Fear Street: Prom Queen

Director - Matt Palmer (Calibre, The Gas Man)

Starring - India Fowler (The Strangers: Chapter 1, The Trail), Suzanna Son (Red Rocket, The Idol), ad Fina Strazza (Paper Girls, FBI: Most Wanted)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Drop dead, gorgeous"

Format - Streaming (Netflix)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm a product of my childhood.  I had one of the most iconic childhoods and was fortunate enough to live through what I would consider the most radical decades.  I was born in the mid 80s and grew up through the 90s.  I was introduced to Goosebumps by R. L. Stine when I was in third grade.  This opened the door to Christopher Pike, Stephen King, and so on.  However, my love for R. L. Stine never faltered.  I soon sought out his other series like Fear Street, Ghosts of Fear Street and so on.  He was my introduction to horror and I wouldn't be who I am if it wasn't for him.  In 2021 Netflix released the Fear Street trilogy.  The three films released a week apart and instantly became my favorite horror films of recent years.  Sadly, it took a few years before we got another installment.  Hell, I knew the film was coming but I had no idea it was released until I saw people posting about it on Facebook.  I quickly made time to check it out.

     The film takes place in 1988 as the senior class of Shadyside High prepares for their annual prom.  The popular girls in school work together so that their leader, Tiffany (Strazza), wins.  School outcast Lori (Fowler) enters the contest in hopes of winning so she can overshadow her past.  The students, especially Tiffany, often harass her.  Lori's father was murdered and her mother was trialed for the crime but was acquitted.  As time counts down to the crowning, the prom queen candidates are murdered one by one by a masked killer.

     I went into this one thinking about how amazing the original Fear Street trilogy was.  Sadly, this one is no where near as good but it was still worth a watch especially for the kills.  The acting in this one is great.  The characters, though cliched, was very well portrayed.  The dialogue felt natural, the characters pull out the correct emotions from the viewer, and the characters that was meant to be disliked is really unlikable.  While no one performance stands out, the film has an excellent cast.  The story for this one is very predictable.  It has cliched characters with a lot of detail and character development.  However, the film itself is very predictable.  As soon as the murders start you immediately start suspecting who the killer is and as the film progresses it becomes painfully clear who the real killer is.  Don't get me wrong, it's a decent straight forward slasher inspired by 90s slashers but you know what's going to happen before it does.  Finally, the film has several memorable kills with some knockout practical effects.  The kills are very unexpected and deliver a serious amount of blood that I honestly didn't think Netflix had the ball to give us.  The film is worth the watch for the death scenes alone.  Overall, Fear Street: Prom Queen is a film that you can enjoy for the fun kills but the predictable slasher story is not that imaginative or memorable.  I enjoyed it but I know a lot of the genre community will not because I am a little biased.  Fans of the books or R.L. Stine might want to check it out with an open mind.  

Welcome Week: A College Horror Anthology

Director(s) - Blake Douglas, Ethan Gomez Zahnley (Johnny Wick: Chapter 2, Satan's Servant), and Lenny Ibarra

Starring - Joanna Zimbler (The Night Never Fades, Bad), Angelo Kern (Planetquake, Bull Shark 3), and Kimberly Girkin (Stage Fright, Monsters of Mine)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been a fan of horror anthologies for as long as I could remember.   I've mentioned several over the years that I grew up watching over and over.  Movies like Creepshow, Creepshow 2, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Tales  from the Darkside: The Movie, From a Whisper to a Scream, and so on.  I love checking out a new anthology and absolutely love when they have a fantastic wrap around segment that ties everything up neatly.  A few weeks back I found a post on Instagram for the indie horror anthology Welcome Week: A College Horror Anthology.  I really liked the artwork and decided to reach out to the page.  They got back to me with a review link to check out.  I decided to check it out after my Visual Vengeance and want to take a moment to thank the folks over at the Welcome Week Instagram page for sending this one over!

     The film follows a group of college freshman going to a party during their first week at school.  However, things take a deadly turn when someone starts killing the students in gruesome manners.  One of the students reveals that he had hand to hand combat training in order to attend college because his siblings all met horrific fates while in college.  While trying to save his friends, he recounts their tragic tales while making his way across campus.

     I went into Welcome Week knowing absolutely nothing and was surprised by just how unique the film was.  Sadly, a lot of the film wasn't for me but that doesn't mean it will not find it's targeted audience.  I went into this one with an open mind but found myself not enjoying it like I had hoped.  The acting in this one is very well done and consistent which is something you don't really see in anthologies featuring segments from varying directors.  The characters are cliched and not written that well but the cast does a solid job with what they were given.  The stories for this one varies.  The wrap around segment is a cool idea while I was watching it but after watching the film it feels like a cheap way of pulling them all together.  It would have been more effective if each segment was written for the film and consistent.  Instead, it's clear that each one was filmed at different times and just happened to feature freshman in college meeting a horrible end.  Aside from the wraparound segment, none of the other segments reference each other.  Also, some of the stories actually feature similar stories to one another.  We follow college students dying to a mysterious killer or something supernatural and occult like.  Finally, the film has some blood and solid enough make-up effects.  These do fit the film but they are not memorable or imaginative.  Overall, Welcome Week: A College Horror Anthology is one of those films that is interesting on paper but didn't work out too well on film.  It features a great cast but the stories themselves requires the viewer to overlook a lot for it to make sense.  Sadly, this is one I would skip.  

