tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12098838802032047562024-03-26T18:16:37.981-07:00Demons of Celluloid Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3814125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-7758520810495865002024-03-26T18:15:00.000-07:002024-03-26T18:15:43.473-07:00Thinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7a3nbWWBwaq1IcJByTG7kR56K1GjYXvIKIJK6r2y1iAeFbyNQ5YTlYk33_G29QCnan9KzsODpNNSREoApW0wUuOGc2075Tkpbo6tlCJS92OZyF17_DZH2THQB7rYOpQEsamImHQDqCYcwDPa-Zt_4v691IFP3CZ_ZFDwo6oL1c29i0bncCfHbTStdTk/s2048/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1370" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7a3nbWWBwaq1IcJByTG7kR56K1GjYXvIKIJK6r2y1iAeFbyNQ5YTlYk33_G29QCnan9KzsODpNNSREoApW0wUuOGc2075Tkpbo6tlCJS92OZyF17_DZH2THQB7rYOpQEsamImHQDqCYcwDPa-Zt_4v691IFP3CZ_ZFDwo6oL1c29i0bncCfHbTStdTk/s320/poster.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbocOwW_zmMIOoXyiLdvLgvk1L6zJ46MtyTooU51mpUMuMbgd19QtzucrukYWDNd736LE0xKtBmEWNL-pJEY4VNMlGuVqvBElA98yLDQwWa1ejLBDJr9NTCDbR_FtR0iqNwSSQfvmb9SDS02YugG6s9rEQNtGKVINi4mT69eRfCjbdtI8bOHNc6PHTNY/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbocOwW_zmMIOoXyiLdvLgvk1L6zJ46MtyTooU51mpUMuMbgd19QtzucrukYWDNd736LE0xKtBmEWNL-pJEY4VNMlGuVqvBElA98yLDQwWa1ejLBDJr9NTCDbR_FtR0iqNwSSQfvmb9SDS02YugG6s9rEQNtGKVINi4mT69eRfCjbdtI8bOHNc6PHTNY/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jN4NcET1R-k?si=2eHdQDDNTYLPB_xW" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Tom Holland (Child's Play, Fright Night)<div>Starring - Robert John Burke (Robocop 3, Dust Devil), Joe Mantegna (Airheads, The Twilight Zone), and Lucinda Jenney (3 From Hell, The Late Shift)</div><div>Release Date - 1996</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Tagline - "Let the curse fit the crime"<br /></div><div>Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCE0usgH7kpZ_OCo93CGeVbqgPAuKakx-t9yNOQ6vwA2lA-iZReYa6XNPmp7kanNj5YVtW_xNTWTCu2OOG8DU_8evcMXni12HVy91cGyP4jIqUwDAusf-pvfq_86nfGEgyuT5_5-T8xNfa5XZnYF-VMQPO0lKg43qe9MrjxOK5raTCVmJNaytAX1IYwk/s320/r3_5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="116" data-original-width="320" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCE0usgH7kpZ_OCo93CGeVbqgPAuKakx-t9yNOQ6vwA2lA-iZReYa6XNPmp7kanNj5YVtW_xNTWTCu2OOG8DU_8evcMXni12HVy91cGyP4jIqUwDAusf-pvfq_86nfGEgyuT5_5-T8xNfa5XZnYF-VMQPO0lKg43qe9MrjxOK5raTCVmJNaytAX1IYwk/s1600/r3_5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> I've been fortunate enough to review several Stephen King adaptations over the years thanks to my friends at the various boutique labels re-releasing these films on blu and UHD. I've seriously enjoyed several of his film adaptations, including the one he directed, but I haven't seen them all. One film I never got around to seeing is Thinner. I had bought the film years ago on DVD but never had the desire to watch it. However, I had to finally check it out when Scream Factory released the film on blu. They sent it my way for review which I'm grateful for, but I just didn't think I would enjoy it. The synopsis on the back of the DVD made it sound like it was going to be predictable and unintelligent to watch. However, I was very wrong, and I want to thank Scream Factory for sending it over. <div> The film follows a lawyer who is struggling with his weight. His wife and doctor are constantly bringing up his weight and forcing him to diet, which has not been so successful at this point. One night after celebrating winning a big case they accidentally strike a woman with his car killing her instantly. The accident lands him on trial where he uses his ties with the judge and chief of police to get out of it. After the trial he is approached by the elderly father of the woman he killed where he touches his face while whispering "thinner." That evening he notices he is losing weight and suspects his new diet is working but as the days go on, he realizes he was cursed by the man and so was the judge and chief of police. </div><div> I never thought a film like Thinner would interest me but here I am writing a review after watching it twice. It's not my favorite King adaptation but it is a fantastic film that combines horror, crime, and drama into something that works. Some genre fans may not appreciate it, but fans of all genres will truly enjoy it. The acting in this one is great. Robert John Burke is fantastic as the overweight lawyer who finds himself quickly wasting away. His performance has a wide range of emotion, and he absolutely nails it. The supporting cast is just as fantastic. We have amazing performances from Kari Wuhrer, Joe Mantegna, Lucinda Jenney, Daniel von Bargen, and many more. The story for this one is a bit predictable but I really enjoyed the ride. The blending of crime, drama, and horror works very well with the story centered around gypsy curses and corrupt lawyers, judges, and cops. While it does slow down dramatically during the middle portion of the film, it is still able to pick back up and deliver a very strong ending that perfectly wraps up everything with a little twist that you see coming but doesn't take away from the effectiveness. Finally, the film has a lot of make-up effects and prosthetics but it's not a bloody or gory flick. While I hate the fat make-up used on Burke, I loved the make-up used on the judge and the chief. They both looked absolutely amazing and worked. Sadly, Burke's make-up is laughable at best and does bring about a bit of unintentional humor. Overall, Thinner is a fantastic King adaptation that may not bring the chills you would expect but still finds a way to entertain. This release from Scream Factory looks great and deserves to be in any collector's collection. