The Sticks

Director - Peter Kominek (Slug Brothers, Timber) 

Starring - Shelby Cox-Dersch (Karma, B*tch), Mitchel Roelfsema (Faultline, Don't Kill the Babysitter), and Vanessa Wenzel (Falling Through the Cracks: Greg's Story, Tribal)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Tubi)

Rating (out of 5):

     I try to keep an eye out for movies that might peak my interest and I never know where that may be.  It could be an email from a press release or randomly through a Facebook message.  A few weeks ago I was looking through one of the indie horror groups on Facebook when I saw a post for the 2025 film The Sticks.  The post was announcing that it was now available to stream on Tubi.  The artwork really caught my attention and I quickly added it to my watch list.  After I made my way through that Exorcismo set from Severin, I decided to watch a couple indie horror flicks with The Sticks included.

     The film follows a young woman with a knack for survival as she finds herself lost in the woods alone.  She had originally planned on camping with her boyfriend but something happened forcing her to flee alone.  Now, she is forced to survive as something lurking in the woods is hunting her.

     I went into The Sticks seriously excited thinking I was about to see a creature feature set in the woods.  Sadly, that was not the film in front of me at all.  In fact, the film that I saw just followed a woman as she stumbled and panicked in the woods while showing off her camping and survival skills.  I've seen a lot of dull films over the years but this has to be the most boring indie horror film I've seen in recent memory.  The acting in this one is very one sided.  Shelby Cox-Dersch carries the film.  The cast is rather small but most of the film, at least an hour of the film's run time, is Cox-Dersch alone surviving in the woods.  The supporting cast is solid for the little screen time they do get but it's Cox-Dersch that carries the film.  With that being said, her character is not that likable and it's hard to tell if it was just the way she was written, how she was portrayed, or if it was intentional.  The story for this one somewhere in there but I couldn't find it.  From what I could see, the film is meant to depict a woman running from a supernatural creature but the film started out with flashbacks of camping before we saw the young lady running through the woods for no apparent reason.  Maybe I missed something or maybe this is one of those films where you needed to be high as balls but I couldn't make heads or tales from it.  Finally, the film has some great make-up effects but that is the extent of what we will see in this one.  I was hoping the creature from the poster would make an appearance but it doesn't.  That is if I didn't miss it.  Overall, The Sticks is one of those indie horror films that confuses the fuck out of me.  What is the purpose of the film and where is the story?  Honestly, I don't know if I missed something extremely important when I was watching it or the film fell apart during filming.  Regardless, I can't recommend this one.  Skip it.  

The Anointed

Director(s) - Jimmy Arbugh and Travis Lander

Starring - Jimmy Arbugh, Louise Arbaugh, and Marcedel Arbaugh

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Keep the faith"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been reviewing indie horror for years now and it's absolutely my favorite thing to do.  I love watching a no budget indie flick and then typing out my thoughts regardless if I had fun with the movie or not.  It's always a fun experience to check out an indie horror flick and I refuse to turn down for review.  Back before I started reviewing the Exorcismo set from Severin Films, I was asked to review the indie horror flick The Anointed.  I had already promised Severin I would check the set out but I didn't expect the set to take me as long as it did.  In fact, it took me almost a month to check it out and I would like to apologize to Shane Taraschke for allowing myself and Horror Society the opportunity to check it out.

     The film follows a a backwoods cult that is keen on misinterpreting the bible and killing those they feel are going against their beliefs.  Lucky for them, a pair of friends exploring the beautiful country of Arkansas and a small group of friends both cross paths with them resulting in some blood shed.