Furious

Director(s) - Tim Everitt (The Evil Inside Me, Rats in the Wall) and Tom Sartori

Starring - Simon Rhee (Double Impact, Bad Blood), Arlene Montano (L.A. Streetfighters), and Phillip Rhee (The Kentucky Fried Movie, Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave)

Release Date - 1984

Genre - Actio/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Karate heroes fights aliens for control of the astral plane!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been lucky enough to review several martial arts movies over the years.  Most of them were a lot of fun while others were clearly quick cash grabs.  Over the years I've found that I enjoy the more outlandish and absurd kung fu flicks over the ones that are grounded and centered around crime.  Several weeks back Visual Vengeance announced the blu release of the 1984 martial arts sci-fi flick Furious.  The artwork didn't strike my interest but the synopsis sold me on the film.  I went ahead and preordered it along with Dinosaur Valley Girls and when they arrived I quickly made time for them.

     The film follows Simon (Rhee) who is investigating the death of his sister.  His journey takes him to the city where he uncovers that she was murdered because of an amulet that was split into two pieces and given to them.  If the two halves of the amulet is put together it could mean certain doom for this plane of existence.

     Furious is said to be a cult classic at this point and I can see how it could have been traded around on VHS back in the day.  It had a few funny moments and the story is truly out there but it wasn't one I enjoyed.  Aside from the few laughs, I found myself waiting for it it end.  The acting in this one is consistent but it's laughably bad at times.  I've seen horror movies made with no budget in a teenager's back yard with no acting experience.  I've also seen horror flicks with a budget consisting of millions of dollars.  Both have offered up solid acting.  However, this one was not the best.  In fact, this one features some of the weakest acting I've seen.  The characters are pretty generic especially for a kung fu flick and their personalities are extremely bland.  Also, the sounds they play over the acting during the fight scenes had me cracking up.  I don't know what the thought process was for this decision but it's fucking hilarious when it shouldn't be.  The story for this one really is at home for the early 80s.  It is a solid adventure story with a martial arts twist.  I could see myself really getting into this if it was a straight forward narrative and not a film solely focused on kung fu.  I would have loved the film if it follows the man searching for answers while meeting characters with more depth than the almost dialogue-less film that we have full of fight scenes with funny sound effects.  Finally, the film doesn't really offer up anything in regards to a body count or gore.  Instead, it focuses heavily on the martial arts action which is not as impactful as they intended.  It was funny at first but does run it's course fairly early.  Overall, Furious is a film that I can see why so many people enjoy but was one I didn't enjoy.  It was dull and the laughs it delivered were clearly unintentional.  I seriously wanted to like this one but I couldn't.  Skip it.  

Dinosaur Valley Girls

Director - Donald F. Glut (The Vampire Hunters Club, The Mummy's Kiss)

Starring - Jeff Rector (American Horror Story, Star Trek: The Next Generation), William Marshall (Blacula, Pee-Wee's Playhouse), and Griffin Drew (The Bare Wench Project 2: Scared Topless, Billy Frankenstein)

Release Date - 1996

Genre - Comedy/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "A land where time stands still and the exotic action never stops..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I was in elementary school when Jurassic Park hit theaters.  I wasn't able to check it out in theaters but as soon as it hot VHS I was able to snag a copy at K-Mart.  This started a small obsession with dinosaurs and it wasn't long before that love spread over into my love for movies.  I was soon religiously watching movies like Adventures in Dinosaur City, Prehysteria, Land of the Lost, and any other dinosaur flick I could find.  I still find myself getting excited when I find a dinosaur flick I had never seen before.  A few months back my friends over at Visual Vengeance announced the release of the 1996 sci-fi comedy Dinosaur Valley Girls.  This looked like a sleazy good time so I quickly pre-ordered a copy.  It was several weeks before the film arrived and once it did I quickly added it to my watch pile.

     The film follows failing action star Tony (Rector) who is having weird dreams about beautiful women and dinosaurs.  While visiting a museum, he finds an old talisman that he has seen in his dreams.  He soon finds himself transported to a time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and early man, who we suspect was not around at that time, is trying to survive without becoming dinner.  

     I was really excited to check this one out especially when I saw that that there was a PG-13 cut of the film.  So, like any curious mind, I watched both versions of the film and neither one of them were for me.  It was a cool idea but the execution and diluted scenes made it a tough one for me to finish.  The acting in this one is inconsistent but not bad.  Some scenes feature smooth dialogue and dedication to their characters while other scenes have dialogue delivered too fast to understand and absolutely no energy.  I have no idea what the shooting schedule was like but it clearly drained the cast at some point.  The story for this one is simple and pretty clever but it loses it's traction fairly early on.  I was all for a failed action star with primitive hotties who hate clothes as they fight dinosaurs.  Instead, we get a story that stubbles through it's run time with nothing really happening.  Finally, the film has some impressive dinosaur props with some decent mechanics.  I was not expecting them to look as good as they did.  Also, the women are gorgeous as well and their lack of clothes, if you watch the standard cut.  Overall, Dinosaur Valley Girls is something I could see playing on USA Up All Night when I was little but it wasn't a film I particularly enjoyed.  It did have it's moments but it was difficult to finish.  With that being said, the release from Visual Vengeance looks good.  Collectors will want to snag it but those looking for something new to watch may want to skip it.  

Up!

Director - Russ Meyer (Motorpsycho!, Vixen!)