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-41219374155062484352024-03-24T18:06:00.000-07:002024-03-24T18:08:07.290-07:00Darkman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRd_RwMSdZaAYE1CpH2srnCp9PIi5KZ0Ijoa462uY8aCZp4So9kMhZzc5VWCjRTE90McnuKYKvye2o0s_iLI84B5pUqgzEv0BzuMW0HUOskgI8lUhRWHCUohnRhRZjKYHjaI0ownmpEmBdk4JP5TPkvwUeALVYCRvsSzWDh8e0C56VTgf3kSaNZeacFA/s1500/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1018" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRd_RwMSdZaAYE1CpH2srnCp9PIi5KZ0Ijoa462uY8aCZp4So9kMhZzc5VWCjRTE90McnuKYKvye2o0s_iLI84B5pUqgzEv0BzuMW0HUOskgI8lUhRWHCUohnRhRZjKYHjaI0ownmpEmBdk4JP5TPkvwUeALVYCRvsSzWDh8e0C56VTgf3kSaNZeacFA/s320/poster.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlfSL1dlc4HUwDCNEIaVbbwZHYD60ouGa-duUR2yCffqunBZfC4j0M0Zyvd6lM0c8VtmImDIVKlME_dVW-t40cl6FW-pjHXLsst1nFT60XzxRXJvjR43_vgANKKE642Zb-r3LXDEeeM8GBqFGA3LzttxvPhMledIpWQ7uTgI-Dcpx-IcGm68cQPbp83U/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlfSL1dlc4HUwDCNEIaVbbwZHYD60ouGa-duUR2yCffqunBZfC4j0M0Zyvd6lM0c8VtmImDIVKlME_dVW-t40cl6FW-pjHXLsst1nFT60XzxRXJvjR43_vgANKKE642Zb-r3LXDEeeM8GBqFGA3LzttxvPhMledIpWQ7uTgI-Dcpx-IcGm68cQPbp83U/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wYEnXpQF_MI?si=ScD8OJ03aqhOgJ9p" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead, Drag Me to Hell)<div>Starring - Liam Neeson (Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace, Gangs of New York), Frances McDormand (The Twilight Zone, The Butcher's Wife), and Colin Friels (Seven Deadly Sins, Dark City)</div><div>Release Date - 1990</div><div>Genre - Horror/Action</div><div>Tagline - "They destroyed everything he had, everything he was. Now, crime has a new enemy, and justice has a new face"</div><div>Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFuoQg7J0duJ0lwRpJKn685FI77LE1LHLNPQxe0zn-GyND0JE2inGRKz7KMQsQptBUo8TJXy413HpP26dCqZY71P9g4Gr2EYyJA7XsNBjZTZNUp8H145pH7IehL8hItIThoR2WLTp_QN3pvOLqpY2_pQCw70bQtuQ3ymGCt71s3FRa3pD8dfS7Y7w-bw/s320/r4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="102" data-original-width="320" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFuoQg7J0duJ0lwRpJKn685FI77LE1LHLNPQxe0zn-GyND0JE2inGRKz7KMQsQptBUo8TJXy413HpP26dCqZY71P9g4Gr2EYyJA7XsNBjZTZNUp8H145pH7IehL8hItIThoR2WLTp_QN3pvOLqpY2_pQCw70bQtuQ3ymGCt71s3FRa3pD8dfS7Y7w-bw/s1600/r4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>My middle school and high school years were defined by George A. Romero and Sam Raimi. I discovered Romero when I was a kid staying at my grandmother's house and I rediscovered Raimi in middle school when I bought the Evil Dead trilogy on DVD when I was starting my collection. I had realized that Evil Dead II was a film I had watched as a child when my mother was still around. I fucking loved Raimi's approach to film and had never seen a film of his that I didn't like. During my high school years, I was rabid for other films from both filmmakers, and it was here that I was introduced to the Darkman trilogy. I had picked up the DVD release of all three films at Walmart and binged them when I got home. While they do drop in quality as the trilogy progresses, I still found myself enjoying them greatly. Fast forward almost 20 years and here I am reviewing the new UHD release from Scream Factory. I want to thank them for sending this one over and allowing me the opportunity to reminisce for a minute. <div> The film follows a scientist working on a synthetic skin in his lab at his apartment when he is left to die by a gang of thugs looking for a document that his girlfriend had obtained. He survives the attack but due to the massive number of burns that his body has received, the doctors are forced to severe his nerve endings, so he is not in a constant state of pain. Using his synthetic skin and no pain tolerance, he sets out to seek revenge on those that tried to kill him. </div><div> Darkman is one of the better superhero films pre-Blade and one that I can watch over and over again without tiring of it. It's a cleverly written action film with a lot of memorable characters that I always made me want to immediately toss in the Dick Tracy live action film. Many may argue that this one is not horror, and they could easily win that argument, however, its horror influence is very evident from the make-up effects to the death scenes. The acting in this one is fucking amazing. We have Liam Neeson, the late Larry Drake and Danny Hicks, Frances McDormand, Ted Raimi, and a cameo from Bruce Campbell. Fans of the genre and cult cinema will truly appreciate this cast and how amazing they are in these fantastic characters. The supporting cast is just as great, creating what is one phenomenal well-rounded film. The story for this one has a great twist that you really don't see coming, some well-placed action scenes that holds the viewer's attention, and some developed characters. This is clearly not a film that was approved and rushed into production. The way the story is told combines action, crime, noir, and horror elements to create something that is still enjoyable all these years later. Finally, the film has iconic make-up effects along with some seriously impressive action scenes that really pulls the whole film together. We do have a little blood but don't expect a bloodbath or gore in tune to Saimi's previous films. Overall, Darkman is a must-see action/crime film that charades around as a superhero film. Raimi does not disappoint and neither does this UHD release. Check it out. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-63797163823331796452024-03-21T18:11:00.000-07:002024-03-21T18:11:07.269-07:00The Night Devours<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0HlzOOvDsKjJN-VeguzEol77B2_b2NFtUi9-NlJK1pqWahunstoIIGtJ-gLlhRk7UKZsraQiaS6UkveMwaKB-YxGSVAOA06OZ1z6Pg69RrHx6nsrE67FTQzUF7ldYndvNj-wxLXY6w9CHTcwYR1_ujVFhQRO4yHkX1RVYEKAaw44bk1u_N1MzJTI3MIA/s2048/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0HlzOOvDsKjJN-VeguzEol77B2_b2NFtUi9-NlJK1pqWahunstoIIGtJ-gLlhRk7UKZsraQiaS6UkveMwaKB-YxGSVAOA06OZ1z6Pg69RrHx6nsrE67FTQzUF7ldYndvNj-wxLXY6w9CHTcwYR1_ujVFhQRO4yHkX1RVYEKAaw44bk1u_N1MzJTI3MIA/s320/poster.