limited which is why I suspect the second half of the film is difficult to finish.  I love the idea behind his body/limbs being monsters but the way the films goes about it leaves a lot to be desired.  Overall, Colony Mutation is a movie that I was really looking forward to and was actually liking until the film lost steam.  The ending felt rather dull and out of place makes me think that it was changed on the fly.  I wanted to like it but it just wasn't for me.  Skip it.  

The People Who Own the Dark

Director - Leon Klimovsky (The Marihuana Story, A Dragonfly for Each Corpse)

Starring - Nadiuska (Conan the Barbarian, Black Commando), Alberto de Mendoza (Horror Express, The Case of the Scorpion's Tale), and Teresa Gimpera (The Spirit of the Beehive, Creation of the Damned)

Release Date - 1976

Genre - Horror/Sci-FI

Tagline - "Now... there is nothing between you and... "

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

 Rating (out of 5):

     The People Who Own the Dark is the only movie in this set that I had previously heard of prior to receiving this collection for review.  The film was released on blu a few years back by Code Red as part of their Post-Apocalyptic Collection.  What caught my eye about this release was that it featured Paul Naschy and was produced by Sean S. Cunningham.  I was surprised at the time that this was the first time I had heard of this one starring Naschy and produced by the creator of the Friday the 13th franchise.  I didn't snag this release at the time due to the controversy involving owner Banana Man and how he was being taking advantage of by the owner of Dark Force Entertainment.  Thankfully, this one was included in the Exorcismo set from Severin.  I hate that it took me so long to check it out but I'm grateful that my first time viewing it was on a Severin release.  

      The film begins with a group of wealthy sadists who meet occasionally to act out their most perverse fantasies.  Sadly, their De Sade like cult meeting did not go as planned when their power is knocked out before it got to the good part.  When they leave the cellar to look into the issue they discover that it was a nuclear attack.  With only a few days worth of food left on the property, they venture into the local village where they learn that everyone that was outside during the initial attack is now blind and seeking refuge in the local church.  Instead of helping them, they kill a couple and start stealing all their food.  They return to their mansion on the hill to possibly get back into their sadistic fantasies when the blind rise up and take matters into their own hands.  

     The People Who Own the Dark is surprisingly the second post-apocalyptic film in this set and was surprisingly well done.  While I do prefer Creation of the Damned more, this one was a lot of fun especially for what it was.  With that being said, there was a few things I didn't care for with this one but what film is perfect?  The acting in this one is very uneven but not bad.  I expected to see more from Paul Naschy and was pretty disappointed in what little screen time he was given.  He does a decent job in his role but I would have loved for his character to have a bigger part in the story.  The rest of the cast is decent as a whole but some of the performances are very intense while others are fairly flat.  The story for this one is not what I was expecting.  It has a lot of layers but not all of them are fun as others. I loved the idea of the wealthy in a Marquise de Sade cult.  I also liked the idea of the nuclear war wiping the sight from all of those that were in the open when the bomb went off.  That is about the extent of the story that I care for.  The blind attacking like a lumbering page from The Last Man on Earth leaves a lot to be desired.  While I did enjoy the film, it almost lost me on this last leg.  Finally, the film has several deaths.  They are not that impressive or all that memorable.  The practical effects we do get is very minimal and not that noticeable.  Overall, The People Who Own the Night was a solid post-apocalyptic flick from the late 70s.  It's not that graphic and the story was lacking in a way but I still enjoyed it for what it was.  It's another one worth checking out from the Exorcismo set!  Check it out.  

Blue Sunshine

Director - Jeff Lieberman (Squirm, Satan's Little Helper)

Starring - Zalman King (Galaxy of Terror, Trip with the Teacher), Deborah Winters (The Outing, Tarantulas: The Deadly Cargo), and Mark Goddard (Strange Invaders, Lost in Space)

Release Date - 1977

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "After blue sunshine you're better off dead!"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been accused of writing positive reviews for money which is absolutely absurd.  I wish I could get paid to do this but the truth is I do this for fun.  I've never received a cent from my work on Horror Society and all my reviews are my honest opinion.  I like what I like and some of my readers believe that my reviews are paid for.  Honestly, I just have weird taste in movies and I'm not ashamed of that at all.  The reason I'm saying this is because I'm about to write a review for Synapse Film's release of Blue Sunshine.  This is a film I first watch many years ago thanks to Elvira's Movie Macabre.  Since then I have snagged the DVD release of that episode along with a standard DVD release of the film.  I know many genre fans dislike the movie but I fucking love it and couldn't wait to check out this release from my friends over at Synapse.