Starring - Edward Schaaf (Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Addams Family), Robert McLane (NET Playhouse, Blue Summer), and Elaine Collins (Fantasm Comes Again, Deep Jaws)

Release Date - 1976

Genre - Comedy/Erotic

Tagline - "A robust American fun movie!"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I hear the name Russ Meyer I immediately think of classics like Vixens!, Faster Pussycat Kill Kill!, and Motorpsycho!  However, he had a career that spanned almost 60 years and directed over 30 films.  A lot of his films are new to me but I have yet to find one that I didn't like.  A few weeks back I received the press release for two upcoming releases from Severin Films that just happened to be two Russ Meyer's flicks.  One is a film I had seen several times from 1965 titles Motorpsycho! but the other was new to me.  That film was 1976's Up!.  A few days later I received both films in for review from Severin and added them to my watch pile.  I started my double feature with Motorpsycho! because it was one I was familiar with and liked.  However, Up! didn't look that interesting to me.  I was fucking wrong!

     The film begins with the murder of a sexual deviant named Adolf as a busty drifter wonders into town.  What she doesn't know is that everyone in town has their own kinks and the man murdered was a sex warlock hiding a secret.

    I went into Up! knowing absolutely nothing about it and it quickly became my favorite release of the year so far.  The movie was completely batshit crazy and very unpredictable.  The movie is very raunchy and remains off the wall from start to finish.  The acting in this one is very enjoyable.  We get a lot of memorable characters ranging from Adolf to the busty hitchhiker and all the sexual fiends in town.  The cast does a fantastic job while bearing it all in front of the camera.  Some of the scenes are a bit more inconsistent than others but the energy and humor more than makes up for it.  The story for this one is not what I was expecting at all and held my attention from start to finish.  The film is a comedy first an foremost with the nudity coming in a close second.  Not all the jokes find their marks but most of the film had me laughing.  We then get some quick character development, some mystery, and a lot of soap opera quality love triangles.  Honestly, it's a hard one to describe but it's a lot of fun.  Finally, the film has a little blood and a lot of skin.  The death we get is funny with no effects needed but those looking for beautiful women will appreciate what the film has to offer.  Overall, Up! was one of the most unexpected films I've reviewed this year.  It was so much and I highly recommend checking out this awesome release from Severin Films.  

Motorpsycho!

Director - Russ Meyer (Faster Pussycat Kill! Kill!, Up!)

Starring - Haji (Bigfoot, Killer Drag Queen on Dope), Alex Rocco (Blood Mania, Detroit 9000), and Steve Oliver (Werewolves on Wheels, Angels from Hell)

Release Date - 1965

Genre - Thriller/Drama

Tagline - "Bike riding hoodlums flat-out on their murder cycles"

Format - Blu (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      Russ Meyer is one of those filmmakers that many movie fans either love or hate but his stamp on cinema history cannot be overlooked.  Often credited for the creation of the "nudie cutie" films that became popular in the mid-50s but it wasn't until the 60s when he created his "gothic" trilogy that became popular among exploitation fans.  Among those three films is the 1965 action flick Motorpsycho!.  This is a film I've seen several times over the years after acquiring a VHS copy of it when I was in high school before finding a DVD release sometime later.  A few weeks back my friends over at Severin released the film on UHD and blu.  I want to take a moment thank Severin for sending this one over for review.

     The film follows a young man who is hunting three bikers who violently raped his wife.  On his hunt for the three men he finds a young woman who survived an attack from the three but her elderly husband was murdered.  She joins him on his hunt for the bikers before they can hurt anyone else.

     Motorpsycho! is nothing special when you compare it to similar exploitation films that followed.  However, for 1965 it was something unique.  Also, it's the first film to depict a Vietnam vet as mentally unstable and homicidal.  While the film does feel a bit underwhelming, it is still enjoyable for a first time watch.  The acting in this one is decent for the most part but there is a few scenes where the cast rushes through dialogue.  These tend to be the scenes with a bit more action but it's not that bad in the long run.  It doesn't really take away from the movie but it is very noticeable especially when you compare them to the more slower scenes.  The story for this one is straight to the point but for a mid-60s exploitation flick, it does offer up some rather unique ideas especially for the time.  A Vietnam vet returning home with a mental disorder was never mentioned in film before but it was something the U.S. was seeing at the time.  Inadequate mental health resources of the time mixed with the atrocities witnessed during deployment caused many that returned to suffer.  Sometimes this did turn deadly and would become more prevalent in films of the 70s.  You mix this with Meyer's eye and experience with the nudie-cutie films he was known for and you have something that is a bit different for the time.  Sadly, it doesn't hold up too well over all the years but it's still enjoyable for a first time view.  Finally, don't expect to see blood and gore in this one.  There is several deaths but they don't have any effects for the viewer to enjoy.  Overall, Motorpsycho! isn't a film that will be sticking with you like so many other films but it's fun if you are looking for something you had never seen before.  I've watched it a few times now and I do enjoy it but I know it's fairly mild and tame compared to the film I usually watch.  It's still a fun flick and this release from Severin looks fantastic.  Check it out.  