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsarV5NtLcCMmvJdX-t-IEBzFqnYHbKXMtufI66JnoOVSEaYzRffin9uAzXpVCKXi4khTiEFjLzWYWckCLbjxmkZgN_V1ZnwBfcaL6-AezfjTIGp5_OUDLmpgRyEpEdqHSmoItO4GBlnHCRieprqYAQPiyzJ6HOgb9BO9MLuvyIQmxmBsTM-qwJWeHnu0/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsarV5NtLcCMmvJdX-t-IEBzFqnYHbKXMtufI66JnoOVSEaYzRffin9uAzXpVCKXi4khTiEFjLzWYWckCLbjxmkZgN_V1ZnwBfcaL6-AezfjTIGp5_OUDLmpgRyEpEdqHSmoItO4GBlnHCRieprqYAQPiyzJ6HOgb9BO9MLuvyIQmxmBsTM-qwJWeHnu0/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Director - Jason Hawkins (The Last Slay Ride, Cross Hollow)<div>Starring - Maddey Pierson (Zuzu: The Rough Cut, A Nightmare Uncovered), Jason Hawkins, and Jason Reynolds (Jason Rising: A Friday the 13th Fan Film, The Brain that Wouldn't Die)</div><div>Release Date - 2024</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Format - Streaming (Online Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL9wi3oDN2RO3Rbwljnyp6_nZmQJBckcc-C6aFAEmK8jueBpIYEWOCH95WGMGWgFEiPn_MPh_Am4hGaQXeMlHimuRjDDJvtci30ocE-6xChX84ZQPJ8XnIRrBJ-cTW_e8kKHGDLjbCvMV1WqqJcqhyphenhyphenEz_adfoWmbjUapqcC1-FY6_YkHnZAcRTz9tjcWA/s320/r3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="320" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL9wi3oDN2RO3Rbwljnyp6_nZmQJBckcc-C6aFAEmK8jueBpIYEWOCH95WGMGWgFEiPn_MPh_Am4hGaQXeMlHimuRjDDJvtci30ocE-6xChX84ZQPJ8XnIRrBJ-cTW_e8kKHGDLjbCvMV1WqqJcqhyphenhyphenEz_adfoWmbjUapqcC1-FY6_YkHnZAcRTz9tjcWA/s1600/r3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> A lot of times I get films sent to my inbox that I had never heard about or know anything about. It's hard to explain but getting to see a film before it's released is extremely exciting. I get sent a lot of films to review and sometimes my greed and curiosity gets the best of me. I often find myself swamped with films that I want to watch and review but I'm unable to do so in a timely manner. One of the films that I agreed to check out recently is the 2024 horror film The Night Devours from director Jason Hawkins. I've had this one on my list for a few weeks but couldn't get around to it until now. I'm glad I made time for it because it was a lot of fun. I want to take a moment to thank Jason for sending this one over to me. <div> The film follows a young man who grew up obsessing over his father and being accepted by him. However, his father often neglected and abused him which has boiled into a hatred inside him. Night lighting as a ridesharing driver, he meets his victims when they book a ride in his vehicle. After each murder he turns to his camera to explain why he does what he does and how his upbringing is responsible. <div> The Night Devours was surprisingly well done. I knew nothing about it prior to my viewing but once I realized it was done in a found footage/mockumentary way I was ready to abort. I'm not a fan of these types of films but this one worked for the most part. It has great atmosphere, great character development though it is a bit cliched at this point, and a solid story. I did enjoy it but there are several things that could have been done differently to improve the film. I loved the acting in this one. I have a problem with films having scenes where they are doing the whole MTV's Real World confessional style rants in front of the camera. It's always awkward and most of the time the actor is trying too hard to make it feel genuine. That is not the case here. It works and I felt the different emotions being channeled during each of these scenes. While these repetitive scenes did overstay their welcome, the acting is great. Teh story for this one is very clever but it would be far more effective as a short. The male killer with daddy issues finding victims while working a ride sharing job at night is very clever but, it does repeat itself. The ride sharing victims and the camera confessionals repeat themselves too many times. These scenes should have been done once or twice because without feeling monotonies. Finally, don't expect a bloodbath or a gory flick. The film is character driven with no real blood or practical effects for the viewer to enjoy. Overall, The Night Devours is a solid indie flick about a serial killer but it would have been more enjoyable if it was trimmed down. Regardless, it's worth your time so check it out. </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-57275928730286731542024-03-17T17:48:00.000-07:002024-03-17T17:48:44.312-07:00Lust, Magic, and the Witches' Sabbath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjL2-tBa6DgWstN4Xmlp2E5JEadSNdJYgNVdQeeCoEAeuCUWVwVQ1Edg-zDriZ6Zo8NYlTPp7cYBcOOQFWz8ImCi_1G7hOQCPhAKDNiFsRZpFTTctRW4Q_zsgbPiez8gHn4j9xfmtzb4SdVl2QZUjIy4rHmubIEcBGD8xkHVTgcrHJCJZF083njurR5w/s2048/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1361" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjL2-tBa6DgWstN4Xmlp2E5JEadSNdJYgNVdQeeCoEAeuCUWVwVQ1Edg-zDriZ6Zo8NYlTPp7cYBcOOQFWz8ImCi_1G7hOQCPhAKDNiFsRZpFTTctRW4Q_zsgbPiez8gHn4j9xfmtzb4SdVl2QZUjIy4rHmubIEcBGD8xkHVTgcrHJCJZF083njurR5w/s320/poster.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTrZqZGeDevR_rCRPIyBJylvH8mTfMsPM3lWyYMe_5wh9EhbDzx243FkXdwHojRk3ZLP9ud0ASARX_ohUh48NZaiq2ofmXQaJlxE55xrs72jYu7gxZWdljylTHfDg4XJAzh1qADS6NdT9frPhbYV1YLsrKC50SIdhqwP6YEObvQ0Cx-qk84iNOvPaNNU/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTrZqZGeDevR_rCRPIyBJylvH8mTfMsPM3lWyYMe_5wh9EhbDzx243FkXdwHojRk3ZLP9ud0ASARX_ohUh48NZaiq2ofmXQaJlxE55xrs72jYu7gxZWdljylTHfDg4XJAzh1qADS6NdT9frPhbYV1YLsrKC50SIdhqwP6YEObvQ0Cx-qk84iNOvPaNNU/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_AbUL6fYdKU?si=mlfiKUVcWAzdyt7t" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Andrew J. Chambers (Attack of the 50 Foot Sphincter, After School Lunch Special)<div>Starring - Morrigan Thompson (Debbie Does Demons, Karate Ghost), Ivy Smith (Attack of the 50 Foot CamGirl, Giantess Battle Attack), and Raven Foyt (After School Lunch Special 2: Sloppy Seconds, Babezilla vs. The Zombie Whorde)</div><div>Release Date - 2023</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Format - Streaming (Online Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VuYb62WQ1XvRN8Ojd94iSU31PRzTFveL3KJHilyZ4TjsHwG1sz2RB9kLrImzLo0FbhnhUTD209V_fNHjQDUe-wtFgNQMJkC1aP1LTVxWhYnyas-FMKU9yfs-XGoYwp0hUa73mH_412xru7tSqf3A5anO0nadsFlb-l-sYul1H9GHsPs1htcNyRZhWfk/s320/r3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="320" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VuYb62WQ1XvRN8Ojd94iSU31PRzTFveL3KJHilyZ4TjsHwG1sz2RB9kLrImzLo0FbhnhUTD209V_fNHjQDUe-wtFgNQMJkC1aP1LTVxWhYnyas-FMKU9yfs-XGoYwp0hUa73mH_412xru7tSqf3A5anO0nadsFlb-l-sYul1H9GHsPs1htcNyRZhWfk/s1600/r3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> When I was in middle school the world went fucking crazy for The Blair Witch Project. I remember kids arguing at lunch and recess about it being real. While I was still one of those kids that fully thought wrestling was real, I never bought into the hype that The Blair Witch Project was real. My argument was always that if people really died would they be showing it in theaters? When I finally watched it I remember thinking it didn't live up to the hype but it wasn't the worst movie that I had seen. My biggest problem with the film was the lack of witches. I was looking forward to a film centered around a witch and all I got was three assholes arguing with one another for an hour or so. The horror genre rarely gets films that are worth a damn centered around witches in a traditional sense. We may get one every couple of years to enjoy and that may be pushing it. That's why I was so fucking excited to see A.J. Chamber's Lust, Magic, and the Witches' Sabbath. An indie horror film about witches starring one of my favorite indie horror scream queens Morrigan Milam (Thompson). I want to thank A.J. for sending this one over!<div> The film follows a young woman who moves out of her family home wanting to get her life started without her mother's help. She befriends a witch in her new town and is invited to join her coven. However, another young woman in the area has turned to religion after a traumatic childhood. Now she has plans of eradicating the witches from her hometown. </div><div> I knew very little about Lust, Magic, and the Witches' Sabbath prior to watching it aside from what the title suggested. I went into this one blind, and I found myself struggling until the last half of the film. I didn't care for the film during the first 30 minutes or so but once the film gained traction, I found myself really digging it. The acting in this one is very well done. Morrigan is one of my favorite indie actresses and she never disappoints. This film is no exception. I struggled with the characters and found myself not liking most of them, but her character was very down to Earth and grounded. I also liked Attack of the 50 Foot CamGirl's Ivy Smith. She is almost unrecognizable here and does a phenomenal job. In fact, her performance is probably the best in the film. With that being said, the remainder of the characters are lacking in development. The cast does a great job with what they were given but the characters are flat and not that likable. The story for this one is exactly what I'm looking for when I hit play on a horror flick about witches. We have the witches' holding ceremonies in the woods, nudity, Satan, and heavy religious elements. I absolutely loved this story, but it is a little back end heavy. The last half saves the film while the first half is a bit difficult to finish. Some editing a little more action in the first part would have helped the flow of the film. Also, a little more time on developing the characters would have gone a long way as well. Finally, this isn't a bloody film. It focuses mor on the characters and their interactions more than blood and gore. We go get a fair bit of nudity so that is a plus. Overall, Lust, Magic, and the Witches' Sabbath is a sexy yet extremely slow film about witches and deep seeded religion. I enjoyed it and I think you will too if you stick with it. Check it out. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-45538229187183957992024-03-17T17:22:00.000-07:002024-03-17T17:22:58.072-07:00The Wrong Door<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtuyqais1R0duCZUvzaU9gI1EKn_y_fyEFFI8zxObvdDuroDt2ZSK_OxIO9enfZ9nIcSakSeJcnagx4f1GndHXE-U49fgWd_G6VVIZJ14sGSGd1rmibLegRo_k6zNkQEA0dfMR-vrtBLXbgSB5ZJyF8_Nkz68MdmDjcOcc1De48zqeWa0YpmXXOOqY0o/s2048/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1166" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtuyqais1R0duCZUvzaU9gI1EKn_y_fyEFFI8zxObvdDuroDt2ZSK_OxIO9enfZ9nIcSakSeJcnagx4f1GndHXE-U49fgWd_G6VVIZJ14sGSGd1rmibLegRo_k6zNkQEA0dfMR-vrtBLXbgSB5ZJyF8_Nkz68MdmDjcOcc1De48zqeWa0YpmXXOOqY0o/s320/poster.jpg" width="182" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPrc51bhnnjFsHq3Jd82BBaUb3afod9xi5RNZnpZlvBJ8u6YCyh7V4ezE32F1P8h2gROUjzkOb1f8jCxgSzaKJbv8caYhkzDsdKF4BBOSQPMCzTFrR9k1XcooTUMgQXEDIdG8pJPGuiy0kCSpyNLq49g0gpFTUz6yE_f7B34zzP6xIUZPRaH0y_4R5Ts/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPrc51bhnnjFsHq3Jd82BBaUb3afod9xi5RNZnpZlvBJ8u6YCyh7V4ezE32F1P8h2gROUjzkOb1f8jCxgSzaKJbv8caYhkzDsdKF4BBOSQPMCzTFrR9k1XcooTUMgQXEDIdG8pJPGuiy0kCSpyNLq49g0gpFTUz6yE_f7B34zzP6xIUZPRaH0y_4R5Ts/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IfvXiTmXig0?si=0O_TEHpcOmWip1OB" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director(s) - James Groetsch, Shawn Korby, and Bill Weiss<div>Starring - Matt Felmlee (The Strip, Lovers and Liars), Loreal Steiner, and Jeff Tatum (Drop Dead Gorgeous, The Hymens Parable)</div><div>Release Date - 1990</div><div>Genre - Horror/Crime</div><div>Tagline - "Knock, knock Ted... It's the wrong door"</div><div>Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPkPAIzsLplmU4f_xg6mumwSbCwa0HN8t6nH8pYzWRc4JPj97OJQCLTwdIxufM_l7cJ4J6dz6M-YAbem7TqB2jrMlfktW98uyPDMEeeiS1sFgjTi1UySZqSa5pQwrECvjLhlc_pzHUJH2jfToesbuAYzILM-ItgTUeTvqB4BcKklH5FtNM-acSL8zv80/s320/r3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="320" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPkPAIzsLplmU4f_xg6mumwSbCwa0HN8t6nH8pYzWRc4JPj97OJQCLTwdIxufM_l7cJ4J6dz6M-YAbem7TqB2jrMlfktW98uyPDMEeeiS1sFgjTi1UySZqSa5pQwrECvjLhlc_pzHUJH2jfToesbuAYzILM-ItgTUeTvqB4BcKklH5FtNM-acSL8zv80/s1600/r3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> I've