     The film follows a man who is on the run after falsely being accused of murder he did not commit.  His friend, the real murderer, lost all his hair before going mad and killing their mutual friends.  Knowing something is going on, he starts investigating by himself while avoiding arrest where he uncovers a connection between him and other murders like it where the person lost all their hair and went mad.  He then learns that all the murderers had taken a drug called Blue Sunshine years before that may have triggered the murders.  

     I know Blue Sunshine has it's fans but I was under the impression that it was a genre title that was genuinely loved.  That changed after I posted on social media that I was checking out this release.  While no one said anything about the UHD release from Synapse, some genre fans were quick to bash the film.  This was shocking to me as I had always thought it was a film many of my like minded friends loved.  The movie itself is an awesome horror thriller that almost plays into the anti-drugs propaganda of the time.  It's extremely dated but that is what makes this one so much fun.  The acting in this one is great.  Zalman King is a fantastic lead.  He reminds me a lot of a young Sean Penn in some of the scenes which has always been a bit of a surprise to me.  His character doesn't show a wife range of emotions but he carries the film.  The supporting cast is great as well but it's King who is a one man show.  The story for this one is a horror thriller following a man trying to clear his name and get to the reason his friend snapped and killed several people before trying to kill him.  Toss in a "drugs are bad" message and you have a film that is frozen in time but is still extremely enjoyable.  It has great pacing and while it is predictable it still delivers a fun ride to it's destination.  Finally, we do get some blood but this is not a gruesome flick.  the film relies heavily on the story itself and the mystery surrounding the murders instead of the murders themselves.  It's because of this that we don't get memorable deaths.  Overall, Blue Sunshine is a film I absolutely love.  I'm blown away that genre fans don't dig it like it.  I know the movie has it's fan out there and this release is for you.  However, if you don't like it then I can only assume you smell your own farts for pleasure.  Check it out.  

Infinite Summer

Director - Miquel Llanso (Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway, Here Come the Problems)

Starring - Teele Kaljuvee-O'Brock (Popcorn Prologue, Eyes that Stare Too Long), Johanna-Aurelia Rosin (Free Money), and Hannah Gross (Joker, Mindhunter)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Sci-Fi

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (Out of 5):

     I love weird movies.  I can remember watching odd sci-fi and horror titles when I was younger with my grandmother.  I would spend a lot of time with her while my dad was out of town and we would watch any thing we could find on local access, Sci-Fi Channel, and so on.  We watched a lot of MonsterVision, USA Up All Night, and the like.  She loved to experience a movie and I think I've grown into that same mentality when it comes to movies.  I may not like all the movies I watch but I always enjoy the experience especially if they are a bit weird.  A few weeks back I received a copy of Infinite Summer on DVD for review.  This was strange in itself as I had to pay for postage when I picked it up from the post office which I have never had to do before.  The movie looked interesting enough so I added it to my watch list.

     The film follows a young woman who tries a virtual dating app and meets a strange man who appears at her home, unwelcomed, in the middle of the night with a weird mask that is supposed to help her meditate.  Her friends warn her about trying it but she does anyway.  After using it she learns that her two friends tried it after her and are addicted to it.  As she further explores the meditation app and why her friends are so addicted, she learns from two federal agents that the man is sneaking drugs into his home made masks.