                

Revenge of the Radioactive Reporter

Director - Craig Pryce (Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Goosebumps)

Starring - David Scammell (E.N.G., Street Legal), Kathryn Boese, and Derrick Strange

Release Date - 1990

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Great reporters aren't made... they're mutated"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several years back, close to ten years ago now, I snagged a few bootleg flicks at a con for dirt cheap. Before you shit all over me, these films were not available on disc at the time and I always make sure I buy a copy of the film when an official release is eventually made.  I only buy these boots when I really want to see the movie and it's my only option to check it out.  Coincidentally, this was the last boot I had bought because so many amazing films were finally finding releases on disc.  A few months back Terror Vision announced the UHD release of the 1990 comedy horror flick Revenge of the Radioactive Reporter which just happened to be one of the boots I bought.  It's a super fun flick that feels like a parody of direct to video sci-fi action flicks of the time.  I quickly snagged this release that came with a press pass, t-shirt, and so on.  This pre-order was a few months in the making but well worth it.  As soon as I could I tossed it in and hit play.  

     The film follows a reporter who is investigating a radiation leak at the local power plant.  The director of the board tells him there is no such leak and takes him for a personal tour of the plant.  However, things do go well for the reporter when the director of the plant throws him into a pool of radioactive material.  The company behind the power plant plays it off as an accident where he died but they were never able to retrieve his body.  That's because he never died.  The chemicals left him disfigured while giving him a touch that burns along with acid spit.  The company behind his hideous transformation set their sights on his girlfriend to tie up loose ends unknowing that he is very much alive.  Using his new found powers, he begins killing the board and their director one by one.

     Revenge of the Radioactive Reporter is a film that most would skip over.  However, fans of Troma and no budget direct to video flicks of the late 80s will truly appreciate this one.  It's far from perfect but it's a lot of fun.  The acting in this one feels reminiscent of the S.O.V. flicks of the early 90s.  Honestly, I really enjoyed the cast and the characters they portrayed.  The characters fit the story very well and the cast brings a lot of energy.  They do show inexperience but it's still enjoyable performance for the most part.  The story for this one reminds me a lot of the classic Troma flick The Toxic Avenger with normal person falling into toxic waste and gaining radioactive powers.  The film continues the radioactive theme with the acid spit and burning touch.  The film does differ in who the person was before being exposed to it and goes with a more traditional action style film.  It is a bit of a missed opportunity not going full Darkman with the story but it's still fun as is.  Finally, the film has a lot of fun effects.  The make-up effects look fantastic.  It's hard to do a character with severe burns in a post-Nightmare on Elm St. world but this one works.  We also get several other fantastic make-up effects gags.  While the deaths are not as gory as I would have liked, I still enjoyed them and how they focused on the theme of the film.  Overall, Revenge of the Radioactive Reporter is one of the many films that I review where the general public will immediately hate it while those that love low budget cinema and unusual flicks will really enjoy this one.  I highly recommend checking out this one from Terror Vision while you still can!

     

Yellow Dragon's Village

Director - Yugo Sakamoto (Green Bullet, Baby Assassins)

Starring - Yuni Akino (Stop the Bitch Campaign: Reboot, My Favorite Girl), Itsuki Fujii (Vampire Clay 2, Pan), and Wataru Ichinose (Antihero, Sacrifice)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been actively watching Asian horror films for around 15 years now and while my knowledge of Asian cinema is fairly small, I know that some of my favorite horror films I've seen have been Japanese.  Movies like House, Tokyo Gore Police, Meatball Machine, Ichi the Killer, Versus, and Helldriver just to name a few.  Several weeks back I bought a Japanese double feature from Terror Vision and added it to my watch pile to check out when I had the time.  I bought the set for the second film, Visitors, which is why my review appears out of order.  I had to watch the second film first but once I finished with it I quickly tossed in Yellow Dragon's Village.

    The film follows a group of college students who are making a trip out into the country for some camping when they run into car troubles.  They just happen to break down near an old village steeped in tradition with promises of getting their car repaired the following day.  However, the next day they awaken to one of their own missing and at breakfast they learn that the village has a strange ritual that involves butchering outsiders that stumbles upon them.  The town descends on them to slaughter when they flee but several in the group are actually trained in hand to hand combat for just this occasion after losing a family member to their sick game some years before.

     I went into this one absolutely blind and found myself really enjoying it.  The movie, much like Visitors, is far from perfect with a lot of issues with the story but is still very entertaining.  In fact, I could see this one spawning a sequel or even a prequel due to it's rich story with endless possibilities.  The acting in this one is very consistent and very well done.  Much like Visitors, the characters are very one dimensional with very little personalities.  The cast does the best with what they were given but the characters are easily forgettable.  The story for this one is pretty fucking clever.  The film's artwork made me think I was getting into a slasher.  Instead, the film follows a small village that lives like a cannibalistic cult that slaughters anyone that walks into their domain.  This would have been good enough for a straight forward horror flick.  However, we get the additional storyline of several of the youths who have trained to seek revenge against the villagers for killing someone they loved sometime ago.  It feels a bit cheap and doesn't really improve the film.  In fact, it pulls the film down in my opinion.  The movie would have been much better if the film followed the campers as they fought off the villagers.  Finally, the film has plenty of blood and minimal effects.  The kills fit the film very well but if you are looking for memorable deaths and outstanding gore then you will be disappointed.  Yellow Dragon's Village is a pretty solid Japanese horror film with a decent enough story.  While some of it could be edited out to improve it, the film is just fine as is.  It's not going to be someone's favorite film but it is entertaining.  