been having a lot of fun with my recent Visual Vengeance marathon. I was able to see a film I had wanted to for almost 20 years during this time along with some films that I instantly fell in love with. I had wanted to see The Abomination for YEARS and was finally able to on blu thanks to Visual Vengeance. I also checked out the awesome Repligator, Vampires and Other Stereotypes, and now The Wrong Door from 1990. This is another release from Visual Vengeance that I didn't know existed until I received the press release. I forgot to reach out for a review copy when it was released but I wanted to see it regardless. I ordered a copy and when it arrived I decided to start this marathon with The Wrong Door closing it out. <div> The film follows a college student who takes a last-minute gig to play a Jester for a birthday party instead of working on his project that is due. However, this quick gig for some extra cash takes a strange turn when he goes to the wrong door. A woman answers and mouths "help me" to him but he reluctantly ignores it when a patron from the party he was ordered for drags him to the correct room. After the party he goes back to check on her and finds her on the floor bleeding. He panics and flees the room but when he returns, he finds her body has disappeared and is greeted with two men looking for her. This is only the beginning of a wild night in store for him. </div><div> When I ordered this one for my collection, I knew absolutely nothing about it aside from VV was handling the release. The film's artwork made me think the film was about a killer jester or something like that. I was not expecting the dark crime film that was setting before me. I really enjoyed the film but it was not the horror film I was expecting. The acting in this one was actually very well done. I really liked the casting and the energy they brought to the film. While the film could have benefited from a little more development with the characters, the cast did a great job with what they were given. The story for this one can be a little difficult to follow but I liked the overall story and how it unfolded. A dude arriving at the wrong door to find a woman in distress only to find her murdered later is pretty compelling stuff. You toss in the suspected murderers looking for her body and tying up loose ends also creates a fun cat and mouse story. Where this movie starts to struggle is the random locations the dead/dying woman is randomly found at. If this had been a little more linear and used, then the film would have been a lot easier to follow. Finally, we get a little blood but that is the extent of it. This is not a bloody flick and those seeking a body count will truly be disappointed. Overall, The Wrong Door was surprisingly fun and one I was not expecting to like as much as I did. This is another great release from Visual Vengeance. Check it out. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-25233882244951273662024-03-17T13:44:00.000-07:002024-03-17T13:44:13.311-07:00Scream Queen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmDlf6yp74wPPQWYfY4iRFXZ_eanfPvbCljgA8O-PwzK2WfDKsB9F80ELCyZTtq-_L1Jjh2C2nRDrpJsO8tC8_RokdF5N8HAJLzd9RoEXmpSNb0UnDhDfHq62WrfQ_-CYHYUw4pn9tcOB-uxquTPLG4Ayo6LrRZ9ZSX1GlRxNhtbIVcvm5vK4kUgjlR8/s1288/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmDlf6yp74wPPQWYfY4iRFXZ_eanfPvbCljgA8O-PwzK2WfDKsB9F80ELCyZTtq-_L1Jjh2C2nRDrpJsO8tC8_RokdF5N8HAJLzd9RoEXmpSNb0UnDhDfHq62WrfQ_-CYHYUw4pn9tcOB-uxquTPLG4Ayo6LrRZ9ZSX1GlRxNhtbIVcvm5vK4kUgjlR8/s320/poster.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PUKbSjxeK4m2kFgfFTyjyk1bnPJTfQJQ6SsKlFUWF9DwgG5Ee1zfBBmkFBnk_-IcC5Jx73_cl3Id7_Trz_d75wswbFs2kB7kfOGSsW1Yu16fFjNGRGDKOYoOIB8m9z-9l0uD5EB1Q1jtXkk5cpWiTPCpvLKOBE3H2BXFVZvgtjnhI7UFEVUOsp7krmw/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PUKbSjxeK4m2kFgfFTyjyk1bnPJTfQJQ6SsKlFUWF9DwgG5Ee1zfBBmkFBnk_-IcC5Jx73_cl3Id7_Trz_d75wswbFs2kB7kfOGSsW1Yu16fFjNGRGDKOYoOIB8m9z-9l0uD5EB1Q1jtXkk5cpWiTPCpvLKOBE3H2BXFVZvgtjnhI7UFEVUOsp7krmw/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zvJSH1MD1uQ?si=TQeAS7KqV5X8a1Le" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Brad Sykes (Camp Blood, Plaguers)<div>Starring - Linnea Quigley (Return of the Living Dead, Hunters), C. Courtney Joyner (Lurking Fear, From a Whisper to a Scream), and Kurt Levee (Evil Sister)</div><div>Release Date - 2002</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)<br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWbYfa_WKwLKgGvL8M3EdMem7dxYMGgKKbhqTu-lqRzjn7Abc2lKODvHFLIn4q9V_aQDbNlv7w_WLZsL94fZya1Orr_usMMO_WHvZWlYexJ7RO1wM9q1Vi35RgCeddWyN3Y_2QcNzTtKMKudTWBVw25-tiiLu7yUufLKQAHSX0AIzS7kHiaUfTOwVCXc/s137/r1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="110" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWbYfa_WKwLKgGvL8M3EdMem7dxYMGgKKbhqTu-lqRzjn7Abc2lKODvHFLIn4q9V_aQDbNlv7w_WLZsL94fZya1Orr_usMMO_WHvZWlYexJ7RO1wM9q1Vi35RgCeddWyN3Y_2QcNzTtKMKudTWBVw25-tiiLu7yUufLKQAHSX0AIzS7kHiaUfTOwVCXc/s1600/r1.jpg" width="110" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> When genre fans throw around the label Scream Queen there is so many names they could be referring to. Some instantly think of Jamie Lee Curtis, Danielle Harris, Neve Campbell, Heather Langenkamp, and so many more. However, since I heard the term in high school I've instantly thought of Linnea Quigley. She starred in so many films that I loved during my middle school and high school years like Night of the Demons, Silent Night Deadly Night, and especially Return of the Living Dead. When Visual Vengeance announced that they would be releasing the 2002 Brad Sykes film Scream Queen I was amused in the fact that it did star Quigley. I reached out to them, and they were kind enough to send a<div> copy of the release over for review. Like always, I want to thank VV for hooking me up with a copy!