     I had received a press release for this one sometime back so I knew that it was going to be a mind trip type of story but it wasn't as trippy as I had expected.  In fact, it wasn't really that trippy.  It had an odd story but it was nowhere near as wild and strange as the artwork and trailer painted.  The acting in this one is very uneven.  The cast isn't bad but the characters are very unlikable.  We have some awkward scenes with stiff dialogue but I blame that on the writing.  The story for this one could have been a lot more enjoyable if it would have embraced the strange trippy aspects of the story.  Instead, what we have is a virtual reality inspired sci-fi flick that isn't very original.  I would have loved if the film focused more on the virtual reality around the meditation app rather than it does the drug aspect.  Finally, the film has a lot of visual effects that look surprisingly well done.  They do stand out but that is is the point of these visuals.  The film doesn't have any of the red stuff that we would like to see but we have a ton of visuals.  Overall, Infinite Summer was not what I was expecting.  Honestly, it was a bit dull for the most part that does not fully explore the part of the film that is the most interesting.  I wanted to like this one but it wasn't for me.  Skip it.  

I Hate My Body

Director - Leon Klimovsky (Devil's Possessed, Strange Love of the Vampires)

Starring - Alexandra Bastedo (Batman Begins, The Ghoul), Narciso Ibanez Menta (The Beast Must Die, The Night of the Werewolf), and Gemma Cuervo (Midsummer Dream, Rain for a Dusty Summer)

Release Date - 1974

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "The brain of a man... the body of a woman... the sexual horror story of our time!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Boutique labels do a lot for cinema history and preserving it.  They do so much for the horror community by restoring and releasing many forgotten films that either found themselves stuck in VHS or DVD era technology.  These labels also bring long forgotten foreign films to us as well.  Several weeks back Mondo Macabro and CAV sent over the press release for the 1974 sci-fi horror flick from Spain titled I Hate My Body.  I was recently sent a box set from Severin featuring films from Spain around the same time so this release from Mondo Macabro really peaked my interest.  Like always, I want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over for review.

     The film follows a business man who is out of town for work when he suffers an accident.  He soon finds himself in a living nightmare when the doctor, a defacto Nazi doctor, places his brain inside the body of a beautiful young woman.  This completely changes his life for him.  His wife leaves him, he faces misogyny from his former peers, and his sex life is turned upside down.  

     I went into I Hate My Body completely blind and enjoyed the movie for the most part.  I don't typically care for the brain transplant style horror and sci-fi films but this one had some fun moments.  It's not a movie that I see myself revisiting but it was a solid first time watch.  The acting in this one is a bit clunky at times and very overdramatic at others.  The film is not grounded at all and the cast is inconsistent throughout.  The story for this one is more in line of an exploitation flick that points out the injustices that many women faced especially in the early 70s.  It's not really a horror film in a traditional sense but I'm sure it's a nightmare to live through.  The film has some solid pacing but a few of the scenes does drag on due to the stiff and awkward acting.  A little tighter editing would have went a long way.  Finally, this is not a bloody flick.  The film uses the story to get to the viewer.  With have some skin, a little practical effects for the hospital scenes and that is about the extent of it.  Fans expecting the red stuff going into this one will surely be disappointed.  Overall, I Hate My Body is a strange yet truly unique early 70s sci-fi horror flick that almost feels like a pro-feminism film.  It's not a movie that has great replay value but it's enjoyable for what it is.  Mondo Macabro did a fantastic job bringing this one to us uncultured heathens.  Check it out.  

Ssssstoner Snake

Director - Daryl Hook (Mr. MeatHook's Shitty Video Reviews, Sharkoween)

Starring - Mel Heflin (Darbie's Scream House, Pigshit), Clint Beaver (Onlyfangs, Orgy of the Dead 2), and Henrique Couto (Smart House, Found Footage: The Series)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror/Comedy/Sci-Fi

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Most indie productions are passion projects from dedicated genre fans.  No one goes into a no budget film with dreams of getting rich or becoming famous.  These filmmakers love the genre and have a vision.  That's why I love reviewing no budget horror flicks.  Sure, they are far from perfect but I love seeing the wild ideas and, in some cases, how far a filmmaker can grow between films.  Sometime back I befriended Daryl Hook after several friends of mine shared a few posts of his about his horror comedy Ssssstoner Snake.  I fucking love stoner comedies and horror so I quickly added him.  I shared the trailer on the site and followed the film for sometime but never had the chance to see the film until recently when Daryl messaged me to review it.  I want to thank him for sending this one over!

