Red Velvet

Director - Blake Simon (The Passage, Cosmic Chaos)

Starring - Alisha Erozer (Dr. Death, Hands of Destiny), Austin Lynn Hall (Nothing But the Blood, Wild west Chronicles), and Olivia Lee (Ellipses and Semi-Colons, Isabel's Garden)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "No peeking"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I’m always impressed by the creativity I find in my mailbox on a daily basis. So many talented filmmakers, actors, actresses, and so on reach out to me to review their hard work. I’ve been doing this for over ten years and I still find it exciting when someone reaches out to me to see their finished product. A few weeks back I was contacted by director Blake Simon to review his short Red Velvet. When I saw the email I thought someone was contacting me about the 2008 horror film with the same name starring E.T.’s Henry Thomas. However, it was quick to see this was a very different film and I couldn’t wait to check it out. I want to thank Blake for sending this one over for review. 

      The film follows a man who suspects that the end of the world is approaching. He decides to get a hotel room and have an escort meet him. Things start out innocent enough when she arrives and goes into the bathroom. Before long there is another knock at the door and when he answers it he finds the same woman standing there. He panics and quickly learns that something sinister is at work. 

      I knew nothing about Red Velvet before diving into it but I was very impressed by this effective short. The film makes great use of it’s short run time and the look of the film really works. The colors used mixed against the location and story really gives this short a look of it’s own. The acting in this is great. The cast is very small which gives them a better chance to get a feel for each other. The films main focus is on Austin Hall and Alisha Erozer’s characters and they have great chemistry together on screen. They work very well together and do a fantastic job carrying the short. The story for this one works very well with the setting it takes place with and is very effective. I love the backstory of the reactor failing and the main wanting to have one last fling before the world ends. I also love that this is not the terrifying part of the film. We are given something much more terrifying as the film unfolds. This is beautiful writing and very effective in this short format. Finally, the film doesn’t shy away from the blood. We get a great kill with classic effects but those of you looking for some serious gore will be very disappointed. You can’t win them all. Overall, Red Velvet is a very enjoyable horror short that stuck with me for some time after I initially watched it. I loved the colors and location of the film along with the cast and story. I highly recommend checking this one out.

He Never Left

Director - James Morris (The Witching Season, The Astrological Whipping Boy)

Starring - Colin Cunningham (Preacher, Blood Drive), Jessica Staples (This is Not Home, The Stolen Valley), and David E. McMahon (Johnny Z, Rose Blood: A Friday the 13th Fan Film)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Some legends refuse to die"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Way back at the end of September I made a post about my annual October horror binge. I was fishing for a few indie horror flicks to add to my month long marathon but was met with an overwhelming amount of films to watch and review. In fact, it’s now the end of December and I’m maybe a third of the way through the movies sent my way. One of the films that was sent over was He Never Left from director James Morris and Witching Season Films. I became a huge fan of theirs after the release of Witching Season, They Live Inside Us, and their segment in 10/31 Part III. I want to thank James Morris for sending this one over and I want to apologize for taking so long to get to it. 

      The film follows a man who is trying to get his life straight but fails to do so. A string of events leads him to a seedy motel where his ex-girlfriend has bought a room for him so he can lay low for awhile after he accidentally kills someone. Now a state-wide manhunt is underway for him which is pushing him over the edge mentally. Things take an even darker turn when he suspects that people in the room next to his is murdering people. Soon he learns about the local legend of the Pale Face Killer and his connection to the motel that he was trying to seek refuge in. 

      He Never Left was not the film I was expecting but I did enjoy it for the most part. While it was an enjoyable film with a clever story, I found it to be a little too busy and clumsy at times. There was some questionable choices made along the way but the overall film was entertaining and well worth my time. The acting in this one is one of the better acted indie films I’ve seen. Colin Cunningham carries the film as the murderer on the run. Watching him mentally break down as the film progresses is nothing short of brilliant. He delivers an absolutely fantastic performance that makes the film what it is. We also get fantastic performances from the supporting cast with Jessica Staples, director James Morris, and David McMahon carrying their own weight in the film. The story for this one is a fantastic set up but not all the pieces fall into place as they should. A fleeing murderer seeking asylum in an old motel only to find himself in the room beside a legendary killer is something that will leave horror fans chomping at the bit for. We then have an angle with two detectives or marshals (forget which) are hunting for him. Their chemistry is fun but they character arc does feel a bit out of place. When you combine both of those in which the way the film was edited and you are left with a film that doesn’t reach it’s full potential. I think viewers would have liked to see the mentally unstable man exploring the people next door further in a more linear story format. Finally, the film has a lot of blood and some solid practical effects. The deaths are not the goriest I’ve seen but they do look great and fit the film very well. I was hoping for more memorable death scenes but I appreciate what we were given. Overall, He Never Left has one hell of a premise but it did struggle with it’s own footing. Maybe some editing could get the film to where it needs to be but it’s still an entertaining film as it is. Check it out.