The film is centered around the death of a well-known horror actress after she leaves the set of her newest film. The death is considered suspicious because it happened after she had an altercation with a co-star. It doesn't take long for the bodies to start piling up with everyone involved in the film starts dying one by one leaving many to wonder if her death was accidental or is someone exacting revenge for her death. </div><div> I knew very little about Scream Queen aside from it being directed by Brad Sykes and starred Linnea Quigley. I've covered Brad's work for some time now, and I respect him, which is why it's hard to type this. However, I wasn't a fan of this one. I've been a huge fan of Quigley's for damn nearly 20 years, but this film just doesn't utilize her in a way that I would have liked while delivering a story that is very predictable. I went into this one extremely excited, but it was difficult for me to finish. The acting in this one is awkward from start to finish. It's the only consistent part of the entire film. The cast doesn't deliver horrible performances, but the forced dialogue and unnatural body movement made the scenes feel a bit weird to watch. The story for this one could have been a lot of fun but the predictability and lack of enjoyable characters makes it fall short. The idea of a horror icon meeting a violent end then a slasher like story follows where anyone attached to the film meets a horrible end sound fucking awesome on paper. Sadly, the pacing is all wrong, the scenes are dull, and the story only works if you really can't see who the killer is and, to be honest, you would need to be blind to miss it. Finally, the film's deaths leave a lot to be desired. I went into this one thinking it was going to be a bloody and violent film but was very disappointed in the lack of red stuff and clever deaths. Overall, Scream Queen feels like a movie that was written and shot on the fly. It doesn't feel like it had the love and care that the other films from Syke's have had. I love Visual Vengeance and what they are doing but this is one I couldn't get behind. skip it. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-57981550540714504412024-03-13T17:06:00.000-07:002024-03-13T17:06:22.793-07:00The Abomination <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fMh1eIOS3T9zsU6trC8l9kQC3MqMfLHHxaiZF93_4mhLdc1WBh0hJTgtTaN2OkR_TSCuHlw01qo2RlxPrLS7D3R8ftbRoBpZ7WJSFRvBC1QyaLk6keN4IIb0x7h8yDftVfgxGVT9LpoRQ0u7BGCpt-Ez_SRQ_vwehpWxQ1OWQk4sgunGyZzKW7-69u4/s2048/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1584" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fMh1eIOS3T9zsU6trC8l9kQC3MqMfLHHxaiZF93_4mhLdc1WBh0hJTgtTaN2OkR_TSCuHlw01qo2RlxPrLS7D3R8ftbRoBpZ7WJSFRvBC1QyaLk6keN4IIb0x7h8yDftVfgxGVT9LpoRQ0u7BGCpt-Ez_SRQ_vwehpWxQ1OWQk4sgunGyZzKW7-69u4/s320/poster.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDEMMouedJxI2jCETKk4xtgS3t-ePEgTZ6aP9BlVYbnyJTWnx_r0mPXXV3yhIZwc68B0q5vy_XZmnaQ0l5ONEfsMArSrRoKRhlHkQ_6GsW_7tMZEWrUFUmlTzFISuKme3VGvLFNNqSk3-k9_rxlMj7OLhe0vulg4uWJ543Wv7SzMejjxJZhERMN8SjNE/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDEMMouedJxI2jCETKk4xtgS3t-ePEgTZ6aP9BlVYbnyJTWnx_r0mPXXV3yhIZwc68B0q5vy_XZmnaQ0l5ONEfsMArSrRoKRhlHkQ_6GsW_7tMZEWrUFUmlTzFISuKme3VGvLFNNqSk3-k9_rxlMj7OLhe0vulg4uWJ543Wv7SzMejjxJZhERMN8SjNE/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YjN_2Kia_PI?si=MbZgM7o7JejGudM8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Bret McCormick (Blood on the Badge, Children of Dracula)<div>Starring - Scott Davis (Roller Blade, Ozone: The Attack of the Redneck Mutants), Jude Johnson (Tabloid, Broken Promise), and Blue Thompson (The Real American, Highway to Hell)</div><div>Release Date - 1986</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Tagline - "Tumorous parasitic beasts are nesting in the bowels of their victims..."<br /></div><div>Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAR84KatCoqTjfR5OlAOBc4q15IVEAlZME3qNr4rPVtHtioKf_112rC1kEooS_CpPCoXZUJDUNd7Nj4ZpB2jrHl9GmSBL0KRf3Eq54XhU1x3keytXAr6KrgAgzYPXFpchZ7mRK8y4pGwt4y-0zj2cSJLNEGfYLocaW7Yvx3dS7Jd2-xLUNsqgkfLBvz3s/s320/r3_5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="116" data-original-width="320" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAR84KatCoqTjfR5OlAOBc4q15IVEAlZME3qNr4rPVtHtioKf_112rC1kEooS_CpPCoXZUJDUNd7Nj4ZpB2jrHl9GmSBL0KRf3Eq54XhU1x3keytXAr6KrgAgzYPXFpchZ7mRK8y4pGwt4y-0zj2cSJLNEGfYLocaW7Yvx3dS7Jd2-xLUNsqgkfLBvz3s/s1600/r3_5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> When I was in high school, I frequented the message boards at Upcoming Horror Movies. By frequented I mean I fucking loved on that message board. I met some of my closest friends there along with so many films that I love. It was a huge part of my high school years, and a good chunk of my collection came from recommendations and suggestions of other members from the message board. One film I was suggested was the 1986 Bret McCormick flick The Abomination. I had tried for years to snag a copy of this film on any format and failed miserably. I was constantly getting reminded of it from various horror groups I'm in and so forth but never found a copy for a decent price. That changed recently when Visual Vengeance was able to put the film out on blu. I had to finally see this one, so I reached out to them, and they were kind enough to send a copy my way for review. I want to thank VV for sending this one my way. <div> The film follows a young man who takes care of his ill mother. She is extremely religious and seeks the help of her preacher instead of modern science. Her preacher tells her that she has a tumor in her lungs, and they pray for her. That night she coughs up the tumor and places it in the trash where it proceeds to crawl out in order to look for a new host. It finds her son and crawls inside where it lays more "spores" which drives him to murder all those around him so he can feed