Psycho Ape Part II: The Wrath of Kong

Director(s) - Addison Binek (Psycho Ape!, Tromasterpiece Theatre: Poultrygeist) and Greg DeLiso (Hectic Knife, Ypsi's Emoni)

Starring - Kansas Bowling (Murdercise, Spirit Riser), Bill Weeden (Hollywood Werewolf, Psycho Ape!)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "When the shit you throw against wall hits the fan"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Many moons ago I befriended filmmaker and YouTube movie "riffer" Addison Binek.  Addison has a long running series on his YouTube channel called Movies to Watch on a Rainy Day which has garnered a cult following over the years.  When he's not riffing indie and no budget films, he's making films like his two Tromasterpiece Theatre films and the iconic Psycho Ape.  Psycho Ape is one of those films that you expect to be completely stupid and ridiculous which is what makes it so much fun.  It's a movie that parodies a lot of movie trends and doesn't take itself too seriously.  Personally, I enjoyed the film and truly appreciated what Addison gave us.  Several weeks back Addison reached out to me to review his follow up Psycho Ape Part II: The Wrath of Kong.  Like always, I want to thank Addison for supporting myself and Horror Society.

     The film picks up many years after the first film with Dr. Zoomis and Nancy living normal lives.  However, when several people are murdered they are whisked back into action to see if  Psycho Ape has returned to his old ways or is someone else responsible.

     Psycho Ape II is a worthy follow up to the first film.  It continues with the parodies from various horror, exploitation, cult, and crime flicks that many of us have loved for years.  While it is a lot of fun, there is a few times where the film feels a bit repetitive.  The acting in this one is consistent with the first film.  Kansas Bowling delivers a solid enough performance as Nancy.  I've always enjoyed her performances in indie features but I feel she is a little underwhelming here.  Bill Weeden is great as Dr. Zoomis.  He has a lot of energy and shines in every scene he is in.  The supporting cast does a wonderful job as well and I would be here all day if I took the time to acknowledge everyone for their contributions to the film.  The story for this one is just as outlandish as the first film but it loses what little horror feel it had.  The film's main focus is clearly comedy where it excels but genre fans may be a bit disappointed in that regard.  With that being said, I probably laughed more at this one than I have an indie production I've been fortunate enough to review.  It's extremely clever and made great use of the locations they were able to use.  Finally, the film is full of cheap visual effects and some practical.  The highlight of the film is not gory deaths but Addison and Greg's love of bad cinema.  Overall, Psycho Ape II is a fantastic sequel to a seriously underrated horror comedy.  While it doesn't feel like a horror release, it still delivers on the laughs and likable characters.  I highly recommend checking out this cringey piece of indie cinema.  

Nail Gun Massacre

Director(s) - Bill Leslie and Terry Lofton

Starring - Rocky Patterson (Repligator, R.O.T.O.R.), Ron Queen (Trespasses), and Beau Leland (Dallas)

Release Date -1985

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Who will get nailed next?"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Many years ago, I was able to work out a trade with a member of the Upcoming Horror Movies' message board for a copy of Nail Gun Massacre on DVD. I had never seen this one before and was on the hunt for a copy. At the time it was out of print and a bit pricey, but I found someone not looking to get rich quickly who was also a member of the board for some time like I was. I traded him a couple DVDS and VHS for a few DVDs. When I finally received everything, I had traded for from him I was quick to check out the NGM DVD. I quickly fell in love with the film and before long I had accumulated a few shirts, hats, beanie, and even a poster or two for the film. I know it's not perfect and very cheesy but It's my kind of movie. A few weeks back Terror Vision announced that they would be releasing the film on UHD. I had to jump on this release. I pre-ordered it when it was available and once it arrived, I had to work it into my review schedule. 

      The film follows a small town that is being terrorized by someone in a motorcycle helmet and a nail gun. The sheriff is following every lead he can and surmises that these deaths are tied to a rape from several months prior with some of the victims being the men accused of raping a young woman. Now he must track down the suspect before more meet their end. 