     The film follows an extraterrestrial snake that finds itself on Earth where it crosses paths with a stoner.  He shares his joint with the snake before he is brutally murdered by it.  This sends the snake on the hunt to get fucked up and murder every human he crosses paths with.

     Director Daryl Hook had mentioned several times on Facebook that some may consider Ssssstoner Snake to be one of the worst movies ever made.  While it is bad in several aspect, it's still a fun movie experience.  I love the being bad on purpose style of filmmaking that was made popular by filmmaker Chris Seaver and the films of Dire Wit Films.  Ssssstoner Snake truly embraces the no budget schlock and delivers something that fans of no budget madness can truly appreciate.  The acting in this one is very uneven.  We have characters that are over the top and theatrical while other characters are more grounded and natural.  The acting required for each does clash in several scenes which is a bit awkward to watch.  As a fan, I wish the movie would have embraced the characters with crazy wigs and costumes that delivered the overdramatic performances.  It's a great way to cover up inexperience while delivering on some laughs.  The more serious performances feel out of place at times and the forced dialogue makes a few of the scenes fall short on the humor that it's going for.  The story for this one is a loving tribute to bad cinema.  We have a snake from space with a knack for murder and a nose for good weed.  We then have a horror trope loving guy tossed in the middle of the intergalactic reptile mayhem.  It's a lot of fun in an intentionally bad way.  With that being said, the film is a bit too long.  Some scenes are not necessary and could be trimmed down some to make it a bit more enjoyable.  It's not bad as it is but the pacing can be improved upon with some snips here and there.  Finally, the film is clearly a no budget affair so don't expect to see memorable blood and gore.  We get a snake plushie killing people with what resources the crew had available at the time.  This only adds to the charm the film has but some of you with a taste for blood may be disappointed in it's lack of memorable deaths and gore.  Overall, Ssssstoner Snake may not be winning any awards or making year end lists but it will be infamous among no budget genre fans.  I refuse to use the term "so bad it's good" because it honestly doesn't make sense.  This is not a bad movie.  In fact, it's pretty clever for what it is.  It's funny and has endless potential.  I highly recommend it especially if you dig movies like Filthy McNasty and anything riffed by MST3K.  

Phil Herman's Unearthed

Director(s) - Derek Braasch (Torture the Flesh, The Ties that Bind), Will Devokees (Morbid Stories, Macabre Medicine), Marcelo Fabani (I Slay on Christmas, Doomsday Stories), Phil Herman (Burglar from Hell, Jacker), Christopher Kahler (Around Midnight, Hobo with a Trash Can), and James Panetta (Death From Beyond, Death in the Dark)

Starring - Butch Patrick (The Munsters, Bite School), Tina Krause (Bloodletting, Side Effects May Vary), and Tiffany Helm (Friday the 13th: A New Beginning, 13 Fanboy)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I find myself bitching and moaning with every horror anthology that I review about how almost every indie anthology lacks a wraparound segment that ties everything together.  Most of these anthologies are just shorts that role from one segment to the next with no reasoning behind it.  I know it's no easy task to make a movie especially when you have zero budget and using the bare essentials in regards to equipment but an anthology without a segment to bookend everything is not an anthology in my eyes.  A few weeks ago I was speaking with director and producer Phil Herman about a few of his projects that I was sharing on the site when he offered me two of his most recent films to review.  One of them just happened to be an anthology film simply titles Phil Herman's Unearthed.  The title intrigued me some but it the was film's poster that really made me curious about the film.  I want to thank Phil for sending this one over for review!

     The film follows an unfortunate character named Doom (Christopher Kahler) who is doing a bit of graverobbing when he finds an old book.  He takes us back to his humble abode where he begins reading us tales from inside which range from a detective who may have locked up an innocent man, a young bride and her father in law searching for her missing husband, and a woman who suspects her home might be haunted.

