A Ghost Waits

Director - Adam Stovall 

Starring - MacLeod Andrews (Doctor Sleep, Fear: 13 Stories of Suspense and Horror), Natalie Walker (BoJack Horseman, Fakers), and Sydney Vollmer (#Awkward Dates, Wildfire)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror/Romance

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I never know what I'm going to pick up at the post office on a daily basis.  For a movie fan, reviewing movies has been one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had.  I get a fair amount of mail in on a daily basis from companies wanting me to review their movies.  A few days ago MVD sent over a few Arrow Video releases for me to check out.  Out of the four titles sent my way I had not seen two of them before.  One that really caught my eye was A Ghost Waits which was the only new film out of the four.  When I finished my Goriest Production double feature I decided I would toss it in and see what it was about.  I want to thank MVD and Arrow Video for sending these my way.

     The film follows Jack (Andrews) who is hired to clean out a rental property that tenants refuse to stay in.  After spending some time there he discovers that it is haunted.  The ghost, Muriel (Walker) is tasked with haunting the house but when Jack refuses to leave which makes Muriel look bad with her supervisor.  The hard Muriel tries the more time she spends with Jack.  Overtime the two start to fall for each other but when Rosie, a new ghost trying to prove she's good at scaring, arrives the two work together to get rid of Rosie before they realize they love each other.  

     I didn't expect the film to be a traditional horror tale and for the most part it wasn't.  However, the film was very unique especially when compared to the other indie horror flicks I review.  It was very comforting while having great atmosphere and tone.  It's rare to get an indie production that leaves it's mark like A Ghost Waits does.  The acting in this one is fantastic.  The supporting cast is great but Andrews and Walker are fantastic together.  The characters are so well written and the two do a fantastic job together.  Their chemistry is great and they are naturals in front of the camera.  The story for this one is not your traditional supernatural tale.  The mix of moody drama with horror elements mixed with romance creates a rather unique film that will pull the viewer in.  The character development is far above most films with similar budgets.  Finally, this is not a bloody and gory flick.  The black and white mixed with the make-up makes the ghosts stand out but no blood for the average gore junkie.  Overall, A Ghost Waits is a movie I thought I would never like but here I am still thinking about it after it's long been off.  I highly recommend snagging this arrow release.  It's well worth it.  

Goriest Production Short Compilation 2010 - 2020

Director - Patrick Fortin

Release Date - 2010 - 2020

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love how wild some no budget indie horror flicks can go.  I've seen parodies of some of my favorite horror movies, I've seen fan films, and I've even seen unofficial sequels.  I've always seen some wild original tales told with absolutely no budget.  A few days ago director Patrick Fortin reached out to me to review some of his works.  I started this strange journey with his 2020 horror flick Carnival of Gore.  When I was finished with that it was time for his short compilation which consists of shorts he had made from 2010 to 2020.  I once again want to thank Patrick for sending this over to check out.  

     This short compilation consists of segments ranging from slasher inspired shorts, to music videos, and a few animated segments.  There is a wide range of videos to be seen here.

     I've reviewed a few short compilations over the years and they were all fun experiences.  It's even more entertaining when they are compilations from the same director and you can witness them growing as a director.  I had a lot of fun with this comp here but it was a little too long for liking.  At almost two hours it becomes more a chore to finish than for fun.  The acting in these segments are very inconsistent.  We get some very amateur and inexperienced performances to extremely energetic and intense performances.  None are memorable or amazing but they work for the shorts and show plenty of promise.  The stories, much like the acting, is very inconsistent.  Some of the shorts were fun, like The Evil Massacre segment.  Keep in mind, these are no budget shorts but for the short running time they are fun.  My only real complaint with this comp is the running time.  This should have been split up into two different volumes.  The run time is almost two hours which is a bit too long for one sitting for a comp like this.  Finally, the film has a lot of blood, gore, and fun animation.  The blood and gore is fun but the budget did prevent it from being better than it is.  It's still very enjoyable for the segments.  Overall, this comp is fun especially if you are looking for a late night bloodbath with some booze.  Don't expect a life changing experience but go into it looking for some backyard fun.  

Carnival of Gore

Director - Patrick Fortin

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I use social media as a way to discover new indie horror flicks.  Because these films never have the extra money for marketing they rely heavily on social media to find  an audience so I'm always on the looking out for movies using hashtags on Instagram or befriending indie filmmakers on Facebook.  A few days ago my friends over at Dead Vision Productions announced that a new film was going live for pre-order this Friday (today).  The new film, Park Street Diary, was directed by Patrick Fortin.  I had befriended Fortin sometime ago but I had never seen any of his films.  I commented on the post and after some joking around he messaged me to check out some of his other films.  I graciously accepted and started my movie marathon with his 2020 film Carnival of Gore.  Thanks Patrick!

     The film follows a pair of clowns who are cannibals as they murder, eat, and party their way through the countryside.

     I had heard about Carnival of Gore sometime ago when some people I follow on Instagram shared copies of the film on blu I believe it was.  The title really caught my attention and the artwork was phenomenal but I forgot to follow up on acquiring a copy for my collection.  Aside from the title and it having something to do with clowns that was all that I knew about the film.  After watching it I can safely say that I knew about 50% of the film just from the title and artwork alone.  The movie is very straight forward but very fun.  The acting in this one is nothing award winning but I really enjoyed the energy the cast brought to the film especially the clowns.  They all look like they are having fun on set which translates very well for the scenes.  The story for this one is nothing complicated.  We have clowns goofy off when they are not killing and eating people.  Simple as that.  The film does look like it was two short films put together which I think would be more effective if it was left as two segments instead of one.  The film runs for a little over an hour but with the type of story we get it does run a little too long.  Seeing it as two shorts would have been far more enjoyable.  Finally, if you want blood and gore then you are luck.  The film is filled with practical effects.  We get blood, some gore, and lots of props that fit the film well.  Some are a little funny to look at and the visual effects are cheesy but the rest are worth noting.  Overall, Carnival of Gore doesn't try to give the viewer the next genre defining film.  Instead, it went with a simple and entertaining approach.  It was a movie that looks like it was fun to make and just as fun to watch.  Check it out.  