Night of the Demons 2

Director - Brian Trenchard-Smith (Leprechaun 3, Atomic Dog)

Starring - Amelia Kinkade (Night of the Demons, Road House), Jennifer Rhodes (Slumber Party Massacre II, Ghost Fever), and Merle Kennedy (Dollman, May)

Release Date - 1994

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Angela's throwing another party.  Trick or treat, sucker"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     The first Night of the Demons is a film that I had seen numerous times over the years and often recommend to genre fans looking Halloween centered films for their October watch lists. I’ve upgraded the film to various formats over the years and the recent UHD release from Scream Factory is fantastic. While I’ve seen this movie countless times over the years, I can count on one hand the times I’ve seen Night of the Demons 2. I snagged the Olive Films DVD release many years ago and watched it a couple times since then but I always forget about it. Honestly, I like the sequel and I wish I would watch it along with the original more often. Recently, my wish came true when Scream Factory sent over a copy of Night of the Demons 2 on blu with their UHD release of the first film. I want to take a moment to thank them for sending it over! 

      The film picks up several years after the events of the first film. Angela’s sister Mouse is now attending a Catholic school for troubled youths after her parents killed themselves the year prior. Angela has been missing since the murders and the locals has contributed local legends to her and Hull House. The school is preparing for a dance but a group of them has decided to sneak off and party with some locals where they find themselves at Hull House. Mouse doesn’t want to be there but the longer she is she realizes that Angela is still there and something evil is in control of her. 

      Night of the Demons 2 is a solid continuation of the first film. While it’s not as good as the first film it still scratches that itch for a follow up that fans of the first film wanted. Honestly, I like it and really should be running a double feature every time I watch the first film. The acting in this one really surprised me. No matter how many times I watch this one I’m still surprised by Christine Taylor. She’s appeared in a few genre titles like The Craft, Scary Movie 5, Campfire Tales, and Here Come the Munsters but most don’t associate her with horror. That may be why her performance here stands out so much to me. While the characters are just as cliched as the first film, I find myself drawn to them more in this film. Their personalities stand out so much and the cast is amazing. Amelia Kinkade returns as Angela, the late Zoe Trilling delivers a fantastic and sexy performance, and the rest of the cast is just as great. The story for this one is a solid continuation of the first film but it does have it’s goofy moments. Having Angela return along with possessing more teens looking to party really fits the theme of the first film. However, having the demons cross the underground stream that was said to be a barrier they can’t cross by having a character steal the lipstick from the infamous scene in the first one is lazy writing in my opinion. Having the demons follow them in a more demonic manner would have made more sense instead of them attaching themselves to boob-lipstick. That’s really my only complaint with the story as the rest of it works. Finally, the film once again delivers some great practical and make-up effects. The deaths look great and the effects rival the ones seen in the first film. They look fantastic, fit the film, and deliver some humor which I was not expecting. While the film does lack a memorable scene like the lipstick-boob scene it still has fantastic effects. Overall, Night of the Demons 2 is a great follow up to a classic horror film. It may not reach the heights of it’s predecessor it still delivers. I highly recommend it.

Night of the Demons

Director - Kevin Tenney (Witchboard, The Cellar)

Starring - Amelia Kinkade (My Best Friend is a Vampire, Night of the Demons II), Linnea Quigley (Tourist Trap, Graduation Day), and Cathy Podewell (Growing Pains, Beverly Hills Brats)

Release Date - 1988

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "You're invited to my party."