     Phil Herman's Unearthed is a movie that I couldn't get behind but it does do a few things right.  I went into this one a bit excited but the overall movie did nothing for me but I there was a few things that really impressed me.  The acting in this one is very uneven.  Some of the segments features some solid performances while others are inconsistent.  I don't know if this is a reflection of the direction or inexperience but each scene within each segment does vary.  I would like to add that it was awesome seeing Tiffany Helm from A New Beginning with a small role.  I would have loved to see her utilized more but it was still cool to see her even if the role was small.  The stories for this one is not what I was expecting.  The segment used as the wraparound segment was my favorite part of the film.  The character that is reading from the old book, similar to From a Whisper to a Scream, was a lot of fun.  It was a solid segment that pulled everything together very nicely.  The other segments were very hit or miss with me.  The one with the husband who was abducted by aliens was probably my favorite of the film but it was far from perfect.  This story had a lot of promise and I'm a huge fan of Kristina Santiago but it failed to really go somewhere worth noting.  The other three segments were very predictable and not that interesting.  I thought the short with the woman seeking help with her home was going to be a lot more fun than it actually was but it was extremely dull and slow paced.  Finally, the film features a wide array of effects.  We have some make-up effects that look fairly decent to some visual effects that do look cheap.  While the film was not as bloody as gory as I would have liked, the make-up effects were impressive.  Overall, Phil Herman's Unearthed had a solid premise with the horribly disfigured grave robber reading stories from an old book.  Sadly, the segments that made up the bulk of the film was not as enjoyable.  This is one that I really wanted to like but it wasn't for me.  Skip it.  

Return of Eva Man

Director(s) - Zacarias Urbiola (A Dragonfly for Each Corpse, House of Psychotic Women) and Antonio D'Agostino (Eva Man, The Ceremony of the Senses)

Starring - Eva Robin's (Hercules, Tenebrae), Ajita Wilson (Hell Behind the Bars, Passionate Lovers), and Ramon Centenero (The Night of the Werewolf, The Dracula Saga)

Release Date - 1982

Genre - Sci-Fi/Comedy

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I was not expecting the wild ride that Mondo Macabro was going to send me on when they sent over the Eva Man double feature.  These two films were new to me and I had no idea how important they were in the world of cinema and exploitation at the time.  However, after finishing the first film and working on the review I quickly learned that this film was very important to movie history which only made me even more excited for the sequel.  Like always, I want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over for review!

     The film once again follows Eva (Robbin's), the professor, and her friend as they fight and evade a group of criminals who are after them.  The professor used the technology from the first film to create a ray gun that when fired at someone awakens intense sexual desire.  

     Return of Eva Man, or El Regreso de Eva Man, is another wild film that does a decent enough job at furthering the already crazy story from the film film.  While it does take the same formula from the first film and makes small changes, those changes are just enough to make it work.  It's not going to win people over like the first film but it is still a lot of fun.  The acting in this one is consistent with the first film.  Robbin's and Wilson make the film.  Their charisma and personality makes every scene they are in.  The supporting cast is solid for the most part but it's these two ladies that makes these two films as fun as they are.  The story for this one is essentially the same as the first film with a few minor changes.  Both films follows a group of bad guys chasing Eva for different sexual reasons.  It's obvious they took what made the first film work and rush it into production while the iron was still hot so to speak.  It doesn't give us something new but it's still a solid sequel with some laughs.  Finally, no blood or guns in this one.  We get some skin, some laughs, and that's about the extent of it.  Overall, Return of Eva Man is no as historic as the original but it still deserves a watch.  It's not that original but still entertaining.  Check it out.  

The Long Walk

Director - Francis Lawrence (Constantine, I Am Legend)

Starring - Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza, Old Guy), David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus, Murder is Easy), and Garrett Wareing (Dead Sea, Agonist)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Sci-Fi/Horror

Tagline - "The task is simple: walk or die!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I love when I get to review the film or television adaptations of Stephen King's work.  He had such a huge impact on my childhood.  I've mentioned in several reviews how watching Tom Savini's Night of the Living Dead as a kid is what got me started with horror but it was Goosebumps and a few novellas from Stephen King that really kickstarted my obsession.  Goosebumps caught the brunt of my obsession but the few books of King's that I did have I read over and over again until the spines wore out.  I've been fortunate to review several adaptations of his works over the years and always get excited when the opportunity presents itself.  A few days back I received a copy of The Long Walk to review.  This is one I had always heard about but never had the chance to read it.  This made me really interested in the film and even more so when I saw that it was helmed by Francis Lawrence who also directed Constantine and I Am Legend.  I couldn't wait to jump into this one!