Dolly Deadly

Director - Heid Moore (Mommy, Soul Doubt)

Starring - Justin Moore (Dolly Deadly 1.5, Kill Dolly Kill), Kimberly West-Carroll, and Jay Sosnicki (Elliot, Hi-Death)

Release Date - 2016

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "All dolled up and ready to kill"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been a fan of Troma for sometime now.  Ever since I first found the tapes in high school I was hooked.  Writing for Horror Society has it's own perks.  Getting to hear about new and upcoming horror movies prior to their release is a big one.  Sometime back I received the press release from Troma announcing that they had acquired the indie horror film Dolly Deadly for their streaming platform Troma Now.  Sometime has passed and I saw that the film was getting a blu release.  I had yet to see it so I went ahead and snagged a copy to check out when I had the time.  After watching Reunion from Hell I decided it was the perfect time to give it a spin.

     The film follows Benji who lives with his grandmother and her deadbeat boyfriend in the trailer park.  He lost his mother when he was a baby and now only has dolls and stuffed animals of hers to remember her by.  Because of his attachment to these he is often ridiculed and mocked by his family and friends.  He finally reaches his boiling point and things turn deadly.  

     Dolly Deadly is not what I was expecting at all but I fucking loved it.  The film would be the second movie in my unintentional LGBTQ double feature after spinning Reunion from Hell.  It was extremely well written and fun with that Troma trash/punk aesthetic.  I really enjoyed it and I think if you were open minded you would as well.  The acting in this one is phenomenal.  The supporting cast brings to life a wide array of characters that are not only memorable but very fun to watch.  Even if you are meant to hate the character you still find yourself enjoying their performance and almost picking out common traits you share with them.  With that being said. Justin Moore is the star of the show.  He doesn't let his age or lack of experience stop him from shinning.  His portrayal of Benji brings out a lot of emotions in the viewer.  As someone who grew up in a broken home I really felt his performance.  He really struck a chord with me.  I can't wait to see him appear in other genre titles as he gets older.  The story for this one is one we've seen before but with a little LGBTQ flair.  We've seen so many horror and exploitation films following a kid/teen/pre-teen who is bullied and neglected living in a trailer park before turning to bloodshed.  Hell, just a few months ago I reviewed Gun Crazy which follows a couple from a trailer park that goes on a mass shooting.  What sets this one apart from the others is the added trash cinema flair with the young killer donning a dress while killing.  It's hard not to say this is a horror film from the mind of a John Water's fan but fans of both will see the similarities.  Finally, the film has some extremely bloody and violent deaths with some solid practical effects.  We get a little gore but nothing that will really stand out.  Overall, Dolly Deadly is not your typical horror film.  It has an emotional range that most indie films are unable to produce while delivering the standard horror chills.  I highly recommend this one.  

Reunion from Hell

Director(s) - Hayden Newman and Sam Hodge (Twelve Pole, Glam)

Starring - Hayden Newman (Slasher Scotty, Beam Me Up Scotty: A Podcast), Cody Alexander (Truly, Madly, Pool Party), and Adam Freeman (Cannibal Hookers, Piggy)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Everyone is a suspect and no one is safe!"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several years ago I befriended West Virginia filmmaker Sam Hodge on Facebook when he was promoting his debut film Twelve Pole Manor.  The film was a fun supernatural flick that I was not expecting to enjoy as much as I did.  Not longer after this the film was released by my friends over at Wild Eye as Twelve Pole.  Hodge has been hard at work since then working on several shorts and scoring several films for other filmmakers.  A few days back Sam reached out to me to check out a new feature length film he co-directed with first time filmmaker Hayden Newman.  The film, Reunion from Hell, looked like a fun one so I jumped at the chance to check it out.  I want to thank Sam for allowing Horror Society and myself the chance to check this one out.

     The film follows Riley (Newman) who returns to his hometown after his friend was brutally murdered.  Riley left sometime ago when his father died in a car accident on his wake to pick him up while he was partying.  Now, after returning home his friends are being murdered one by one.  Knowing someone is out for him he begins his own investigation to find out who is responsible but discovers that the killer is someone very close to him.  

     Reunion from Hell looked like it would be a fun slasher with a modern spin.  For the most part, it was but it struggled in a few different aspects.  With some editing and trimming of the scenes we could have something fun but the cut I watched was way too long and had severe pacing issues.  The acting in this one is a little hit and miss.  Some of the scenes are extremely well acted but other scenes are a little tough to sit through.  The cast's dedication to their role is unquestionable but several scenes has underwhelming performances.  The cast struggles with their volume while over-acting resulting some unintentional laughs and drawn out scenes.  I want to explain, this is not the entire film.  Some of the scenes are well acted and everyone seems comfortable with each other resulting in other enjoyable scenes.  The story for this one, much like the acting, has some ups and downs.  The film's beginning is an amazing plot device to get the story rolling and the ending is extremely wild but the hour long lump in the middle of the film is rough.  The film is compromised of several long and drawn out scenes full of tedious dialogue.  This really throws the pacing of the film off and makes it tough to sit through.  The film could have a lot trimmed out and the story would still remain intact.  Honestly, the film would flow a lot better if it was trimmed down to around 50 minutes or so.  With all of that being said, I don't think enough modern indie horror flicks do a great enough job representing their fans.  Most horror movies follow heavily tattooed characters who often have horror oriented tattoos as they act like they've never seen a horror movie before.  Reunion from Hell brings in a group of diverse characters that represents the LGBTQ community.  It's not often that I get a LGBTQ friendly film to review.  Finally, the film has some fun kills that are a great tribute to the slashers of old.  They are bloody, violent, and look surprisingly well for the films.  However, if you are looking for a lot of gore then you will be very disappointed here.  Overall, Reunion from Hell has some fun moments but the story is stretched way too thin.  The movie could use some heavy editing with at least 30 to 40 minutes cut.  It still deserves a watch because the opening and ending is well worth it in my opinion.  