      Nail Gun Massacre is one of the campiest slashers I've seen and what makes this one so enjoyable is how unintentionally funny it is. The movie has a lot of laughs, but it's not meant to be funny. It's a serious slasher that has gained a cult following due to its comical moments that were not planned or written into the film. The acting in this one leaves a lot to be desired but I honestly kind of liked it. I've watched a lot of no budget S.O.V. and regional horror films over the years and this may be among the better acting but that's not saying much. You can see a lot of inexperience and lack of direction in this one but that adds to it's charm. The story for this one is clearly meant to be taken seriously and draws inspiration from one of the greatest exploitation films of all time, I Spit on Your Grave. The film does switch the killer up to prevent it from being so predictable but anyone that has seen the two films can see how one influenced the other. With that being said, that is where the similarities end. The film takes on a much darker tone, but the atmosphere is lost when the killer talks with the robotic voice and you see the silly deaths. These unintentionally funny moments make the film as great as it is. Finally, the film has several deaths with a lot of blood, but the effects are pretty simple. The are nails cut to look like they are impaling the victims with blood splattered around them. While these kills do fit the film and offer up a few laughs, it does lack creative kills that make slashers so much fun. Overall, Nail Gun Massacre is one of my favorite horror films, but I love it for all the wrong reasons. The movie has no reason for being as good as it is but I'm glad a company like Terror Vision took the time to give fans an amazing release. I highly recommend snagging this one while you can

Blood, Guts, and Sunshine 2: The History of Horror Made in Florida

Director - Chris Woods (Kill-Cam, Chaos A.D.)

Starring - J.R. Bookwalter (Robot Ninja, The Dead Next Door), Nolan Canova (Light of Blood), and Zena Sade Dixon (Taste Me: Death-Scort Service Part 3)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I started my reviewing career a decade ago I found myself befriending several Florida based filmmakers and over the years I've become good friends with these talented individuals.  I never realized how much the state has contributed to horror until GatorBlade Films and The Sleaze Box brought us the documentary Blood, Guts, and Sunshine.  It was a fantastic look into the indie horror scene that I've been following for awhile now.  A few weeks back writer and producer Sean Donohue reached out to me to review Blood, Guts, and Sunshine 2: The History of Horror Made in Florida.  Like always, I want to thank Sean for sending this one over for review.

     The documentary takes a look at several films made over the years in Florida ranging from Fred Olen Ray's The Brain Leeches, Day of the Dead,  Psycho IV: The Begninning, and many more.  

     I love a well made horror or cryptid documentary when it explores a film, franchise, legend, and so forth.  Over the years I've been fortunate enough to review documentaries about George A. Romero, the Mothman, Paranormal Activity (which was better than the film), GWAR, VHS collectors, and film legends Tom Savini, Chris Seaver, William Grefe, and Vampiro.  I love taking a look at the history, personal stories, and witness testimonies in these films.  Blood, Guts, and Sunshine was a great look at the indie horror film scene in Florida and the hardworking filmmakers trying to keep it alive.  The follow up takes a deep dive into the long history of horror and exploitation in the Sunshine State with interviews with local talent, long time filmmakers, and life-long fans.  The interviews in this one vary from from those involved in some of the most notorious films in Florida history to fans and other filmmakers inspired by their work.  These interviews are extremely insightful and while it works for the film, I wish we would have heard more history behind these projects.  The films discussed are not necessarily in order of release year but we get a look at the making and history behind several films I have never heard of before along with genre classic that many may not know were filmed in Florida.  I really like how the doc is not focused on the more popular films.  Instead, it's to bring focus on the rich cinema history the state has.  Finally, the film is edited perfectly and the transition from film to film is seamless.  This is a well put together doc that works.  Overall, Blood, Guts, and Sunshine 2 is a fantastic follow up to the original doc.  It explores some of the most popular genre films to be filmed in the state while, most importantly, bringing some unappreciated titles that many don't know about to a much wider audience.  I highly recommend checking this one out.   

     

Massacre at Femur Creek

Director - Kyle Hytonen (A Drop of Blood, The Hobo and the Clown)

Starring - Eric De Santis (Max and the Showgirl), Adam Lemieux (Dark Side of Comedy, Cursing My Name), and August Kyss (Isleen Pines, Murdercise)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "This party has an unexpected guest"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

It's hard to believe it but I've been writing reviews for 15 years now and 11 years of it has been spent at Horror Society. I've reviewed a lot of fantastic features, shorts, television, and web-series during this time, and I have no plans of stopping anytime soon. A decade ago, now I was asked to review the horror short Massacre at Femur Creek. I don't remember a lot about this one, but I do remember enjoying it. I was reminded about it a few days back when director Kyle Hytonen hit me up to review his new feature length film Massacre at Femur Creek. I didn't ask if this was a remake, a continuation, or a whole new slasher using the same name as his previous short. Honestly, I didn't care. I wanted to see this and immediately agreed to check it out. I want to thank Kyle for sending this one over for review!