them. </div><div> I knew The Abomination wasn't going to be a horror film that was well put together with the best acting I had laid my eyes on with a story that would leave me in tears. I knew it was a no budget S.O.V. flick from Bret McCormick but I couldn't stop my imagination from running wild. After finally seeing the film all these years later I can safely say that it was worth the wait. While it may not be for every horror fan, I absolutely loved it. The acting in this one is far from the worst I have seen but it's pretty standard for no budget S.O.V. horror films of the late 80s. The cast is really into the film and the characters are pretty one dimensional, but they really try. It is shown in each scene, but it is easily forgettable. The story for this one is something that feels like it was written specifically for me. An extremely religious mother infected with some sort of tumor-like creature that lays its spawn in her son is nothing short of brilliant. The film doesn't go on for too long and ends when it should. Finally, the effects in this one make the film. The tumor, the death scenes, all of it look great especially when you consider the film's budget. That was the most impressive aspect of the film and the thing that sticks with you days after watching it. Overall, The Abomination is a must own for genre fans and this release from Visual Vengeance needs to be on collector's shelves. Check it out. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-57753725009784710182024-03-11T18:52:00.000-07:002024-03-11T18:52:18.332-07:00Repligator <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyV_PBIOhlO1F-A83BjeaFFWRztEq5_83__fsT1OOOG7c6w26un3d24RZhICQVHIsIrs09pJM48UizPEyJLlhurxn7M3OkiGSzoAMMexkqZtCKD7KaIRsy4tX2JNmsOd5ZVY95Zj5IiravhqIx0umeodFJwY29Q9DXW1ErRa_5p2iC_YxnlAOSe9EVCI/s500/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyV_PBIOhlO1F-A83BjeaFFWRztEq5_83__fsT1OOOG7c6w26un3d24RZhICQVHIsIrs09pJM48UizPEyJLlhurxn7M3OkiGSzoAMMexkqZtCKD7KaIRsy4tX2JNmsOd5ZVY95Zj5IiravhqIx0umeodFJwY29Q9DXW1ErRa_5p2iC_YxnlAOSe9EVCI/s320/poster.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCE9cDaI04aT_gCqKzz2G9mJzJ_c9unYJm_mWqfQXf8D-zOoxbZGOl0wz33o3IASuY9FEYpT9SW0JEkoHn4Uz4qXT6v9ZoawbUXIvBkChp3Uh2afCPWCUj78WmeYjzeJRKDzOlcVQHao1FQNk9BoWwvAOJCg6Gj3w4kU5srsFMJx9Yt98VctrXAlyIgYw/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCE9cDaI04aT_gCqKzz2G9mJzJ_c9unYJm_mWqfQXf8D-zOoxbZGOl0wz33o3IASuY9FEYpT9SW0JEkoHn4Uz4qXT6v9ZoawbUXIvBkChp3Uh2afCPWCUj78WmeYjzeJRKDzOlcVQHao1FQNk9BoWwvAOJCg6Gj3w4kU5srsFMJx9Yt98VctrXAlyIgYw/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RNqOnvXI2RY?si=YvJQmgzRk4frKqXt" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Bret McCormick (Highway to Hell, The Abomination)<div>Starring - Gunnar Hansen (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Mosquito), Keith Kjornes (Thug Life, Six Dollars a Minute), and Randy Clower (Fatal Justice, Time Tracer)</div><div>Release Date - 1996</div><div>Genre - Sci-Fi/Comedy</div><div>Tagline - "Bret McCormick's erotic sci-fi romp"<br />Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixH79mrXLePoZOSMq7epU5F9-iVwAUjl6SQLxt8W1kuXD97aUvwWyvV461nyboXiU4T6JOz-5NlxHveh-jLGPXvSUECOcWPu5l_UDT1ZO-b2NF5GsOHlsyJIUYWkbyjv6WD0tnJrDKIiserT5OFf1k1He83gJehSce48sndou5tYpPfADuz4_Awj7MFRg/s320/r3_5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="116" data-original-width="320" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixH79mrXLePoZOSMq7epU5F9-iVwAUjl6SQLxt8W1kuXD97aUvwWyvV461nyboXiU4T6JOz-5NlxHveh-jLGPXvSUECOcWPu5l_UDT1ZO-b2NF5GsOHlsyJIUYWkbyjv6WD0tnJrDKIiserT5OFf1k1He83gJehSce48sndou5tYpPfADuz4_Awj7MFRg/s1600/r3_5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> I may have been born in the 80s but I grew up in the 90s. I remember some things from my early years in the 80s but the 90s were my time. While I do remember watching some ThunderCats, G.I. Joe, Transformers, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, The Real Ghostbusters, and TMNT, it was shows like Goosebumps, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Big Wolf on Campus, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, Rocko's Modern Life, and so many more that shaped my childhood. When not watching these on cable I was renting tapes from the local video store or watching made for television movies on the original Sy-Fy Channel, Sci-Fi Channel. I watched a lot of cheesy Sci-Fi Channel films during the 90s and have a soft spot for them which is why I was excited when I saw that Visual Vengeance was releasing the 1996 sci-fi comedy Repligator. This looked like something inspired by the Sci-Fi original films of the time and I couldn't wait to see it. Like always, I want to thank Visual Vengeance for sending this one over. <div> The film follows a scientist with a military contract that is working on what he has dubbed a replicator. However, there is an issue when a man is sent through and comes out a woman on the other side. While he is working to correct the error a rival scientist has convinced the military to let him take over the project resulting in the human test subjects being exposed to that of an alligator. </div><div> I fucking love campy and cheesy cinema. I know most of the movies I love are shitty in retrospect, but I enjoy watching them so fucking much. Repligator is another entry in a long line of science run amok films made popular in the atom age and is still scene to this day. What sets this one apart from others is the nudity and sense of humor. It's far from perfect but you can't deny that it's a lot of fun regardless of your taste in film. The acting in this one is hit or miss. We have the late horror legend Gunnar Hansen and scream queen Brinke Stevens. Both deliver decent performances, but they are only in the film for a short about of time. The remainder of the cast is having fun on set but their dialogue is forced and many struggle with the volume of their voice. It's not the worst acting I've seen but there was a