They Reach

Director - Sylas Dall (The Blue Line, Hit Squad)

Starring - Mary Madaline Roe (The Ice Cream Date, Two Pictures), Morgan Chandler (Silence), and Eden Campbell (Z Nation, The Mortuary Collection)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "First you hear them.  Then you see them.  Then..."

Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Sometime ago, last year I believe, I received the press release for the horror tale They Reach.  The artwork looked fun and I was getting a Stranger Things vibe from it.  I marked it down to check out later but I forgot which is typical for me.  I look at so many movies through out the week for the site that I often lose count of which ones I was interested in and which ones didn't peak my interest.  A few days ago I was at a Walmart I typically don't visit when I saw that they had a bigger selection of movies than my local Walmart.  I snagged I Am Lisa, Sacrilege, and They Reach.  They Reach was the one I was the most excited to see so I put it at the end of my movie marathon.

     The film follows a young girl in 1979 who just lost her older brother.  Her parents are taking it hard but she finds herself following in her father's footsteps of tinkering on electronics.  She finds a box of junk at an old store and buys it when she discovers an broken cassette player in it.  While working on it she accidentally cuts her hand.  What she doesn't know is that the recording on the cassette is of a failed exorcism.  Her blood on the tape opens up a portal allowing a darkness to enter this world and take over her small town.  It's up to her and her two friends to stop them before everyone they love dies.  

     Stranger Things did a lot for the genre.  It made horror and sci-fi more trendy than what it already was and gave production companies a bigger reason to take a chance with horror.  With that being said, it didn't really do anything new or inventive.  It gave nostalgia hungry millennials something to watch.  Now, we are getting movies that are ripping the show off in the same way the market became oversaturated with zombie films after The Walking Dead premiered.  They Reach is extremely inspired by Stranger Things but the film struggled to find it's own footing.  The acting in this one is very well done.  The relatively young cast delivers a great performance that rivaled shows of films featuring casts of the same age.  The budget for this one is nowhere near that of Stranger Things, It, and so on but this cast delivers just as good of a performance as the actors in those.  They work very well together and their characters were extremely fun to watch.  The supporting cast is just as great.  I loved the casting in this one.  The story for this one is one of the biggest missed opportunities in horror history.  The movie goes in too many different directions.  We get the story centered around kids who have these creatures after them that are afraid of light.  This was a solid premise but we then have moments where this children oriented movie goes extremely dark and gruesome which is not how the film was set up.  It's out of place but if the film would have went that way from the very beginning it could have worked.  We then have these random scenes scattered throughout that are extremely light-hearted and even more out of place than the darker scenes.  The writing in this is very inconsistent which created an inconsistent film that falls short.  Finally, the film has some extremely bloody moments but the deaths, sadly, take place off screen.  We get some blood splatter at various times throughout the film but if you are looking for practical effects and fun deaths you will be disappointed.  Overall, They Reach was such a missed opportunity.  The story could have been one hell of a horror flick but the movie struggles with itself.  It has some fun moments as it is but don't expect a movie that will stick with you.  

Sacrilege

Director - David Creed (Special Delivery)

Starring - Tamaryn Payne (Vikings, One More Lie), Emily Wyatt (Spring Heeled Jack, 100 Streets), and Sian Abrahams (Tales of Modern Witchery: Darla's Vegetarian Magic Pies, Aylesbury Dead)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Face your fears"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     Several months ago I received the press release for a British pagan horror film titled Sacrilege.  The artwork turned me off of the film but the title and synopsis sounded extremely fun.  A few weeks had passed and I completely forgot about the film until I was at a Walmart that I don't typically visit when I noticed a few horror titles on the shelf.  I Am Lisa really caught my eye but beside it was Sacrilege.  I was excited to finally have some horror titles to pick up so I snagged them.  After I gave I Am Lisa a spin I decided to follow it up with Sacrilege.  

     The film follows four young women who decide to get away for a weekend and rent a cabin deep in the woods.  The locals are celebrating their history by hosting a pagan festival and invite the ladies.  They arrive and enjoy some drinks before writing down their fears and tossing the paper in the fire.  Soon they are faced with their worst fears imaginable and discover that the pagan celebration was real and they are the sacrifices.

     After watching I Am Lisa and enjoying it I was excited to dig into another new release that I had never seen.  Sadly, the movie was extremely dull and the part of the film that was the most interesting takes the backseat.  I'm a sucker for cult and pagan horror tales but they always put that part of the film on the backburner.  Sacrilege is no different.  The acting in this one is pretty solid.  I was apprehensive when I saw that the film followed a group of young women.  In the past when I watched a film with a similar plot I found the interactions among the cast to be extremely cringy.  However, I really liked the cast and the characters here.  Everyone had their own personality and they worked very well together.  The supporting cast is done just as well.  I loved the wide range of characters and though they were somewhat generic and cliched the cast still did a fantastic job with them.  The story for this one is where the movie lost me.  The film had a fantastic set up.  Sure, it's got that Wicker Man vibe where people are tricked into attending and becoming the sacrifice but it could have still worked.  Sadly, most of the film is based around the four ladies which doesn't start out wrong.  It does help with creating character backstories but the movie continues to focus on them and their living arrangements for far too long without letting the rest of the story develop.  The movie did not need an hour to establish who is who, who slept with who, and who is the most shallow.  This was already established BEFORE they arrived at the house.  The movie really needed to make the pagan cult a bigger part of the story.   Finally, the film has a few deaths scenes.  They had blood with a little practical effects but nothing that made them stand out or leave a lasting impression.  Overall, Sacrilege is like so many movies that I've seen over the years.  It has an interesting story on paper but is unable to pull it all together in front of the camera.  This is one I would skip.  