     The film follows a group of men who head out into the woods to party as one of them prepares to marry soon. A getaway full of booze and bud ends horribly when a madman escapes an asylum and makes his way through the woods killing anyone he crosses paths with. 

      I wish I remember the original Massacre at Femur Creek short before I went into this, but it has been so long that I remember absolutely nothing. It's because of this that I will be reviewing the feature as its own entity because I can't confirm if it serves as a sequel, prequel, or remake to the short. However, I can confirm that it is an enjoyable horror comedy that reminded me why I love slashers so much. The acting in this one is really enjoyable. While I was not a fan of the characters themselves, the cast did a fantastic job bringing their characters to life. They all have their own personalities that stand out and the cast has chemistry together. The story for this one is a comedic approach to a very cliched slasher plot. We follow a masked maniac that escaped from a mental hospital as he kills people camping in the woods. I'm a sucker for slashers in the woods and I love that this one takes us back to the bloody roots of slashers. It has a lot of humor spaced throughout that I enjoyed but the characters are very generic and even though I was a fan of the cast, I still found the characters very unlikeable. Finally, the film has a lot of blood and some cheap effects. If you are looking for buckets of gore and major practical effects, then you will be very disappointed. However, if you want kills that are reminiscent of the early days of slasher then you will be in luck. A lot of knife kills with minimal effects and a lot of blood. Overall, Massacre at Femur Creek is a by the book slasher with some humor that tends to find its mark. It's not the most violent slasher I've seen but it's a lot of fun especially if you want something you have never seen before. Check it out.

Contagion

Director - Steven Soderbergh (Ocean's Eleven, Magic Mike)

Starring - Matt Damon (True Grit, Titan A.E.), Kate Winslet (Heavenly Creatures, Titanic), and Jude Law (Captain Marvel, Cold Mountain)

Release Date - 2011

Genre - Drama/Thriller

Tagline - "Nothing spreads like fear"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've reviewed several films centered around the pandemic over the last few years.  This is understandable considering how significantly our lives changed for those few years and the amount of lives lost to selfishness and ignorance.  In the early days of the pandemic I recall several social media friends decided to marathon films centered around pandemics and outbreaks.  I was considered essential so I had to work and wasn't able to partake in these marathons but I did remember seeing several people watching Contagion.  I was not familiar with the film but seeing that cast really made my imagination run.  Its only been four short years since the pandemic began and I've yet to see the film.  However, this soon changed when I was sent over the 4K release of the film.  I had never seen it before but I'm glad I was finally given the opportunity.

     The film follows a group of different people from various backgrounds as the struggle during an outbreak. We follow a family man who loses his wife at the very beginning of the pandemic as he struggles with keeping the rest of his family safe. We also follow a conspiracy theorist who suspects that something more is going on with the outbreak and government officials are hiding information from the public. We also follow several different scientists and professionals as they rush to stop the spread of the disease and find a cure. 

      I knew nothing about this one going into it aside from the fact that it revolved around a dangerous pandemic, and it had a great cast. While I did enjoy it and I'm glad that my first viewing of it was in 4K, I still wish I would have taken the time to watch it during the beginning of the pandemic. Seeing the parallels and how much of this actually happened during that first year of the shut-down made my skin crawl. I really enjoyed this movie and can't wait to recommend it to others. The acting in this one is fantastic, which is an understatement when you conder the cast. I could spend all day going through this cast and how amazing they were but I'm too lazy for that. There are no weak links in this film and some of Hollywood's biggest names deliver some of the most underrated performances of their career. The story for this one is very well written and the team behind it clearly did their research. Watching this film, especially the first 30 minutes of so, took me back to 2020 and how the pandemic started, how different organizations, political parties, and so on were at each other's throats with little care about the lives they were influencing. I loved how well this was written and could only imagine how it would have influenced me during the early days of the pandemic. With that being said, the film feels like it was originally setting out to be a television series or mini-series. The way it's edited together we bounce from character to character with no rhyme or reason as the world around them falls apart. Don't get me wrong, it's an amazing film but it feels like everything was edited together to make a film after they originally planned on making a series of some sort. Finally, the film is not a bloody one. There are some great make-up effects and one scene in particular featuring an autopsy of Gwyneth Paltrow that was amazing but that is the extent of it. Overall, Contagion is one hell of a thriller that blows my mind by how close it was to predicting the 2020 pandemic. It's a great film and this 4K release is gorgeous. I highly recommend checking it out.