     The film follows an alternate 1970s where the US is a police state.  The military hosts an annual competition with boys from each state are selected, or volunteer, for the chance to win anything they want.  The contest is simple, walk a steady 3 miles per hour and you get three warnings if you drop below that.  You will be shot if you fail to maintain that speed after the three warnings.  

     I can see why Francis Lawrence was offered the job to direct this one due to it's similarities to The Hunger Games franchise that he started a decade ago now.  It's not the wildest or the most gruesome of the King adaptations I have seen but it was a fantastic film that I'm glad finally got off the ground.  The acting in this one is fantastic.  The film is overflowing with memorable characters ranging from legendary Mark Hamill's performance as The Major to most of the contestants.  The film's leads, Cooper Hoffman and Davis Jonsson, deliver great performances but they are among amazing performances from the entire cast.  I absolutely loved the casting in this one and will be replaying a lot of the scenes in my head when I take the time to read the original novel.  The story for this one has to be the influence for many of the competition based horror and sci-fi flicks that we've seen over the years.  Hell, I feel like this even influence King himself to write The Runningman.  I haven't read the novel, as I stated earlier, but knowing that it was written in the early 70s and follows people struggling in their police state as they compete to better themselves or die during the competition.  This is the same premise as Battle Royal, The Hunger Games, The Runningman, and to a lesser degree, The Condemned.  I love these types of stories and what The Long Walk does better than the others is that it brings about the humanity of the contestants.  These other films doesn't go to the lengths that this film does to show the characters pain and turmoil prior to the contest.  This is especially true in the film Battle Royal where the children are just tossed into the game.  Here we see that they are all struggling which is why they chose to risk their life and never see their families again.  We have great pacing, a lot of emotionally charged scenes, and a lot of dialogue heavy scenes that manage to hold the viewer's attention.  The movie is on the longer side of the run time but the action, character interactions, and pacing makes the time fly by.  Finally, the film has a lot of on screen deaths.  They are bloody and extremely violent but the use of computer generated effects are obvious.  While a few does have some light practical effects, the bulk of the scene us made up by visual effects over practical.  Overall, The Long Walk may not be my favorite Stephen King adaptation but god damn was it a lot of fun.  I really enjoyed this one and was surprised by just how violent the film was.  While I would have loved practical effects, the visuals were not that bad.  Check it out!

School in the Crosshairs

Director - Nobuhiko Obayashi (House, Turning Point)

Starring - Hiroko Yakushimaru (G.I. Samurai, Sailor Suit and Machine Girl), Ryoichi Takayanagi (The High School Girl With a Machine Gun, Let Him Rest in Piece), and Masami Hasegawa (Curse of the God Dog, The Tragedy in the Devil-Mask Village)

Release Date - 1981

Genre - Sci-Fi

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Cult Epics has really took care of me lately by sending over several of their releases on blu for review.  I've found myself somewhat burnt out on horror after spending the entire month of October binging as many horror movies as I could.  These releases from Cult Epics have come in handy as I watch some non-horror flicks to reset my horror battery so to speak.  After watching His Motorbike, Her Island and Dakota, it was time to toss in the Japanese sci-fi flick from 1981, School in the Crosshairs.  I want to thank Cult Epics for sending this one over!

     The film follows a young girl who uses psychic powers to make herself popular which helps her in her school's student election.  Things become a bit difficult for her when a new student arrives and starts gaining popularity as well putting her sure win in jeopardy.  Things take then take an unexpected turn when she learns that she is psychic as well.