I Am Lisa

Director - Patrick Rea (Arbor Demon, Monster X)

Starring - Kristen Vaganos (Witch Hunt, The Hoarding), Jennifer Seward (The Stylist, Terminal), and Manon Halliburton (The Sopranos, Law and Order)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "It took a town to beat her down... and a full moon to get revenge"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     A couple months back I was visiting my local Walmart and was extremely disappointed in the lack of genre titles to choose from.  I know the pandemic has but the entire world in a bind but I really do miss going to Walmart and snagging a couple horror flicks I've never seen before.  That same day I found myself in a nearby town so I stopped in their Walmart just to look around when I spotted a few horror titles my store didn't have.  The first I snagged was the werewolf flick I Am Lisa from Mill Creek Entertainment.  I'm a sucker for an indie werewolf flick and I couldn't wait to check it out.

     The film follows Lisa (Vaganos) who returns to her hometown following the death of her grandmother.  She opens a book store and is soon harassed by the town drug dealer Jessica who just happens to be the daughter of the Sheriff, Deb (Halliburton).  When she tries to file a complaint on Jessica she finds herself assaulted.  They beat her up and then take her to the woods for the wolves to eat.  However, after she is bit she is saved and soon discovers that it was no ordinary wolf that bit her.  Now, she's slowly turning into a werewolf and has revenge on her mind.

     I went into this one extremely excited for a new werewolf film but was quickly greeted with unlikable characters and poor pacing.  As I reached the hour mark I was fully prepared to write a negative review for this one.  However, I stuck with it and the last twenty or so minutes of the film made it worth it.  Is it perfect?  Fuck no, it's not.  However, it was a solid enough watch.  You just have to stick with it.  The acting in this one is good.  The cast does a well enough job.  Their performances are very grounded and there is no awkward scenes.  The cast was great all around.  With that being said, there is no likable characters aside from one and she is only in the film for a few moments.  The characters are not that well written and you just wait for bad things to happen for them.  Even the character of Lisa is unlikable.  She was a poorly developed character that needed to be written into the story better.  The story for this one is stretched way too thin but as the film enters the third act you find yourself pulled it.  You have to shift through an hour of dialogue heavy scenes along with scenes that serve no point to the story before you get to the good part.  So much of this movie could be cut out and the story would be intact.  Finally, the film has some make-up effects but no full werewolf costume.  The deaths are bloody and fit with the theme of the film but are not that memorable.  With that being said, the pentagram scene was very impressive.  I really liked that gag.  Overall, I am Lisa will not be for everyone.  In fact, I'm waiting for the comments to roll in saying I was paid to write this review.  Honestly, I enjoyed it.  It grew on me but there is a lot of unnecessary scenes that need clipped.  

Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot

Director - Roger Spottiswoode (48hrs, Turner and Hooch)

Starring - Sylvester Stallone (Demolition Man, Judge Dredd), Estelle Getty (Tootsie, Deadly Force), and JoBeth Williams (Poltergeist, Jabberwocky)

Release Date - 1992

Genre - Comedy/Action

Tagline - "Detective Joe Bomoski's mom is in town for a visit.  She did the laundry, washed the windows and scrubbed the floors.  Now, she's gonna clean up the streets"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in college I went through this huge 70s and 80s action kick.  I was buying as many random action movies as I could find and before long I found myself on a Sylvester Stallone kick.  I had acquired a bunch of his films and among them was Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot.  I was always burning up Over the Top, Demolition Man, Cobra, and so many more of his films but I never had the urge to watch Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot.  A couple days ago I was placing an order for a couple Mill Creek releases on blu when I saw that Stop! received a blu release with the VHS slipcover.  I'm a sucker for this gimmick and snagged one.  After watching The Babe and Blind Fury I decided to finish my night with this one.  It was fun and I wish I wouldn't have waited so long to see it.  

     The film follow detective Joe Bomoski (Stallone) who gets a visit from his mother.  The visit starts out innocently enough but before long she finds herself the witness to a murder.  She withholds information from the detective working the case to give to Joe in hopes of helping him get promoted.  This sends Joe and his mother into the middle of an insurance fraud case putting them both in danger.

     Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot is a stain on Stallone's career and one that he has regretted doing.  The long standing rumor was revealed to be true in an interview when Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed that he tricked Stallone into taking the role.  Regardless, I find the film to be extremely fun.  Slow at times but you can't deny how much fun it is.  The acting in this one is far from perfect but it fits the film.  Stallone delivers another one of this famous Raspberry quality performances which is why I like him.  I love how irrational his characters always are and the intensity he brings to simple scenes.  So many films of his has unintentional humor and this film is no different.  Estelle Getty delivers a fun performance.  Her character makes the film and she was perfectly cast here.  I couldn't imagine anyone else in this role.  The supporting cast has just as colorful characters that makes the film fun.  So much writing went into the characters and the cast does a great job at bringing them to life.  The story for this one is perfectly early 90s.  I could see myself spinning this one with other action comedies of the time.  Sure, it's not Stallone's best but that doesn't make it a bad film.  It just means it wasn't meant for you.  The way the story unfolds is just like a typical direct to video action comedy of the early 90s that I would often rent.  I enjoyed it even though it was pretty predictable once the ball started moving.  Finally, the film has several death scenes that are mostly gun wounds that don't have any blood or practical effects. Overall, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot is campy as hell but extremely fun.  If you lived through the video store era of the early 90s then you will really appreciate this one.  It's not for the typical Stallone fan but if you like the goofy side of cinema then you will enjoy this one.  The blu quality looks great but Mill Creek once again dropped the ball in regards to bonus content.  