     I absolutely love religious horror and feel that it doesn't get enough love especially from the indie horror community.  I grew up in Appalachia and find religion, especially fanatical Christianity, to be extremely scary.  That's why I was so excited to check out The Anointed.  It looked like an no budget nod to films like Red State and Inverted.  Inverted had it's moments and I absolutely loved Red State.  The Anointed was a decent film but had a lot working against it.  The acting in this one was not that enjoyable for me.  The film starts out with a YouTube style vlogging introduction that was extremely difficult to watch.  The dialogue is very forced and not natural during this scene with the film not really improving as it progressed.  The cast, for what I was able to find, is not very experienced but they do show dedication to their roles which not something I can say about a lot of films regardless of budget.  The story for this one has it's issues but I absolutely love the idea of a religious cult in the woods killing trespassers who sin.  With that being said, having the two friends die before moving to the group split the film up when it didn't have to.  This, along with scenes that are a bit too long for the story, took away from the pacing.  Finally, the film has plenty of blood.  While the effects we get are very limited, it is not shy with the red stuff.  We get a lot of bloody deaths and moments that fit with the film very well.  Overall, The Anointed is extremely rough around the edges but is still enjoyable especially if you are a fan of religious horror.  While I don't see myself revisiting it anytime soon, I still enjoyed it.  Check it out.    

Dead By Dawn

Director - Dawid Torrone (Opowie Ci o Zbrodni)

Starring - Sylwia Boron (Bloody Date, Hold Tight), Monika Frajczyk (Leave No Traces, Green Border), and Adam Machalica (Planet Single, Raspberries)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I never know what to expect when I check my Horror Society email.  Am I going to get an email from a fan confused by what we do at Horror Society asking if they can get a role in a film?  Is it going to be a random actress asking for us to share their OnlyFans link?  Or, is it going to be a press release for a movie that I really want to see?  My emails can be pretty weird especially when I get the random off the wall emails from people that shouldn't have access to the internet.  However, I sometimes get emails to check out a movie that has really peaked my interest.  A few weeks back I received the press release for Polland's first giallo, Dead by Dawn.  The title, which also shares a name with the alternate title for Evil Dead II, really caught my eye with it's artwork.  I replied to the email and they were kind enough to send a link over for me to check.  

     The film follows a group of aspiring stage actors who visit an old theater that was once considered prestigious.  What they don't know is that a masked maniac is stalking the property killing everyone that is unfortunate enough to cross paths with them.  

     I went into Dead by Dawn excited to see a stylish and beautifully shot giallo but what I found was an extremely slow paced slasher with a lot of scenes that need trimmed down.  I seriously wanted to like this one but it wasn't meant to be.  It was painfully slow, uninteresting, and the slasher was very disappointing.  The acting in this one is easily one of the only redeeming qualities I could find in the film.  The characters are fairly forgettable and we don't have any outstanding performances but I liked the cast.  They really get into their roles and work well with each other.  The story for this one has an interesting premise but fails to put it all together into something truly enjoyable.  The film uses long, drawn out scenes with beautiful cinematography and locations to try to capture that giallo feel but it doesn't really give viewers the Italian mystery feel.  The movie is a slasher for the most part with an occult angle that is never fully explored as much as I would have liked.  I wish this was introduced earlier in the film and the mystery portion of the story played a bigger role.  Instead, we have a slasher flick that just doesn't have the fun that many slashers before it was able to deliver.  Finally, the kills offer up a lot of blood but they don't have the best practical effects or imagination.  The masked killer's weapon of choice is a meat cleaver but the deaths are unable to deliver on the imagination and originality that other meat cleaver killers, like 100 Tear, did before it.  Also, the killer's mask is pretty lame.  It's a mask covered in bright white eyes that does nothing for the scene.  Overall, Dead by Dawn just wasn't as fun as I had hoped it was.  It doesn't feel like a giallo.  Instead, it's a standard slasher where the killer has a stupid mask.  I want to recommend this one but I can't.  Skip it.    