Deathdream

Director - Bob Clark (Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things, Black Christmas)

Starring - John Marley (The Godfather, Kolchak: The Night Stalker), Lynn Carlin (Terror on the 40th Floor, The Bionic Woman), and Richard Backus (Another World, The First Deadly Sin)

Release Date - 1974

Genre - Horror/War

Tagline - "Something unspeakable has come home"

Format - Streaming UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Bob Clark is a filmmaker that I hold in high regard.  He is up there, at least for me, with the likes of George A. Romero and John Cherry.  His films Porky's A Christmas Story, Black Christmas, Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things, and Dead of Night are absolute classics and I would argue that almost all the films I mentioned have earned their place in cinema history.  Many years ago a friend of mine purchased the Dead of Night DVD release from Blue Underground.  This was one of my favorite releases of the DVD era and one that I have a hard time parting with as I've upgraded from DVD to blu.  A few weeks back Blue Underground once again re-released the film and this time on UHD.  They were kind enough to send over a copy for me to review and this gave me the perfect chance to revisit one of my favorite films.  Like always, I want to thank Blue Underground and MVD for sending this over!

     The film follows a family who just received word that their son had died while fighting in Vietnam. However, their son makes a miraculous late-night arrival to their home much to their surprise. However, he's not the Andy that they remember. Now, he just sits in a rocking chair with a lifeless expression on his face. After a strange encounter with Andy's father and the town's coroner at the local bar, the coroner is convinced that Andy is responsible for the murder of a truck driver that was brutally murdered the night he arrived in town. When the coroner is gone missing and found dead, Andy's father realizes that Andy really did die in the conflict and a monster has came in his place. 

      Deathdream is one of the many films of Bob Clark's that I truly enjoy. However, unlike the films Black Christmas and Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things, Deathdream is one of those films that I can't watch over and over again without getting tired of it. It's one of the films that I really enjoy but I can only watch it once or twice a year. I also prefer the original Dead of Night title over Deathdream but I can see the appeal of wanting to use that title over the original. The acting in this one is great and features a lot of familiar faces from previous films from Clark. Most of the Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things cast has roles in the film and they all do a fantastic job. While the cast is well rounded, John Marley and Richard Backus carry the film. Backus does a great job as the shell of a man that returned home from Vietnam. I love how patient and calm his character is before becoming rabid when he attacks his victims. Marley is fantastic as the father struggling with his son and the fact that something is different about him. He shows a lot of emotion with this role and makes the film for me. The story for this one feels like a slasher meets pseudo-vampire in the way it unfolds. The random deaths have that same pacing and tone as the late-70s and early 80s slashers. While we actively know who the killer is we are given the deaths like a slasher of the time. That makes it rather enjoyable even though some of the scenes do tend to drag on. I also love the vampire-like spin they gave Andy. I always appreciated how they incorporated his bloodlust into his aging and night-time stalks. It's a lot of fun if you are open to it. Finally, the film has a lot of bright blood and decent effects. While I would have loved to see more gore and imaginative deaths, I still enjoy what the film does deliver. Overall, Deathdream is a classic horror title that has finally received the UHD treatment. I highly recommend snagging this release especially if you've never seen the film before.

Vinnie's Vantastic Rock N Roll Adventure

Director - Brandon Bishop (Mesa Lake, The Drink with Aeon Cruz)

Starring - Vinnie Vineyard (The Hike, Camp Smokey), Luke Walker (WJHC AM, The Mark of a Killer), and Kandi Thompson (Taint My Ride, A Pokemon in the Maryland Wasteland)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Comedy/Adventure

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     My Vinnie Vineyard and Luke Walker marathon is coming to an end. Several weeks back I was contacted by Vinnie to review several of his films that he had made with fellow filmmaker Luke Walker. I went into all four of these with an open mind, but it was clearly evident that these films were not for me. The Hike and WJHC AM was a chore for me to finish but Camp Smokey really drawn me in. I was a big fan of that film which further excited me to check out the last film in the marathon. I once again want to thank Vinnie for sending over Vinnie's Vantastic Rock N Roll Adventure. 