The Babe

Director - Arthur Miller (Nightwing, The Hospital)

Starring - John Goodman (Arachnophobia, Revenge of the Nerds), Kelly McGillis (Top Gun, The Accused), and Trini Alvarado (The Frighteners, Fringe)

Release Date - 1992

Genre - Drama

Tagline - "There was only one"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     A couple weeks ago I was going through Amazon to order the action comedy Blind Fury.  It was released a few months prior on blu from Mill Creek Entertainment but I really wanted to see it.  When I tossed it in my cart I noticed that Mill Creek had just released a few other movies on blu that I really wanted to add to my collection.  One of the films I snagged was the 1992 biographical drama The Babe starring John Goodman.  Goodman is one of my favorite actors and The Babe is one I remember watching as a kid.  I couldn't wait to give this one a revisit.  

     The films follows the life of Babe Ruth (Goodman) who is dropped off at an orphanage at a young age.  It was here that he learned that he had a knack for hitting balls.  As he gets older he starts to get noticed by the big leagues and is eventually "adopted" to play for them.  As his fame grows so does his pocket.  He starts giving back to the kids in the community but realizes he is still missing something.  He falls in love with a waitress but, over time, realizes that her lifestyle and his are too different and eventually divorce where he remarries a woman he had met some years back.  Now an aging star, the sets his sites on managing a team but is unable to land the gig before he passes.

     The Babe isn't going to be for everyone.  Especially for my typical reader base but I revisited it and felt the need to write about it.  It's an insanely entertaining film that a lot of people seem to overlook.  I really enjoyed the acting in this one.  Goodman, as I stated earlier, delivers as the great Bambino.  He's one of my favorite actors and I loved seeing him as the charismatic Babe Ruth.  Watching Goodman as the character of Ruth grow was really fantastic to see.  The supporting cast is just as entertaining with some delivering more memorable performances than others.  The story for this one is not historically accurate but it does give us the memorable moments of his life.  It was great to see these iconic moments unfold in the film.  However, the movie jumps from different points in his life like a typical biographical film so a lot of stuff gets left out.  Finally, the film is not a bloody flick.  It's a period piece that has gorgeous wardrobes and sets.  I really loved the look and tone of the film.  Overall, The Babe is a very entertaining period piece from the early 90s.  I enjoyed the cast and it was amazing seeing these iconic Babe Ruth moments unfold on the screen.  The blu from Mill Creek looks great but the lack of bonus features is a bit of a let down.  

Blind Fury

Director - Phillip Noyce (The Bone Collector, Roots)

Starring - Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner, Hobo with a Shotgun), Terry O'Quinn (The Stepfather, The X-Files), and Brandon Call (Step by Step, Warlock)

Release Date - 1989

Genre - Action/Comedy

Tagline - "Nick Parker is quick as a snake, strong as a bull.  ...not to mention blind as a bat"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Rutger Hauer is one of the most underrated actors of his time.  He was in so many amazing films spanning his 50 year career but he really came into his own in the 80s and 90s when he appeared in some amazing action, sci-fi, and horror films that are loved by many still to this day.  Blade Runner, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Split Second and so many more.  He was again reminded how underrated of an actor he is when he appeared in the 2011 exploitation comedy Hobo with a Shotgun.  Sometime back Mill Creek Entertainment announced a blu release of Hauer's action comedy Blind Fury.  I had never seen this one and needed it for my collection.  I found it for a reasonable price on Amazon a few days ago and snagged it.  Over the weekend I had a Mill Creek marathon and this was the first one on the chopping block.

     The film follows Vietnam vet Nick Parker (Hauer) who was blinded during an attack and took prisoner.  He was then released and became a member of a small village where he was taught how to use a sword.  After many years he returns home to seek out an old friend he made while he was in the army but when he arrives at his house he discovers he is divorced and no longer living there.  He meets his ex-wife and young son but soon a group of goons disguised at police officers arrives to get the young boy to use as bait so his dad can cook up drugs.  They kill the boy's mom but Nick is able to fight them off and rescue the boy.  He promises the dying woman that he will take her son across the country to his father and save him from a casino owner who has kidnapped him and forced him to cook drugs.  

     The artwork on the blu paints a completely different picture than the artwork I had previously seen for this one.  The original artwork made me think I was in for a cheesy 80s action flick.  However, the Mill Creek release uses artwork that properly depicts the film.  It was cheesy, full of action, but it has humor that really makes it stand out.  I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I'm embarrassed that it took me so long to see it.  The acting in this one is exactly what you would expect from a film like this.  Hauer does a solid enough job as a blind martial arts practitioner.  His performance makes the film and the lengths he went to for a few laughs really surprised me.  Brandon Call delivers a pretty solid performance as well.  His young age here doesn't stop him from out doing some of the supporting cast.  The supporting cast delivers some hit or miss performances but the overall tone of the film is acted fairly well.  The story for this one is more comedy focused but the action and adventure works very well.  The character development works very well with the story.  There is a few scenes where the movie seems to drag on but the pacing is fairly consistent.  With a few simple changes this movie could be one of those direct to video films aimed for children that most of my generation grew up on.  I could double feature this one with Suburban Commando and 3 Ninjas.  Finally, the movie has a little blood but nothing memorable.  Most of the deaths are by sword with a little blood and little to no practical effects.  Overall, Blind Fury is one hell of a fun film.  It may not be the most memorable film but it's extremely fun.  I would highly recommend it if you are in the mood for some cheesy 80s action.  The blu release from Mill Creek looks great.  The video and audio quality is fantastic.  I highly recommend checking this one out.  