Less Than Nothing

Director(s) - Reagan Henderson (The View Between Villages) and David Michan (El Vato, Price of Fame)

Starring - Samantha Shakira Clarke (Hyde and Seek, Suing the Devil), Gail Simpson (Nepo Baby, The Zeme), and Stew McLean (Arrow, Travelers)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Enjoy.  Consume.  Forget"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I just finished spending a tremendous amount of time reviewing every film in the Exorcismo set from my friends over at Severin Films.  There was so many movies in this set that it took me almost a month to watch and review them all plus an additional 5 hours to edit the reviews into a post.  I spent a lot of time on them which meant I took a lot of time away from indie horror.  I really fucking missed it and as soon as I finished my review for that colossal set, I immediately jumped onto the first indie horror flick I could find for review.  This just happened to be a short sent to me by David Michan after I reviewed his film The Girl Inside the Photograph.  I want to thank David for sending over Less Than Nothing for review!

     The film follows a successful woman who runs an organization that provides water to third world countries.  However, her success comes at a cost as she struggles mentally.  The things of luxury around her take on a life of their own and when they break down she is forced to dispose of them and easily replace them.

     After I posted my review for The Girl Inside the Photograph, I was contact by Michan to review this psychological short.  I didn't care for the first film but I can't turn away an indie horror flick to review and I'm glad I didn't because this short was a lot of fun.  It's not something I could rewatch multiple times but it was very enjoyable for what it was.  The acting in this one is very well done.  We only have two performing in a traditional sense while the rest of the cast delivering performances that the story needed to be affective.  I really enjoyed this cast and love how dedicated some of the "inanimate" objects were to their roles.  The story for this one is not really that horrifying but it could have been.  I like the American Psycho tribute and how the appliances watch the other appliances watch the "broken" appliances and other household items get disassembled or "dismembered."  With that being said, the film is way too clean and polish when the story has so much potential to be a real gritty horror tale.  Imagine a horror film where these objects are real in a Toy Story like film watching a person take the things apart.  It could be so fucking visceral.  Finally, the film has some blood but don't expect to see any memorable effects or gore.  The film clearly didn't have the budget for some great gore but adding that to what we have would have taken this one next level.  Overall, Less Than Nothing is a fun and entertaining short that has a very clever story.  It reminded me a lot of the meme about a Toy Story toy dying and the kids, unaware the toy has died, continues playing with the corpse.  It's fun as it is but could be so much more.  Check it out.  

After... Part Two: Tied Up and Tied Up Well

Director(s) - Cecilia Bartolome (Lejos de Africa, After...Part One: You Can't Be Left Alone) and Jose Juan Bartolome (En Pantalla, After...Part One: You Can't Be Left Alone)

Starring - Rafael Alberti (Teatro, Caudillo), Cristina Almeida (7 Vidas), and Santiago Bautista 

Release Date - 1983

Genre - Horror 

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I took the dive into this set for review, I never expected to see as many documentaries as this set contained.  What makes it even more surprising is the fact that the documentaries are for so many different topics besides the one sequel in the set.  Which brings me to the last film in the set which is the 1983 sequel After... Part Two: Tied Up and Tied Up Well.  The first doc was a bit lackluster but I was still excited to check this one out.

     This documentary continues to examine Spain after the death of it's dictator, Franco.  We look into how hard it was for the old powers at play to be removed, how the media played in big part in political, and social injustices that many citizens still faces after his death.

     While I wasn't really a fan of the first documentary, I was excited to check this one out.  I had hoped that it would fix it's inconsistencies the original had while making it a bit more enjoyable for international fans.  Sadly, that was not the case with this follow up feeling like it was made back to back with the first doc.  The interviews in this one is mostly from historians of the area or those that lived through the changes the country faced after Franco's death.  We also get interviews from people that are involved in different political parties, media, and so on.  It's a wide range of people being interviewed and they offer up a lot of insight into the matter.  The topics for this one pics up around the time the first film leaves off and we see the power vacuum from Franco's death and the subsequent consequences that followed.  It was a little more interesting in that regard but it's still a difficult doc to finish.  Finally, the editing in this one is rough and not very easy to follow.  Some of the interviews and topics bounce around creating some confusion.  Overall, After... Part Two; Tied Up and Tied Up Well is a documentary that I could see myself getting into if it was done a bit better.  The topics and interviews themselves are interesting but the confusing jump from topic to topic makes it a bit difficult to follow.  This is one from the set I would recommend skipping.  