Visitors - Complete Edition

Director - Kenichi Ugana (Rolling Marbles, We Are Aliens)

Starring - Ryuta Endo (The Tokyo Wind Orchestra, Junnai Dissonance), Saki Hirai (Aru Shokuba, Omimi ni Aimashitara), and Rii Ishihara (Flashback Before Death, The Lump on My Heart)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm always open to Japanese horror.  Over the years I've seen some of the wildest and most depraved films that Japan has to offer.  These are some of my favorite films and I'm always recommending them to genre fans that have never stepped outside of the country in regards to what they watch.  I'm always on the lookout for other Japanese horror films that I had never seen before.  Recently, Terror Vision released a Japanese horror double feature that really caught my eye.  The release featured two films, Visitors and Yellow Dragon's Village, with Visitors really peaking my interest.  I snagged a copy and tossed it on my watch list until I had the time to check it out.

     The film follows a group of friends as they make the trip to visit the brother of one of them.  He hasn't spoke with them for some time so they are paying him a visit.  This quickly turns deadly when they one by one become possessed by something ancient and sinister.  One of them survives and starts hunting demons where she saves a man from a trap set by a different demon.  She becomes possessed and follows the man she saved back to the apartment where this all began where they encounter even more zombies but live in relative peace.  That changes when demon hunters show up and start killing everyone.  Those that survive find themselves abducted by visitors from another world.  

     I went into Visitors knowing absolutely nothing about it aside from the comparison to Evil Dead and that it had a cameo from Troma's Lloyd Kaufman.  I went into it blind and was a bit confused.  After doing a little bit of research I learned that this was originally a short that had subsequent shorts attached to it which is why it felt like an anthology at times.  It was fun for what it was but the entire time if felt like a huge missed opportunity.  The acting in this one is solid for what it was.  The characters have some pretty big characters to bring to life but they brought the energy to do so.  The characters are a lot of fun and they bring so much to the film but they are lacking depth.  In fact, it's hard to keep a lot of the character separated.  The story for this one has a lot going on but the film itself is stretched too thin.  I loved the idea of the friends visiting a friend only to be possessed one by one by an evil presence.  The short should have left it at that.  Instead, we drag it out with other connected shorts that ties back to the original short.  This is what makes this the complete edition.  Honestly, I wish I would have just seen the original short instead of the follow up segments.  They don't do a great job wrapping up the story and feel out of place from everything else.  Finally, the film has a lot of practical effects.  The deaths have a lot of blood and some light gore along with some seriously fantastic make-up effects.  The movie does draw a lot of inspiration from the Evil Dead franchise and the effects are the most obvious.  Overall, Visitors is a must watch for fans of Troma, Evil Dead, and Japanese horror.  It does fall a bit short of what it could have been but it's still fun as it is.  Check it out.  

Assault of the Party Nerds 2: The Heavy Petting Detective

Director - Richard Gabai (The Bike Squad, In the Dark)

Starring - Richard Gabai, Christopher Dempsey (Breaking Bad, Virtual Girl), and Michelle Bauer (Scream Queen Hot Tub Party, Hellroller)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Comedy

Tagline - "The party nerds are back!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I went into Assault of the Party Nerds not knowing what to expect and I found myself actually enjoying it.  To be honest, it's nothing we haven't seen before. It's not very original and it feels like a combination of several raunchy comedies from the early 80s but it works.  I doesn't try to reinvent the wheel.  Instead, it knows what it wants to be and runs with it.  It's fun, especially for a first time watch, but I can see myself spinning it again from time to time.  When I bought the blu I didn't realize it included the 1995 sequel but I'm glad it did.  It was just as fun as the first film.

     The film, once again, follows Ritchie (Gabai) who is now married to Muffin (Bauer) and is a private investigator.  Ritchie is tasked with getting dirt on a wealthy businessman's soon to be son-in-law who just happens to be Muffin's ex-boyfriend Bud.  This comes as he is getting ready for the 5 year celebration of the big party from part one.  However, they are on the brink of losing their frat house forcing Ritchie to help them as well before the party.

      Assault of the Party Nerds 2 isn't the funniest or raunchiest film I had seen but it did make me laugh a few times while exploiting the beauty that is Linnea Quigley and Michelle Bauer.  I don't think I enjoyed it as much as the first film but it was still a solid sequel that tried to feel like an 80s sex comedy but was really a straight to video mid-90s comedy.  The acting in this one is exactly as the first film.  The characters are very cliched and unoriginal but they fit the film so well.  The cast does a solid job in their roles with Bauer and Quigley giving viewers what they want.  The story for this one doesn't follow in the college sex comedy approach.  Instead, it feels like a crime comedy with nudity and a plot that you would find in a kids movie from the same era.  A private investigator searching for dirt on someone while saving his frat house is not the most thrilling of stories.  Hell, if you took out the nudity and replaced Gabai with a teenager then you would have a film that would feel like it was made by Full Moon's sister company, Moonbeam.  I liked the story but it's a huge departure from the previous film.  Finally, don't expect to see any blood and gore.  Instead, we get some nudity and humor.  Overall, Assault of the Party Nerds 2 is a decent enough sequel that fans of Michelle Bauer and Linnea Quigley should really check out.  Some of the humor works and while it doesn't have the replay value of the first film it still delivers.  Check it out.  