Castle Freak

Director - Tate Steinsiek (Guts, The Terrible Tale of Jaquelyn Torne)

Starring - Clair Catherine (Trust, The Preppie Connection), Kika Magalhaes (The Eyes of My Mother, Vamp Bikers), and Jake Horowitz (The American Werewolves, The Vast of Night)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "A bold reimaging of a horror classic"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was getting into horror I was visiting the video store a few times a week to rent movies.  It was at my local video store that I was introduced to Full Moon.  I don't remember which movies was my first Full Moon movie but I remember over the years renting a good portion of the Puppet Master series, Lurking Fear, and a bunch more along with a good portion of their Empire and Moonbeam releases.  I had rented their 1995 film Castle Freak several times and sometime ago I was lucky enough to review the blu release of the film from Full Moon.  I really enjoy this one but when I heard that it was getting a remake I was confused.  Out of all the films to get a remake why was this one?  A rather obscure Full Moon release getting a remake was a bit weird.  Regardless, I was for it and sometime back I snagged a copy of it on blu for a reasonable price.  A few nights ago I decided to have a movie marathon and gave this one a shot.  I enjoyed it for the most part.

     The film follows a young woman and her boyfriend obsessed with partying who visit an old castle after inheriting it when her mother killed herself.  She was adopted and assumed her mother was poor but now realized that her mother gave her up for adoption to save her when her friends discover the Necronomicon explaining how her, and her disfigured twin, will bring about the old ones.

     The original Castle Freak is atmospheric and moody with a chilling story and an amazing cast.  This remake ups the anty by diving deeper in the Lovecraftian lore resulting in a richer story but lacking in a few other areas.  With that being said, I enjoyed it once I gave it a shot.  The acting in this one is solid.  Catherine is brilliant as the beautiful blind orphan finding out about her strange family.  On the other side of the table is her boyfriend played by Hororwitz who delivers one hell of a performance.  His character is meant to be hated and god damn does he make you hate him.  Much like Comb's performance in the original, his character is a selfish degenerate that is always looking out for himself and no one else.  The supporting cast is great as well but they don't touch these two.  The story for this one dives deeper in to the mythology that Lovecraft created while still staying somewhat true to the original adaptation.  We get the destructive relationship between the young couple, a broader story revolving around the castle and the disfigured freak living within the castle walls, and we end with the possibility of a follow up that's even bigger.  Honestly, I liked the story but it did take me sometime to warm up to it.  I blame the characters but once the movie gets going I enjoyed it.  Finally, the film has some bloody moments with some fitting kills.  The practical effects work and a few of the gags throughout the film really surprised me.  I would have liked more gore but the creature effects made up for it.  Overall, Castle Freak is not the original film.  It gives us a different story with similiar features.  It's fun but it does take some time to appreciate it.  I recommend it and suggest you go into it open minded.  

Mortal Kombat

Director - Simon McQuoid (The Night-Time Economy)

Starring - Lewis Tan (Iron Fist, Deadpool 2), Jessica McNamee (The Meg, The Loved Ones), and Josh Lawson (Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Superstore)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Action/Fantasy

Tagline - "Get over here"

Format - Streaming (HBO Max)

Rating (out of 5):

     My youth was spent surviving the week and waiting on the weekend where I would rent a stack of VHS tapes and a couple of games.  On the weekends that my older brother would visit I would rent a bunch of games and we would stay up all night playing them.  We had many Mortal Kombat tournaments on the weekends he would visit and the year the movie was released I remember renting it.  He didn't care for it but I fucking loved it.  So much so I bought the tape when I could and have since upgraded to DVD.  When a new Mortal Kombat adaptation was announced I was curious.  The recent MK animated film was amazing but I suspected that the live action film would not take as many risks as the animated film would.  When it premiered on HBO Max I watched it that evening and was completely blew away by it.  I wasn't going to review it but the more I thought about it, and subsequent re-watches, I decided to go ahead and write one.

     The film follows Cole (Tan) who is a struggling fighter with a peculiar birthmark.  After a fight he meets Jax and is then attacked by Sub-Zero.  Jax reveals that he has the same birth mark and they are chosen ones who are to compete in a tournament with the other realms.  However, the evil Shang Tsung is breaking the rules and killing the marked ones on Earthrealm so he can win before the tournament begins.

     The original Mortal Kombat games, the ones from the 90s, were bloody but extremely cheesy.  If they were anything other than cheesy then you don't remember the games correctly.  The games were very campy with b-movie quality action writing and extremely cheesy moments tossed in to break up the monotonous gameplay.  They were fun, especially with friends, but you can't deny how cheesy they were.  Come on, babeality and the whoopsie?  The blood gave you a sense of seriousness but the games were anything but.  I think that is why so many people struggled with the movie.  They wanted a bloody and gruesome fight flick but got a movie that embodied the original games.  It was fun and cheesy as fuck.  The acting in this one is far from perfect but the games were not that well acted either.  The voice acting was extremely poor and as the franchise grew the acting never improved.  The film does take some liberties with the characters but a lot of the scenes are underwhelming.  With that being said, Josh Lawson carried the entire film on his fucking back.  He made Kano is own and absolutely killed it.  If he was in the scene then he was the center of attention.  The story for this one does change it up from the original lore around the games.  We get the introduction of the character Cole which was a replacement for Liu Kang pushing him to a secondary character.  I don't understand why this was done and he had the worst ability of them all. I did like the idea of marking the ones chosen to compete in the tournament and having them unlock abilities that you would see in the game.  It made the film feel more like a Marvel movie but I liked that approach.  I also liked the cheesy one liners and fatalities that made the games so much fun.  We got that same level of cheese as the games which I was not expecting.  Finally, the film is overflowing with visual effects.  We get some not so good looking effects in the way of Goro and a few of the fight sequences but we do get some cheesy yet fun effects in the way of a few deaths.  The CGI gore is not the best visually but I really enjoyed the deaths.  It added that cheesy bit that I was looking for.  Overall, Mortal Kombat is for the people that played the games in the 90s.  They were bloody, extremely goofy, and fun.  The movie was everything that I loved about those games and if you didn't like this movie then it wasn't for you. 