Poppers

Director - Jose Maria Castellvi

Starring - Giannina Facio (The Hunger, Spanish Fly), Agustin Gonzalez (The Ugliest Woman in the World, Blood Hunt), and Conrado San Martin (The Black Duke, The Beast and the Magic Sword)

Release Date - 1984

Genre - Action/Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've finally reached the final two films in this set and I'm seriously surprised by how long this set has taken me to review.  I started this journey weeks ago but I wanted to give each film the same attention regardless if they were horror or not.  This next to last movie in the set is the 1984 action horror film Poppers which was also released under the title Hunting.  This is another one I had heard about prior to it's release after I saw it on Tubi when browsing 80s horror flicks.  I never took the time to check it out but I'm glad I finally did.  It was among the better films in the set.  

     Th film follows a musician who becomes jealous one night in a club while performing and accidentally kills a man.  He serves his time but when he is released he finds himself being hunted by a mob wanting him dead for the murder he committed.  At first he is running for his life but before long he starts fighting to survive and the mob is put on the run.

     I went into Poppers with the mindset that I was about to check out an action thriller set against the backdrop of a gay club.  The artwork for this release and poppers, which is what many in this area call whip its, is common among the LGBTQ party scene.  However, that was not the case and I found myself actually enjoying it.  The acting in this one if probably the best acting in the set.  The characters have a little more depth and the cast really does a great job at bringing their characters to life.  I would have liked to see some characters with a bit more memorable personalities but the cast does a great job with what they were given.  The story for this one reminded me a lot of an urban spin of the first Rambo film, First Blood.  A man being hunted by a group of people only to flip it on them by hunting them one by one.  It's fun for what it is but it doesn't have a lot of replay value.  We have good pacing and enough action to hold our attention.  Finally, the film has several bloody scenes but the effects are very limited.  The deaths are not that imaginative or creative which is a bit of a disappointment.  Overall, Poppers is a solid film that may not be original but it was fun.  This is the kind of film I could really enjoy with a few friends and some drinks.  Check it out.  

Supernatural

Director - Eugenio Martin (Bad Man's River, Order to Assassinate)

Starring - Cristina Galbo (Let Sleeping Corpses Lie, Elvira's Movie Macabre), Maximo Valverde (Holet Fear, Cave of the Sharks), and Ramon Lillo (The Naked Target, El Crack)

Release Date - 1981

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I have three films let in this set and coincidentally this one, along with the previous film, happened to be an Eugenio Martin double feature.  After I watch his That House in the Outskirts, it was time to watch the 1981 supernatural fantasy thriller Supernatural or Sobrenatural as it was originally released.  While most of the films in this set are new to me, this was one I had heard about prior to the set getting released.  I think I stumbled across it when I was looking up something for the CW show Supernatural when I found the poster for the film.  Regardless, I was excited to finally see it and want to thank Severin for sending this set over.

     The film follows a young woman who married a man a lot older than her.  She started seeing someone closer to her age around the time he takes a terrible fall.  After spending some time bedridden from his injuries, he eventually passes.  The young couple think they have everything to look forward to until the young woman becomes haunted by her former husband.

     I had seen the poster before and I'm sure I had looked up the synopsis when I found it but I didn't remember what it was about.  Honestly, it's a bit of a dull story that is similar to a lot of the mid to late 60s gothic horror tales but it has enough of the late 70s Spanish vibe to make it stand out.  The acting in this one is decent enough but no one really stands out.  The cast works well with each other and they do enough to move the scenes along but it's nothing memorable.  With a story that rivals several films starring Barbara Steele, I was expecting performances that would be on her level.  The story for this one is not that original but it was done in such a different style that it stands out in a way.  I can name three films that follows a woman, her lover, and a haunted or fake haunting that drives one of them and most of them would star Barbara Steele.  The pacing is pretty consistent and the story is rather predictable for what it is but what I loved here was the atmosphere and location.  It helped the story along so much and I really enjoyed it.  Finally, this is another one that isn't bloody or that violent which will be a turn off for many genre fans.  However, it is character driven and works if you are looking for something late at night with an eerie feel.  Overall, Supernatural is not going to be listed as anyone's favorite film but it's a solid watch especially if you find yourself wanting something atmospheric late at night.  Check it out.  