     I knew absolutely nothing about School in the Crosshairs besides the fact that it was directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi who directed His Motorbike, Her Island and the title makes me uncomfortable as an American.  I had no idea that this one would have a supernatural aspect to it but I did find myself really enjoying it.  The acting in this one is very well done.  A lot of the characters are very well written with a lot of depth for the cast to work with.  The cast does a great job in their roles but some of the emotional range is lost when the viewer is reading the subtitles.  The story for this one is not what I was expecting from the title but I can see why the film was given that title.  While it does cause a sense of dread among American fans, it is a title that does reflect certain aspects of the film.  A teenage girl with psychic powers dueling it out with another student with psychic powers could have went in so many directions.  Fans of Carrie will immediately think wish it went the horror path.  However, it goes the more logical route, in my opinion, with the girls using their gifts as a way to win a class election.  It's fun and works for the run time without overstaying it's welcome.  Finally, the film is not a bloody flick so those of you looking for a bloodbath will be very disappointed.  Hell, if you thought the title was something else completely like I did then I would suggest checking out Duck!.  Overall, School in the Crosshairs is a fun Japanese sci-fi flick that may not be for the average Horror Society reader but fans of sci-fi and fantasy will dig it.  Check it out!

Firestar: First Contact

Director - David Kent-Watson (The Eye of Satan, Lethal Impact)

Starring - Cliff Twemlow (G.B.H., Tuxedo Warrior), Charles Gray (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Paper Man), and John Wyman (Revenge of the Pink Panther, The Fourth Arm)

Release Date - 1991

Genre - Sci-Fi

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've seen a lot of "action" flicks that was lacking action and one thriller that was surprisingly fun.  However, I was not expecting to see a sci-fi flick as I make my way near the last few films in the Bloody Legend: The Cliff Twemlow Collection. I thought Firestar was going to be an action flick centered around some sort of military plot but it wasn't until I was putting the disc in that I realized I had missed the First Contact portion of the title.  This actually made me very excited to check it out.  I knew it wasn't going to be a new favorite but it was nice to take a step away from the action flicks.

     The film follows a space crew that finds themselves in trouble after they destroy an alien spacecraft.  They are the first in the history of mankind to come in contact with intelligent life while traveling the solar system and decide to blow them up instead of peace negotiations.  Those on the crew is then tasked to return to the place where they destroyed the craft to collect the debris but on the trip home they find out their vessel has been breached by a creature of unknown origin.  

     Firestar: First Contact is probably the most ambitious of the films in this set.  It has a lot of promise even though it borrows heavily from the classic sci-fi horror film Alien.  Sadly, the same issues from the other films plagued this one resulting in another film that looks good on paper but is difficult to finish.  The acting in this one is a little better than The Assassinator but that's not saying much.  The characters are generic, the cast struggles with their volume control, and almost all the scenes lack emotional depth.  The story for this one does play off of Alien for the basis but it features a lot of sci-fi drama that was quick to remind me of early Star Trek episodes.  We have a lot of drama, a huge sci-fi set up, yet the film struggles to gain traction.  It's almost as if it was written to be a short and somewhere through production they decided to film some filler scenes to bloat the runtime.  Finally, this film does have some blood, a decent looking creature costume, and some wild visual effects that are laughable at best.  While it's not the most gruesome film in the set, it does offer up the most blood and effects for fans of that sort of thing.  Overall, Firestar: First Contact is one of the most ambitious and bold entries in this box set.  While I did like some of it, the film still fell flat.  If you cut about 30 or 40 minutes of the film's runtime and left most of the last leg of the film intact then you would have something a bit more enjoyable.  However, as it is this is one I have to recommend skipping unless you dig this kind of thing like I do.  

She Loved Blossoms More

Director - Yannis Veslemes (The Field Guide to Evil, Light Well)

Starring - Sandra Abuelghanam (When I Smile My Eyes Close, Rapsodos), Aris Balis (Whack, Reflections), and Alexia Kaltsiki (Delivery, Dead Europe)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Sci-Fi/Comedy/Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Sometimes I get a press release in and the movie really peaks my interest.  I have to be selective with my time when I want to review a movie but sometimes a movie comes through my email and I have to see it.  That happened recently when I received the press release for the Greek erotic body horror film She Loved Blossoms More.  The artwork fucking sold me on the movie and I had to reach out for a review link.  As soon as they replied I quickly added it to my October horror binge and jumped on it after I watching the two horror shorts Stalker and The Only Way.  

     The film follows three brothers who enjoy sex with a pretty young blonde and time travel.  After indulging in narcotics and some raw sex, the brothers decide to travel to another plane of existence in order to see their mother but something strange happens when they test it on their female companion.  