Assault of the Party Nerds

Director - Richard Gabai (Blood Nasty, Virgin High)

Starring - Richard Gabai, Richard Rifkin (Hellboy II: The Golden Army, The Lords of Magick), and Joe Whyte (Night Visitors, Hotel Translyvania 3: Summer Vacation) 

Release Date - 1989

Genre - Comedy

Tagline - "When the nerds get crazy it's the frat bash of the century"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love the era from which I grew up.  I was born in the 80s and grew up in the 90s.  The video store and late night television were my homes away from home.  I've always been a fan of cinema in some form or another and I remember spending a lot of my time, especially on the weekend and summer breaks, watching movies on tape or checking stuff out on cable.  When I was little I remember staying up late to watch shows like MonsterVision and USA Up All Night.  I will occasionally watch episodes of both of these on YouTube just to get that nostalgic feeling.  A few months back I saw that Terror Vision was releasing Late Night Classics Vol. 2: Assault of the Party Nerds 1 and 2 on blu for Culture Shock Releasing.  I had never heard of these two films before but when I saw that the bonus features an Up All Night appearance with director and star Richard Gabai it reminded me how much I loved the show.  I snagged a copy and worked it into my review list.  

     The film follows the last remaining four members of their frat and are about to graduate.  They have just a few months to recruit new members and decide to throw the biggest party campus has ever seen.  However, they don't have the funds and decide to trick their frat's main office in order to make some quick money.  With the money in hand, they plan on throwing the party while dodging another frat that they tricked into failing their mid-terms.  

     I watched several movies as they aired on Up All Night but I don't recall seeing Assault of the Party Nerds.  I have a pretty good memory, especially of films that I've seen, so I'm almost positive I never watched it when it was on television.  I wish I had watched during it's airing but I'm sure if I did a little looking I could find a VHS rip on YouTube if I really wanted to.  As for the film itself, I really liked it.  I could see myself watching it over and over again if I would have discovered it when I was young.  It was a lot of fun especially when you consider it was at the tail end of the raunchy sex comedies of the 80s.  The acting in this one is enjoyable for a low budget comedy that went straight to video.  The cast had solid careers up to this point and several would continue to act or provide voice for film until now.  This is my introduction to Richard Gabai and I have to admit that I do like his style of comedy.  His character is not the most original even by 80s standards.  The raunchy sex comedies became a staple of cinemas and video stores long before 1989 so by this point it's a bit difficult to create something a bit more original.  With that being said, he does a solid job but anyone could have portrayed this paint by numbers character.  The film also introduced me to Richard Rifkin who would find success in other films and voice acting but nothing I had really seen before now.  I really liked his character here even though it was rather cliched as well.  He is a mix between Booger from Revenge of the Nerds and Bluto from National Lampoon's Animal House.  One of the main reasons I snagged this was for Linnea Quigley and Michelle Bauer.  It was cool to see them in another 80s flick but their characters were also rather cliched and unoriginal.  The story for this one is a melting pot of so many different college comedies from the late 70s through the 80s.  The nerdy frat plans a party as one big bang before graduating.  A rival frat tries to stop them and college girls love to show their breasts.   Honestly, it's not original but it's still fun for a late night flick.  The humor works at times and when it doesn't we have the nudity to fall back on it.  Finally, no blood in this one.  However, is college girls in the nude, along with Linnea Quigley and Michelle Bauer are your thing then this one is for you.  Overall, Assault of the Party Nerds 

The Emasculator

Director - Susana Kapostasy (Metal Maniac, Night of the Zodiac)

Starring - Brad G. Grinter, Carly Sonafelt (Bathtub Shark Attack, Crackcoon), and Desmond La-Fontane

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "He'll pull you up... by the root"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been reviewing films for well over a decade now and I still find films that completely surprise me.  I've been a fan of indie horror for a long time now and started seriously collecting these films when I was in high school.  Over the years I've noticed that I find myself drawn to several sub-genres of horror and the same can be said for exploitation.  Exploitation cinema is important to movie history and over the years has saw several amazing sub-genres pop up.  I'm a huge fan of blaxploitation, hixploitation, sexploitation, cannibal, and the most controversial of them all, rape and revenge.  Exploitation in it's own is controversial but every sub-genre that it created has it's own controversies with rape and revenge being one that gets the biggest emotional response from me.  Horror doesn't really pull an emotional reaction from me anymore but a well done rape/revenge film can leave me feeling some sort of way.  Sometime back I received an email from Makeflix about a new release of theirs.  The film, The Emasculator, looked like something I would really enjoy so I pulled the trigger and bought a copy.  I'm glad I did because this was one indie release I needed to see!

     The film follows a father who is struggling with the loss of his wife and has turned to drinking to cope.  His daughter, known around town for being a bit loose, goes on a date where she is drugged and raped while the act is filmed.  She tells her father and forces him to promise not to turn to the police due to the fact that it was the son of the small town sheriff that was in on it.  That night she kills herself leaving behind a grieving father.  He turns to the skills he learned in the military and his cattle emasculator to get his revenge on the aspiring pornographers.  