Thundarr the Barbarian

Director - Steve Gerber (Howard the Duck, Dungeons and Dragons)

Starring - Henry Corden (The Simpsons, Return to the Planet of the Apes), Robert Ridgely (Night Court, DuckTales), Nellie Bellflower (Police Woman, The Last Unicorn)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was growing up in the 90s I lived on Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Goosebumps, Ren and Stimpy, Beavis and Butthead, and the tapes I would rent every weekend.  I was a movie junk then and I am now.  When I was in elementary school my uncle gave me a tape of Conan.  This started my obsession for the next few years of fantasy sword and sorcerery flicks.  I was then introduced to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe from my older brother.  The show was long gone by the time I was getting into television and movies but he was able to track down a few tapes for me.  Then one day I found a box of tapes at a yard sale and inside was a few tapes with shows recorded from television.  The box was extremely cheap and my dad bought them for me.  On one of the tapes was maybe 5 minutes of an episode of Thundarr the Barbarian.  This was all I ever saw of the show so when Warner announced the blu release of the complete show on blu I jumped on it.  Horror or not I wanted to see this one and I want to thank them for sending this one over!

     The film takes place on Earth in the year 3994 where the world has been ravaged by a passing meteor in 1994.  The world is a desolate wasteland with areas controlled by wizards.  We follow Thundarr, his friend Ookla, and Princess Ariel as they travel the wastelands fighting for good.

     Fantasy films of the 80s were really their own sub-genre.  Conan the Barbarian, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Beastmaster, and Thundarr the Barbarian along with many more were mindlessly fun.  They were packed with characters that looked like they were ripped from the indie wrestling circuit and tossed into a land of myth and legend.  Thundarr, much like He-Man, has that myth and magic feel mixed with a sci-fi element.  It was extremely fun and one that you will enjoy binge watching.  The voice acting fits the show very well but there was several occasions where the voice cast was a little underwhelming.  In fact, there was a few episodes where the cast was a little monotone which created a bit of an odd, yet unintentionally funny, episode.  The stories for each episode follows the same formula as a lot of the Hanna Barbara episodes for shows like Scooby-Doo and Josie and the Pussy Cats.  We follow the three as they encounter different foes that they must defeat to save the people, or person, of the region that are in danger.  It's a tried and true formula but it works here especially with the string of fun characters and different recognizable settings.  Finally, the animation is similar to the other cartoons of the late 70s and 80s.  The characters are all colorful but the background images are absolutely amazing.  I'm sure these served as inspiration for a lot of the pictures that would later become painted on the side of vans in the mid to late 80s.  Overall, Thundarr the Barbarian is a must see for fans of retro cartoons or fans of the fantasy genre in general.  I had an amazing time binging this show and the blu from Warner looks absolutely amazing.  The downside to this set is the lack of bonus features.  

Josie and the Pussy Cats in Outer Space

Starring - Sherry Alberoni (Sisters of Death, Super Friends), Jerry Dexter (DuckTales, Sealab 2020), and Jackie Joseph (Small Soldiers, Gremlins)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Sci-Fi

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Warner Archive has been releasing some pretty solid releases over the last few years and it seems like they are only going to get better.  A couple weeks ago I received the press release for their newest batch of releases coming up and one title really caught my eye.  It's not a horror title but I was still extremely curious about it.  I was born in the mid-80s and grew up in the 90s.  I was part of the Orange Years at Nickelodeon and Goosebumps was my introduction to the genre.  However, I was still a heavy VHS collector.  I had accrued several older shows on tapes that I had picked up in random places.  One of these tapes was episodes of the original Josie and the Pussy Cats.  So when I saw the blu release of Josie and the Pussy Cats in Outer Space I had to check it out.  I want to thank Warner for sending this one over.  

      The series follows Josie and the gang who find themselves accidentally tossed in a space ship and sent out to space.  Each episode follows the crew as they find themselves on a different planet battling a different cosmic foe.

     I remember watching the few tapes of Josie and the Pussy Cats when I was in elementary school and liking it but I never had a chance to see in Outer Space.  Hell, I didn't know it was a thing until I received the press release for it.  It was a fun short lived series that takes the same Scooby-Doo like antics of Josie and the Pussy Cats and puts a sci-fi spin on it.  I enjoyed it but it's not a show I would recommend binging.  The voice acting in this one works for the show but fans of the original show and Scooby-Doo will recognize these voices fairly quickly.  With that being said, I absolutely loved the off world voice acting of the new characters that were introduced.  The stories for these episodes mostly follow the same formula.  We follow the crew as they land, or crash land in some instances, on a planet where they encounter an alien race in some sort of turmoil.  It's really fun for a few episodes but after three or four you find yourself waiting to watch something else.  It makes sense this series only lasted one season.  Finally, the animation is exactly what you would expect from an early 70s Hanna Barbara production.  It's fun for a children's show but as an adult you can appreciate it for what it is.  Overall, Josie and the Pussy Cats in Outer Space is a fun spin off of a popular Hanna Barbara property that is fun for a first time watch but I wouldn't recommend binging the entire series.  It's very repetitive.  The blu release from this one looks great but the lack of supplimental material is a big disappointing.  