    I went into this one extremely excited only to find myself greatly disappointed.  The movie is one of the most beautifully shot films I have ever seen especially for the budget the film has.  The cinematography, locations, sets, and effects are all breathtaking but the movie is a difficult one to finish.  While checking out Letterboxd and IMDB I see that I was with the majority on this.  I seriously wanted to like this one but it's a hard pass for me.  The acting in this one is decent for what it is.  Most of the film is nude dry humping and sitting around getting stoned with dialogue extensive scenes.  While it's not the worst acting I've seen, the film itself doesn't give the cast a chance to truly act.  The story for this one has so much fucking promise but is unable to find any traction.  The outline for the film is something that looks great on paper following three brothers who build the extraordinary to see their deceased mother one more time.  However, the film falls apart somewhere between the paper and filming.  The beautifully filmed scenes and nudity doesn't do enough to hold what little bit of story we have together.  In fact, if you trimmed down a lot of the bloated scenes you would be left with a movie that ran maybe 20 minutes and even then it would be difficult to follow.  Finally, this film has some seriously impressive visual and practical effects.  The visuals look great but the practical effects are gorgeous.  It's not a gory film but some of the scenes will stick with you for years to come.  Overall, She Loved Blossoms More is a movie I was so excited to see and was very disappointed with it.  While I did like some aspects of the film, most if it was a chore to sit through.  I hate to say it but this is one I would recommend skipping.  

Cafe Flesh

Director(s) - Stephen Sayadian (Dr. Caligula, Nightdreams 3) and Mark S. Esposito (Treasure of the Haunted House, TerrorVision)

Starring - Andy Nichols (Doctor Penetration, Student Affairs), Paul McGibboney, and Michelle Bauer (Demonwarp, Virgin High)

Release Date - 1982

Genre - Sci-Fi

Tagline - "THE TIME... Five years after the nuclear war.  The survivors...post-nuke thrill freaks lookin' for a kick"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I started watching and collecting sexploitation flicks about 10 years ago when companies like Vinegar Syndrome, Severin Films, and Mondo Macabro started sending them my way for review.  These were films that I never had an interest in watching until I was sent some for review where I fell in love with them.  Since those days I've heard about the popular sexploitation flicks that many fans of the sub-genre would consider essential viewing.  Films like Waterworks, Sexworld, and the infamous Cafe Flesh.  I had never seen Cafe Flesh previously but when Mondo Macabro sent me the UHD for review, you bet your sweet ass I made time to finally check it out.  I, once again, would like to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over.

     The film takes place in a post-nuclear world where most of the people are called "negatives."  These people are unable to have sex and visit clubs where those that can, called "positives," perform various shows for them.  One night during the show, the host spots a couple and continuously mocks them between the various acts.  As the film progresses, we learn that one of them is secretly a positive who hides her secret from her negative spouse until her sexual desires overtake her.

     I was seriously excited to finally see Cafe Flesh.  I had heard so many great things about this one but could only find extremely edited or cut versions of the film online.  I decided to hold on until I could find a complete cut of the film.  Sadly, I found myself not enjoying the film after all this time of waiting.  I wanted to love it, especially for it's amazing story, but I found myself bored to tears.  The acting in this one is extremely entertaining.  In fact, it is one of the high points of the film for me.  The characters are all colorful and full of energy for the most part.  In the world of sexploitation and erotica, this is one of the most energetic casts I've seen.  The film has to be seen just for the acting alone.  The story for the this one is one of those films that I feel was amazing on paper but didn't translate that well to screen.  A sexploitation flick set in a post-nuclear wasteland where only a small group of people can screw around while the majority is forced to watch their shows is very unique.  You throw in a little character development and you have something truly unforgettable.  However, the film's unique style and semi-arthouse approach might be iconic among genre fans, it did make for a slow moving film that really did nothing to hold my attention.  The film, without the sex, could have been cut drastically to make the story a bit more fun.  Instead, it's a long and drawn out skin flick that bored me to tears.  Finally, the film has plenty of skin but if you want some blood or memorable effects then you are out of luck.  Overall, Cafe Flesh has a look and style all it's own with one hell of a story but the scenes are painfully too long and the story doesn't go anywhere.  I seriously wanted to like this one but it wasn't for me.