That House in the Outskirts

Director - Eugenio Martin (Horror Express, A Candle for the Devil)

Starring - Javier Escriva (Climax, Forbidden Love Game), Silvia Aguilar (Jaguar Lives!, The Night of the Werewolf), and Alida Valli (Suspiria, Eyes Without a Face)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've slowly made my way through the Exorcismo to this point when I tossed in the 1980 horror film Aquella Casa en las Afueras which is in the set as That House in the Outskirts.  This is a title that I knew absolutely nothing about but the title did absolutely nothing for me.  I decided to look at the poster for this one before I hit play on it and was once again not impressed by it.  I start to think this was going to be a lame ass movie with no imagination but I was wrong.  It was a simple film that had a lot of tension that absolutely worked.

     The film follows a woman who is expecting as she travels to a mansion her husband has rented on the outskirts of Spain.  They plan on delivering the baby there but she is shocked when she realizes that the place he has rented was once an illegal clinic that was secretly performing abortions several years before where she had one prior to meeting her husband.  To make matters worse, one of the residents of the mansion is the former assistant of the doctor that performed the abortions.  Now, the expecting mother is forced to relive the experience while trying to stay calm during her pregnancy only for the former assistant, now suffering from schizophrenia, sends her late term pregnancy into madness.

    I went into That House in the Outskirts expecting a generic and unforgettable but that was not the case.  It was a well craft atmospheric horror thriller that had a simple story that was very effective.  Honestly, I wish it had a catchier title and artwork that stirred your imagination because it really deserves your attention.  The acting in this one is very consistent but very middle of the road.  The entire cast is on the same page and deliver some solid performances but no one really delivers something memorable.  The characters are very well written and fit the story very well but the performances are not near what I was expecting.  The story for this one is very clever for what it is but it is somewhat on the goofy side.  A man renting out a mansion for his wife to relax during the last leg of her pregnancy is kind of sweet.  However, having this big spacious manor being the location of an illegal abortion clinic is a bit of a stretch.  However, if you can look past this then you have a solid story with a bit uneven pacing.  It's fun and I really appreciate the story for what it is.  Finally, this one doesn't have any blood for genre fans to enjoy.  The movie relies heavily on the story and character development over blood and guts.  Overall, That House in the Outskirts is a great entry in the Exorcismo set.  I loved the story and the characters but the acting is a bit lackluster, Regardless, it was a lot of fun.  Check it out.  

Triangle of Lust

Director - Hubert Frank (The Story of the Dolls, Disco Fever)

Starring - Patricia Adriani (The Nest, August Moon) Barbara Rey (Dirty World, Little Lips), and Jose Antonio Ceinos (Black Venus, The Brother from Space)

Release Date - 1978

Genre - Action

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     The Exorcismo set from Severin Films really shows how fast the movie industry in Spain was quick to capitalize on the death of their dictator.  We went from films being heavily censored to films with gratuitous amounts of nudity.  This set features a few horror films, a couple documentaries, and a handful of action flicks but almost every one of them had some nudity for the sleazy fans to enjoy.  I've been working on this set for sometime and made it to the last five or so films with the next movie being the 1978 action flick Triangle of Lust from 60s and 70s erotica filmmaker Hubert Frank.

     The film follows a beautiful young woman traveling by a small plane when she finds herself having to jump for her life.  She is nowhere near her destination and her jump takes her to a small, secluded island.  She is not the only person there as she finds that a small group of criminals on the run have claimed the island as their own.  The group consists of rough and rowdy men and women afraid of clothes who see the new body as one they can play with when they are not fighting over her.