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in high school I became friends with a student that had just transferred in. He was expelled from his previous school and we became friends after talking about horror, metal, and Johnny Cash. We watched a lot of movies over the next few years. Movies like Zombi, Susperia, Cemetery Man, Dead Heat, and so many more. One of the films I remember watching with him and a metric fuck ton of alcohol is the 1988 Halloween horror flick Night of the Demons. He had snagged it on VHS with some other films on eBay and we were marathoning them one weekend. That movie fucking stuck with me and I had to have it. I did a little digging and was able to snag the DVD and I’ve revisited it a number of times over the years until I upgraded sometime back to blu. When Halloween was quickly approaching I was sent the UHD release of the film from Scream Factory and couldn’t wait to dig into it. I want to thank Scream Factory for sending this one over. It was a nostalgia filled experience to watch it again. 

      The film follows a group of youths who break into an old mortuary known as Hull House to have a party on Halloween. What started out as a night of scares and drinking takes a deadly turn when a séance accidentally unleashes something sinister that has been laying dormant in the mortuary. Now Angela is possessed and her friends are about to be put through hell. 

      Night of the Demons is probably the most underrated Halloween horror film in the history of cinema. When Halloween rolls around most genre fans quickly rush to films like John Carpenter’s Halloween, A Nightmare Before Christmas, Hocus Pocus, and House of 1000 Corpses. While these are solid films that deserve their rightful place on your annual Halloween watch list, there are other films that really deserve your attention. Kevin Tenney’s Night of the Demons is one of those movies. It has a strong fan base and those that have seen it are absolutely ravenous about it. However, I’m always surprised by the amount of horror fans that have never seen the film. It’s a must see during the month of October but it can be appreciated anytime. The acting in this one is solid. The characters are very generic especially for a late 80s horror flick. We have characters that fit into normal clichés like the jock, bully, virgin, outcast, metalhead, and a sexually promiscuous couple. While they are rather generic, they still have personalities that make them stand out. The cast really gets into their roles and deliver some memorable performances that still stick with me after all these years. The story for this one is a bit generic as well but the execution is anything but. Teens partying on Halloween and summoning demons is nothing new to horror. It’s been done numerous times especially during the 80s. However, the scenes in this one makes it stand out. You have Linnea Quigley’s character having a mental break in the bathroom, the Demon Wind like changing of the property, the humorous dialogue, and the clear influence from the classic Italian horror film Demons. The viewer has so much to absorb and it’s a lot of fun to see unfold before you. Finally, the film has some seriously amazing effects. We get some amazing props, practical effects, and a what the fuck moment involving lipstick. Fans of 80s horror will truly appreciate the effects and death scenes that we are given. Overall, Night of the Demons is essential for the Halloween season and a horror title that should be on every genre fan’s shelf. I highly recommend snagging this UHD release from Scream Factory. It’s worth every cent.

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer

Director - Danny Cannon (Judge Dredd, Gotham)

Starring - Jennifer Love Hewitt (Munchie, Can't Hardly Wait), Freddie Prinze Jr. (She's All That, Scooby-Doo), and Brandy Norwood (Cinderella, Osmosis Jones) 

Release Date - 1998

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Some secrets will haunt you forever"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Last year or the year before I was able to review the UHD release of the 90s slasher I Know What You Did Last Summer. While a lot of genre fans hail Scream as the face of 90s slasher, I would have to strongly disagree. I feel the first two or three films is extremely overrated but I do respect the attention it brought slashers which was a dying sub-genre by that point. I can think of several other slashers from the same time frame that are leagues better than Scream and one of them would by I Know What You Did Last Summer. I’m a fan of the film but I had never seen one of the sequels. That recently changed when I was sent the UHD for I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. I had to put it in with the left over October horror binge films and make my way to it when I could. Honestly, I’m glad I was able to finally see it but the first film is way better. 

      The film picks up one year after the events of the first film. Julie (Hewitt) and Ray (Prinze) have drifted apart after what happened to them last summer. She’s now in college while he is working full time as a deck hand on a fishing boat. When she wins a trip to Jamaica with a few friends she goes but Ray is suspicious of it and makes his way there to check on her. However, he has every right to be suspicious as it’s the islands off season and the locals are preparing for the bad weather that is sure to hit. As the bodies being to pile up, Julie is well aware that the Fisherman is back and the contest was all a ruse to get her on the island for revenge. 