     I only had a vague idea as to what the film was about prior to watching it but I wasn't expecting it to be a rape/revenge flick nor was I expecting myself to connect with the killer in the way that I did.  I Spit on Your Grave is one of my favorite films and I've always loved how justice was served in the film.  The Emasculator does the same while giving the viewer a character they can associate with.  The acting in this one is a bit uneven but it's far from being bad.  Some of the cast does show inexperience but they are all fully committed to their role.  With that being said, I really liked the characters and what the cast did with their roles.  It's these characters that made the film so much fun.  The story for this one is a bit different than your normal rape/revenge flick.  Typically, the film will feature a woman who is defiled by a man or group of men and then sets out to kill those responsible.  Here, the film uses the father's love for his daughter to fuel his anger for revenge.  Honestly, I'm a father of two little girls and I couldn't imagine something like this happening to them so seeing a father go to the lengths he does here makes the film for me.  As much as I loved the story to this one, some of the scenes are a bit drawn out and boring at times.  Some editing and trimming down would help the pacing of this one out tremendously.  Finally, the film has some blood and with some decent practical effects but it's clear that this no budget feature didn't have the funds for serious gore.  While it does work for the film, I was expecting a little more in regards to the red stuff.  Overall, The Emasculator is a fantastic S.O.V. tribute to one of the most controversial sub-genres in cinema history.  It's depraved at times and a lot of fun for fans of underground cinema.  I highly recommend it.  

Primal Games

Director - David Ryan Keith (Ghosts of Darkness, The Redwood Massacre)

Starring - John Love (The Droving, No Ambition), Hannaj Bang Bendz (Wrath of Dracula, Ship of the Damned), and Gary Kasper (Redwood Massacre: Annihilation, Bigfoot)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Action/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Only the elite survive"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been following the career of filmmaker David Ryan Keith for sometime now.  I first befriended him when he was promoting his slasher The Redwood Massacre about a decade ago now and since then I've reviewed several of his films.  He's a very talented filmmaker and his body of work speaks for itself.  A few weeks back David reached out to me to review his newest film Primal Games.  This sci-fi action flick looked like a fun time so I agreed to check it out.  Like always, I want to thank David for sending this one my way to check out!

     The film follows Ben (Love) and Sarah (Bendz) as they travel through the woods.  However, on their way they cross paths with a man who seems to be having car troubles.  Ben offers to give him a lift but Sarah has her own reserves about the man.  Things take a deadly twist when he shoots Ben and starts killing Sarah.  Ben is able to get the upper hand on the sadistic man but not before Sarah dies.  During his escape, Ben is able to seize the man's cellphone and while looking through it he discovers that he is the paying customer of the ultimate hunt revealing that Ben and Sarah are clones.  People pay to hunt the clones and their bodies are used to harvest organs for medical emergencies.  Ben then uses the device to increase his intelligence and fighting prowess to stop the other hunters in the park.

     I went into Primal Games blind and found myself really enjoying it.  Hell, I honestly loved it for the most part.  The story did have me scratching my head fairly early on but as the film progressed I realized that it was going to be something a bit different especially for an indie production.  The acting in this one is fantastic.  John Love and Hannaj Bang Bendz made the film for me.  I love their on screen chemistry and the characters they portrayed.  They both carry the entire film on their backs and do one hell of a job with their roles.  The same can be said about Gary Kasper.  While he may not make the film for me as the other two do, his performance is nothing short of brilliant.  He does an amazing job as well.  The supporting cast is solid but it's these three that shine.  The story for this one is is not what I was expecting.  Hell, I thought I had the film figured out before the big reveal which I did not see coming.  It's a well written film that reminded me a lot of the direct to video sci-fi action flicks of the late 90s.  I wasn't a fan of these films growing up but the library on Tubi of these lost classics has really opened my mind up to these type of films.  I loved this story and how it left itself open to possible sequels further down the line.  Finally, the film has a lot of violent deaths with plenty of blood.  We do get a few gruesome scenes with solid effects but they are not that memorable or original.  Most of the deaths are done by gun or knife so we don't have a lot of room for creativity here.  They work for the film but don't stand out.  With that being said, I wasn't a fan of the visual effects used.  It does cheapen the film and takes away from the overall presentation.  Overall, Primal Games may not be a straight forward horror flick.  In fact, it's not really a horror film at all.  It's a sci-fi action flick that is just clever and violent enough to appeal to horror fans.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.  

Wolf Man

Director - Leigh Whannell (The Invisible Man, Insidious: Chapter 3)

Starring - Christopher Abbott (Kraven the Hunter, Possessor), Julia Garner (Ozark, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For), and Matilda Firth (Vampire Academy, The Power)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Protect your own"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Many genre fans, myself included, cut their teeth on the Universal Monster movies.  I remember collecting the reissues VHS as a kid and picking up extra copies to trade among friends.  This was long before the genre really took hold.  I was still watching shit like Air Bud, Heavyweights, Space Jam, and any other kid appropriate film of the mid-90s but there was always joy in watching Bela deliver Dracula's iconic lines or Boris throwing that little girl in the water.  The films have seen several reboot over the years with some being personal favorites of mine.  Brendan Fraser's The Mummy being one of them.  A few years back Blumhouse produced The Invisible Man and it was one I went into with an open mind but in the end I didn't enjoy it.  However, the success of the film spawned interest in more classic Universal Monsters and before long we were given Wolf Man from Leigh Whannell who also directed the Invisible Man.  I had reserves about this one but I was still interested in it.

     The film follows a father who receives documentation that his missing father has been declared dead along with the keys to his childhood home deep in the woods.  He decides to take his family there to try and rekindle his marriage and spend more time with his daughter.  However, their trip there is anything but normal when their vehicle is ran off the road by a humanoid creature and the person taking them to the cabin is killed.  He suffers an injury but is able to get his family to safety in his father's cabin but soon finds himself severely ill.  As he slowly succumbs to his illness, his body starts to change.  He starts losing his teeth, finger nails, and hair.  It doesn't take long before he is unrecognizable but he still has a little of his humanity left and puts himself between the creature, who happens to have the same tattoo as his father, and his family.  