    This is one, like many, from the set that I knew absolutely nothing about.  I went into it only knowing the title and the film pretty delivered on exactly what I thought it would.  It was mildly fun for a first time watch but it's easily forgettable and not something I would want to watch again anytime soon.  The acting for this one is surprisingly well done which really surprised me.  The characters are, once again, not that very likable but the cast does a solid job.  They really work well with each other and in several scenes they brought out the best of each other.  I do wish a few of the characters had personalities that stood out but these types of films are not made to be memorable and a lot of time is never spent on the development.  The story for this one is fucking perfect for a sexploitation action flick that is light on the action.  An isolated island with a group of criminal and a beautiful woman falling from the sky just screams sleaze.  With that being said, the story is a one trick pony that relies heavily on the nudity to carry the scene over actual story telling.  While this may be enough for fans of sexploitation and nudie flicks of the late 60s and 70s, cinema fans need a bit more to grab onto.  Finally, this is not a bloody flick.  We have some skin, some fights, and more skin but that is all we have to see here.  If you want memorable deaths and great effects then you will need to look elsewhere.  Overall, Triangle of Lust is a solid entry in the sexploitation sub-genre but doesn't have the memorable story or performances that makes the others so iconic.  It's solid for a first time watch but doesn't have replay value.

Faces

Director - Juan Ignacio Galvan (El Embarazado)

Starring - Carmen Sevilla (The Devil's Cross, The Glass Ceiling), Juan Pardo (Escala en Hi-Fi, Dias de Viejo Color), and Barbara Rey (The Night of the Sorcerers, The Ghost Galleon)

Release Date - 1978

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I've been reviewing these movies in this Exorcismo set for what feels like weeks now and it's been a wild ride to say the least.  Some of these films were a lot of fun while others were a bit difficult to finish.  I didn't mind the negative ones because these films were pioneering for Spanish cinema after the death of Franco.  As I work through the last leg of the set I find myself about to watch the 1978 horror film Rostros, or Faces, from filmmaker Juan Ignacio Galvan.  I was unaware that Faces was the film Rostros but I had seen the original poster for this one in the Upcoming Horror Movies message boards many years ago.  I never had a chance to see it or knew the alternate title was Faces but once I realized it was the same film I was excited to check it out.

     The film follows a struggle artist who has mad a career out of sculptures.  However, he has worked so many faceless sculptures that he now struggles seeing the faces of the people around him.  This changes while on a flight when he encounters a woman of unimaginable beauty.  He becomes infatuated with her and tries to pursue her but the closer he gets to her the weirder things are as their lives are turned upside by a strange woman in white.

     Faces is nothing like I expected.  Honestly, I liked the basis for the story but the unlikable characters and poor pacing made this one extremely mediocre.  I can see why it would be included in the set and why it was mentioned on the UHM message boards back then but this one was not for me.  The acting in this one isn't bad.  In fact, it's pretty well done by most of the cast.  The cast really gets into their roles and the characters are written very well for the story.  Sadly, the characters are not that likable and the decent performances are lost to the scene.  The story for this one is very interesting when you look at the film as a whole but it's execution, similar to other films in the set, doesn't reach it's full potential.  The sculptor lost to his own creations only to find obsession with a random woman is poetic.  You then have the voodoo aspect tossed in that adds some layer to the story but is not fully explored like I had hoped.  With that being said, the story doesn't really want to commit to any aspect of the story.  We bounce around from theme to theme without dedication to any of it.  Personally, I wish it would have fully embraced the voodoo aspect and gave us a chilling folk horror tale about the artist and his love interest.  Finally, this one doesn't really have a body count or a gore.  It's a character driven piece with a story that is meant to hold the viewer's attention.  Fans of the red stuff will be very disappointed with this one.  Overall, Faces has a story that was pretty fucking clever and surprised me with the little voodoo angle but it couldn't put it all together into something enjoyable.  I seriously wanted to like it but couldn't.