      I was seriously looking forward to I Still Know What You Did Last Summer but after a few minutes I quickly realized that the film completely forgot what made the first film so fucking enjoyable. The original film borrowed heavily from the classic slasher formula that many of the slashers from the 80s followed. Sadly, this sequel would follow in the crater like footsteps left behind by the massive hit Scream. The acting in this one is probably more enjoyable that the first film. This was the only aspect I liked more than the first film. We have a lot of fun characters portrayed by Brandy, Jack Black, and Mekhi Phifer. While Freddie Prinze Jr is in the film, his character rides the backseat most of the film and I can’t stand how manic Jennifer Love Hewitt’s character is. Jack Black and Mekhi Phifer make the film to me. The story for this one doesn’t feel like a sequel to the original film. The first film follows a group of people who is being hunted one by one by someone that wronged them in the past. Same plot outline as classic films like Prom Night, Friday the 13th, and so on. I loved that the first film approached slashers with that classic take in an era where films like Scream were taking off. Sadly, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer followed Scream in the realm where the killer is part of the group and is picking them off one by one with a partner. I absolutely hated this and the “big” reveal can be seen from a mile away. The film had a great location and amazing characters only to fumble the ball and try to be another meta-slasher when it didn’t need to be. Finally, the film doesn’t have a lot of on screen kills but we do have some awesome practical and make-up effects on the aftermath. I do hate when blood hungry genre fans are given a film where the deaths take place off camera but this one tries to make up for it with great effects on the deceased. I liked them but I would have loved to see some slasher inspired kills to make up for the lazy writing. Overall, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is a huge drop in quality from the first film. While I did like the location and characters, the story itself is predictable and oddly similar to Scream. I wanted to love it but this one should have never seen the light of day. Skip it.

Odd Noggins

Director - Joe Sherlock (Thingz, Dark Zone Thirteen)

Starring - Melody Berg (Things 666, Axegrinder 3), Juniper Bloodraven (Strange Things Happen at the Weird House), and John Bowker (Odder Noggins, Topless Tori's Tomb of Terror)

Release Date - 2015

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi/Comedy

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I’m moving into the fourth film in my Skullface Astronaut marathon and I’m having an absolute blast. While Drifter is my favorite film of Joe Sherlock’s so far, I would be lying if I said I didn’t like them all. I’m a huge of indie horror and when you toss in monsters, beautiful women in the nude, blood, more beautiful women in the nude, aliens, and men in black then you are cooking with gas as my dad would say. After binging Drifter, Channel 99, and Beyond the Wall of Fear, I was ready for the next film on the list. This film, Odd Noggins, is one I had heard about for some time but never had the opportunity to see it. Like always, I want to thank filmmaker Joe Sherlock for sending this one over for review. 

      The film follows a small town who finds themselves watching a sci-fi film about aliens. 

      Nothing unusual about this but things take a strange turn when everyone is getting ready for a Halloween party and the women start killing the men before leaving on a space ship. Odd Noggins may be the more popular title from the Skullface Astronaut catalogue but it’s not my favorite. I did like it for what it was but it’s not a title I would pick to re-watch. It was fun and entertaining Skullface film but it’s not without it’s own faults. While I did like it I will admit that it’s easily the weakest of the four films I’ve seen. The acting in this one is what I was expecting. We have more beautiful women in the nude and a bunch of memorable characters portrayed by people with little to no credits on their imdb pages. I liked the casting and the energy but the dialogue is awkward at times and it’s clear that many of them have never been in front of the camera before. The story for this one is entertaining but could be better. I liked the idea of people watching a sci-fi flick on cable only to have their lives become a sci-fi story themselves. We have the women killing the men before moving to a space ship and blasting off. While I did like this aspect I’m more confused as to why this happened. Did the movie brainwash the females or were they merely aliens transplants that were finally ordered to kill? The movie doesn’t do itself any favors with the way it tells the story. It leaves so many questions unanswered. Finally, the film has some alright practical effects and no budget visuals. The kills are enjoyable in a comical way and the visuals are rough but that only adds to the charm of the film. Overall, Odd Noggins is another solid entry in the Skullface Astronaut catalogue. It’s deserves a watch but could be a lot more enjoyable if the story was a little more tighter.