     I went into this one not knowing what to expect.  I had seen some promotional images and a few pictures from some event but that was the extent of my knowledge of the film.  With that being said, I actually enjoyed the film.  There was a few things that I didn't care for but the overall film was enjoyable.  I will say that if you went into this one expecting a solid werewolf flick then you may be disappointed.  I would recommend going into this one with an open mind and to expect what you wouldn't expect from a film titled Wolf Man.  The acting in this one is one of my biggest problems with the film.  Abbott and Garner show absolutely zero emotion.  They scream but the entire film their faces remain stone.  I thought Kristen Stewart was the worst for showing no emotion but these two rival her with their performances here.  The remainder of the cast, as short as it may be, was solid enough but with these two starring it didn't leave much room for the cast to make up for their shortcomings.  The story for this one borrow some from the original Wolf Man along with the 2010 remake but not enough to be noticeable.  In all three films we follow an estranged son returning to his family home and that is about the end of the similarities.  The film takes a more grounded take on werewolf lore that almost feels like it was influenced by Ginger Snaps.  It treats it as a sickness or disease rather than people being cursed to turn into a monster by moonlight.  I prefer the original lore surrounding werewolves but I kind of liked this take as well.  Sure, the story does drag it's feet in the third act and is a bit bloated near the ending but the overall film was enjoyable.  Finally, the film has some great practical effects and a few awesome scenes that I don't want to go into great detail with but I absolutely loved the self-harm scenes.  I would have liked a bit more monster make-up and some gore but we can't always get what we want.  Overall, Wolf Man is nothing like the original or the 2010 remake but I still enjoyed it.  While I'm not the biggest fan of Whannell, he did a solid job with this one.  It's not going to be an iconic film or one that defines the genre but it's still fun for a late night viewing.  Check it out.  

Gush

Director - Scott Schirmer (The Bad Man, Found) and Brian K. Williams (Time to Kill, Space Babes from Outer Space)

Starring - Ellie Church (Amazon Hot Box, Hunters), Alyss Winkler (The Barn Part II, Slaughterhouse Slumber Party), and Jason Crowe (Mr. Buzzkill, Don't Fuck in the Woods 2)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Thriller

Tagline - "Inspiration comes at a price"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been reviewing for Horror Society for over a decade now and during that time I've seen some wild flicks.  I have a soft spot for films that are unique and weird.  Movies that follow trends or intended to be quick cash grabs are not for me.  Instead, I want a movie with a story that I had never seen before with memorable moments.  That is exactly what I can count on when I see a film with Scott Schirmer and Brian K. Williams attached.  Some of the wildest and strangest films have these two attached to them.  Last week I was contacted by Williams to check out their newest film Gush.  I had seen some images from the film and was really looking forward to it so I quickly agreed to check it out.  I'm glad I did because I absolutely fucking loved this movie.  Like always, I want to thank Brian for sending this one my way!

     The film follows a horror author who is struggling after the loss of her pregnancy.  She has become distant from her husband because of the loss which is impacting her writing.  Her agent sends her to a home deep in the woods in order work on her new book.  Still mourning the loss of her child and suspicion that her husband is not faithful, she reluctantly goes to start on her new book.  Things start out innocently enough but a nightly visit from a beautiful woman has her forgetting her troubles and highly motivated to finish her new novel.  She soon learns that the woman that has served as a distraction from her life and serves as inspiration may be a muse who has motives of her own.  

    I went into Gush knowing very little about it.  All I knew was that it featured Jason Crowe, Ellie Church, and Alyss Winkler but I knew nothing about the story or what the general plot of the film was.  I'm glad I went into this one completely blind because the mystery is part of what makes this film so damn good.  The acting in this one is top notch.  Ellie Church is easily one of the best actresses in the genre and has always stole every scene she was in.  I didn't realize that Schirmer and Williams were attached to the film when I first became interested in the project.  It was Church's involvement that sold me on the project.  Also in the film is Jason Crowe who is one of my favorite actors in the indie horror world.  I've been a huge fan of his for years and he never disappoints.  Gush is no exception.  He once again delivers a great performance.  It would also be a crime if I didn't mention how amazing Alyss Winkler is this one.  I've mentioned in previous reviews how Winkler is easily the most attractive actress I've seen in film and it seems I am not the only one that thinks that.  Her character here says so much without saying a word.  Her body and mannerisms, mixed with her raw sex appeal, makes her performance here unforgettable.  The story for this one is one I was not expecting.  The movie has a lot going on without making it complicated to follow.  We have a struggling author dealing with the loss of her unborn child and the suspicion that her husband is sleeping around on her.  She is then forced to complete a novel she is not mentally ready to write by an agent seeking a payday.  It's here that she meets a muse that helps her get her life on track before something sinister is revealed.  It's a very well written story that is told perfectly on screen with great pacing and dialogue.  Finally, this is not a bloody or violent flick.  Sure, there is some blood and minimal practical effects but it's not something a lot of gorehounds will appreciate.  The film relies heavily on the story and the character development instead of pointless gore.  Overall, Gush is my favorite genre title of the year so far.  It has a phenomenal cast and one hell of a story.  I highly recommend checking this one out.  You will not be disappointed.