     

Not for Resale

Director - Kevin J. James (The Last Straw, New Kids on the Rock)

Starring - Frank Cifaldi (M2: Complete Works, Mother to Earth), Pat Contri (Pat the Nes Punk, The Angry Video Game Nerd), and Jeremy Dunham (Gamer Nation, Nintendo Spotlight: E3 2017)

Release Date - 2019

Genre - Documentary

Tagline - "A video game store documentary"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several days ago I took a trip down memory lane by watching a few of documentaries.  The first was The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story and I followed that up with Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren and Stimpy Story.  Both were fantastic documentaries that took me back to my youth.  After digging into a few horror flicks I decided to toss in another documentary that might take me back to a more simpler time.  Last year I had ordered a copy of Not for Resale on blu and forgot about it until now.  Hell, if I remembered I had it I would have marathoned it with the other docs.  

     The documentary follows gaming fans from the rise of physical releases to now with many nostalgic fans who collect retro games.  The documentary dives into younger generations getting into retro gaming, indie produced games finding life on digital, and how small shops are staying afloat.  

     When I was little, maybe around 3 or 4, my older brother had an original NES and a few years later my dad bought me a Sega Genesis.  I never looked back.  Since then I've owned almost every console before finally moving over to PC gaming just last summer.  I really do get the appeal of collecting video games especially for long dead consoles.  With that being said, I'm extremely envious of all the retro stores that has popped up over the years.  Gaming has been such a huge part of my life and I couldn't imagine making it my career.  Not for Resale is a look into the lives of these store owners who turned their hobbies into their livelihood.  The interviews range from shop owners with several decades of experience to casual fans just getting into retro gaming.  We hear inside stories from when many of them became gaming fans in their youth and how they turned it into careers while also hearing how some have taken to digital platforms to get their games releases.  It really is a wide range of individuals discussing the ins and outs of the business.  However, we do get a few people who, I assume are streamers, with little to no knowledge of the physical collecting world or resale shops.  They just discuss a few of the things they know about gaming.  The topics discussed fit the documentary very well.  They move in a chronological order while transitioning from person to person where we get some background info on them.  It shows how people from such different backgrounds all can have the same love and passion for gaming.  It also shows how gaming is not a hobby for many.  Some have turned this love into shops for reselling, repairing, and even some who have turned collecting into an entertainment form like Pat the NES Punk and the Angry Video Game Nerd.  Finally, the film is editing together nicely but some of the transitions are a little confusing at times.  The transitions are nice but we sometimes hear someone talking while we get images of something that has nothing to do with what's being discussed.  Aesthetically, it's pleasing but a little confusing for the viewer.  Overall, Not for Resale is a fun look into the world of the physical side of gaming and how the world of digital downloads is slowly strangling and entire industry.  It's a great documentary that I highly suggest you check out.  

Happy Death Day 2U

Director - Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day, Freaky)

Starring - Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day, Valley Girl), Israel Broussard (Extinction, Fear the Walking Dead), and Phi Vu (Logan, Preacher)

Release Date - 2019

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Death makes a killer comeback"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Back in October Blumhouse sent over their new blu release which was a box set of 10 of their most memorable horror titles.  I had seen a few of them but most of them were new watches for me.  The set was surprisingly fun and I found myself enjoying most of the titles I slept on.  One that really stood out to me was the horror comedy Happy Death Day directed by Christopher Landon and starring Jessica Rothe.  A few days after watching it I decided to order the sequel on blu to check out when I had time.  Well, I forgot about it until I decided to watch Yummy.  When I grabbed the blu I saw that HDD2U was sitting under it and decided to have a double feature.  This follow up was not as good as the original but it was still fun in it's own way.

      The film picks up after the first one with Tree (Rothe) in bed with Carter (Broussard) when Carter's roommate Ryan (Vu) comes in.  Carter makes him leave and that's when his day gets strange.  He finds out that his science experiment is banned by the dean and then he is stalked and murdered by someone wearing a baby mask.  He awakens in his car with serious deja vu.  he goes back through his morning again and tells Carter about what happened.  Tree tells him about what happened to her and they discover that it was Ryan's project that caused the events of the first film.  While trying to fix what he started he accidentally sends Tree to a parrallell universe where she has to work with Ryan there to fix it and set everything back in motion while dying over and over.

     I had heard a lot of great things about HDD2U and most that loved the first film talked about how fun this follow up was so I had high hopes for it.  The film was fun and I enjoyed it but it just wasn't on the same level as the first film.  The film took a dive from horror comedy to sci-fi and did not have the same atmosphere as the first.  The acting in this one is more of the same from the first film.  It takes some time for you to warm up to the characters.  When the film begins you find yourself not liking the characters at all so you don't give a fuck about them living or dying.  However, you start to like them as the film progresses.  The cast does a decent enough job with their characters but I feel like the writing does affect the acting in this film.  The story for this one is a more expanded look at the first film.  The first was a fun horror comedy with a time loop that was a lot of fun.  The tone and atmosphere really worked for that film.  However, with the expansion of that story we leave what feels like a horror comedy behind and move into a more sci-fi focused film with less horror and laughs.  It is a bit of a repeat of the first film but expanding it does make it fun.  It also leaves it open to the possibilities of future installments.  Finally, the film has several death scenes but the deaths are very underwhelming.  Most are stabbings with a little blood and very little practical effects but there is a few decent looking gun wounds.  Overall, Happy Death Day 2U is a fun follow up to a surprise hit from Blumhouse.  It's not as entertaining as the original but it is a worthy follow up.  Fans of the first should really check this one out.