      The film follows Vinnie (Vineyard) who decided to live out his dream of living in a van and traveling the country when he is dumped by his girlfriend. As he makes his away across the country to see his favorite band he meets a wide array of characters and finds himself in unforgettable encounters. 

      I went into Vinnie's Vantastic still amazed by Camp Smokey and how much I truly enjoyed it. I really liked how this one started and the idea behind it, but the film was way too long and some of the scenes needed cut. Hell, I could have really gotten into it if the run time was around 60 to 80 mins. However, at over two hours, this film is just way too long for the story that it has. The acting in this one is probably my favorite part of the film. Vinnie is extremely comfortable in front of the camera and does a phenomenal job when he is portraying a character that is loosely, or not so loosely, based on himself. He's very natural on camera which really helps him set the scene. The supporting cast is just as fun to watch as well. While we do have a lot of the same returning cast, the lack of serious tone results in a lot less forced dialogue and awkward interactions. The cast is having fun on set, and it is shown in their performances. The story for this one is very interesting on paper but on camera it becomes repetitive for the most part. While the situation may vary, the overall flow of the film is the same thing over and over. We follow Vinnie as he travels to a new spot, meets new characters, and something happens that will negatively impact him the rest of the trip. Some of the later scenes could have been removed to help with the pacing of the film. Finally, don't expect any blood or gore with this one. Instead, it's a character driven piece with no body count. Overall, Vinnie's Vantastic Rock N Roll Adventure is another film of their I could see myself fully getting behind but the drawn-out scenes and repetitive nature of the film made it another difficult one to finish. That doesn't mean it's a bad film but it's one that I didn't personally care for.

Camp Smokey

Director(s) - Vinnie Vineyard (The Hike, Wrestling with Ghosts) and Luke Walker (Vinnie's Vantastic Rock N Roll Adventure, Haunted Graves) 

Starring - Luke Walker, Brittany Brooks (WJHC AM, Showdown in Secret City), and Kandi Thompson (Taint My Ride, A Pokemon in the Maryland Wasteland)

Release Date - 2023

Tagline - "If he's the good guy... the demons are f*cked"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several weeks back I was asked to review a few films from director and actor Vinnie Vineyard.  I was very unfamiliar with his work but the titles really caught my attention.  I agreed and thought I would have a fun marathon with them all.  I started my adventure with The Hike and quickly realized that the film was not for me.  I followed that up with the thriller WJHC AM.  Both films had very interesting ideas but lost their way sometime during their run times.  I was still excited to check out the remaining two films and quickly took the dive into Camp Smokey.  I want to once again thank Vinnie for sending this over.

     The film follows a man who has been living in the woods for some time with his stuffed teddy bear.  He has been fight demons during these long years and gets what he needs by scavenging the bodies of the demons he slays.  When he runs short on supplies he is forced to make trips closer to the cities which means more demons he is confronted with.  However, as the film progresses we learn who the true monster is and why there is so many demons.

     I went into Camp Smokey with an open mind like I did before and wiped my mind off the previous two films.  I was expecting yet another movie that I wouldn't care for but I was really surprised by this one.  While I don't see myself revisiting this one anytime soon I still enjoyed it especially if you compare it to The Hike and WJHC AM.  The acting in this one is solid but the overall film is a one man show with Luke Walker carrying the entire thing on his shoulders.  His character is very likable and his narration and the interaction with the stuffed teddy makes the film what it is.  The supporting cast is solid but they are not in the scene long enough to truly see what they are capable of.  The story for this one is predictable and the twist has no impact but the build up is very entertaining especially if you are a fan of the film Frailty.  The scenes are a bit repetitive but the narration and on screen presence from Walker makes it work.  Finally, the film has some blood and simple effects but that is the extent of it.  While I wanted to enjoy some top notch kills and great practical effects, the film still works with what we have.  Overall, Camp Smokey really surprised me.  The story is a fun blend of Supernatural and Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Frailty and I'm all for it.  I highly recommend checking this one out.