lot of room for improvement. The story for this one is everything I had hoped it would be for a sci-fi flick titled Repligator. We have beautiful women going around topless, a campy sci-fi setting featuring scientists who accidentally create alligator hybrids for the military, and a lot of cheesy visual effects from the 90s. I had a lot of fun with this but movie fans that don't appreciate the cheesy films that you could find on Sy-Fy in the 90s will not enjoy the story here. Finally, the film is not a bloodbath but it does have some seriously dated yet enjoyable visual effects and some gorgeous women. Blood would have made it a little more fun but we have to take what we can get. Overall, Repligator is another solid release from Visual Vengeance. It's one of those extremely cheesy movies that you can watch sober or 12 beers deep and still enjoy it. This release is a must have for collectors. Check it out. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-76159224924479541262024-03-06T18:16:00.000-08:002024-03-06T18:16:16.125-08:00Lycan Colony <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6fGgoeNpPzo25AP4L0D8igdV3wcMqiykoNXK8jqJPjafydeMjLzqjP1A4s4f21ricayxCHpr44wE3lYu844kockM5wRUMUfUCDYKuJl_yNJNMnatm4mHvhvxA9ELzMd-ov-3Hy4h0w8YQucMdaFKekat9iuXXq6sHRaM6m_J1q7IIrvv0qZnVeJ-uq8/s1600/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6fGgoeNpPzo25AP4L0D8igdV3wcMqiykoNXK8jqJPjafydeMjLzqjP1A4s4f21ricayxCHpr44wE3lYu844kockM5wRUMUfUCDYKuJl_yNJNMnatm4mHvhvxA9ELzMd-ov-3Hy4h0w8YQucMdaFKekat9iuXXq6sHRaM6m_J1q7IIrvv0qZnVeJ-uq8/s320/poster.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywQ57lIWpcnLdeyBJWOyRfKtHoyNNJOl0uDyYukkT9WKPmdDHiZCRv1dPFD6EOnZ2xdueU_6JVf8Htn_EjcP3sJY7I2mxomkd4bY-gTxn6EW1YsYK3VjLpEApTOdyVakgXgdMCfL600q13Gv-DdWe1Uc0qFITAAmI1aChiemcZJ65qnsjDDMGquR3OaQ/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywQ57lIWpcnLdeyBJWOyRfKtHoyNNJOl0uDyYukkT9WKPmdDHiZCRv1dPFD6EOnZ2xdueU_6JVf8Htn_EjcP3sJY7I2mxomkd4bY-gTxn6EW1YsYK3VjLpEApTOdyVakgXgdMCfL600q13Gv-DdWe1Uc0qFITAAmI1aChiemcZJ65qnsjDDMGquR3OaQ/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KF0dHvaMu4A?si=CSq-thWNX0lhOvJ7" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Rob Roy (American Werewolf, Damaged Disciples)<div>Starring - Sean Burgoyne, Kadrolsha Ona Carole (Morbius, Halloween Kills), and Libby Collins (Thunderstruck, The Knick)</div><div>Release Date - 2006</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Tagline - "Leave them alone"</div><div>Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_pgUa3Nhd8xMeujRh5KEmviAZk-iHvmrkG4THE8jtKzAhuRpefuvQ3cjKi79qogzGAkqNJazjfeE06VTWvMeurw_RE3NJ4QZlt7KFmOKwu_Am-BOxLvLIxL-nWJCrlWhtOgm1_xitbmcbtnqfgJR5STTCQR7hqEFuwrRvEHbk7duMLke6netOvM2A8U/s137/r1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="110" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_pgUa3Nhd8xMeujRh5KEmviAZk-iHvmrkG4THE8jtKzAhuRpefuvQ3cjKi79qogzGAkqNJazjfeE06VTWvMeurw_RE3NJ4QZlt7KFmOKwu_Am-BOxLvLIxL-nWJCrlWhtOgm1_xitbmcbtnqfgJR5STTCQR7hqEFuwrRvEHbk7duMLke6netOvM2A8U/s1600/r1.jpg" width="110" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> It's been a long time since I've reviewed a werewolf flick. In fact, I can't remember the last time I did. I think my last werewolf review was for the Visual Vengeance release Moonchild but I could be mistaken. That brings me to another Visual Vengeance release that was sent my way to review which just happens to be the werewolf horror film Lycan Colony. Like always, I want to thank Wild Eye and Visual Vengeance for their continued support. <div> The film follows a doctor who just moved to a small town and befriends a sibling pair looking for their father that went missing in the area while on a hunting trip. They quickly discover that the small town is inhabited by werewolves that have built a safe haven for themselves and were threatened by the arrival of the hunters. Now they are fighting for their lives as the werewolves attempt to kill anyone that knows their secret. </div><div> I went into Lycan Colony excited to see an indie werewolf film, but it was quickly evident that I was not going to enjoy it. I liked the idea behind this one and actually enjoyed the acting, but the execution was all wrong. The movie struggled to find its footing and slips even further away from being enjoyable with the creature design. I seriously wanted to like this one, but it was difficult to finish. The acting in this one was a little awkward at times but very enjoyable, especially when you consider how little experience some of the cast have. They are fully dedicated to their roles and do a great job getting into character. The characters may not be that well written or developed but that's not their fault. The story for this one has a very interesting premise that I could get behind. A small town of werewolves sounds absolutely fascinating. It's like a werewolf version of Children of the Night and Sundown: The Vampires of Retreat. This is a concept that had my full support but failed to meet its full potential. It's a town where werewolves try to live normal lives until a group of hunters get too close. However, the story is turned into a game of cat and mouse that goes on for far too long. It's extremely dull and repetitive which turns into a chore to finish. Finally, the film has some light make up effects and the worst looking werewolf I've seen in film history. Many years ago, I reviewed the no budget horror film Werewolf of Ohio which featured a werewolf wearing a cheap knock off mask of the original Wolfman. I would have rather seen this than the weird felt dog looking mask the werewolves wore. A lot of indie films dodge werewolves due to budget restraints and maybe the filmmakers should have this one as well. Overall, Lycan Colony has a lot of promise but fails to pull it all together to create something enjoyable. I wanted to like this one but it was extremely difficult to finish. Visual Vengeance has released some seriously underrated titles, but this is not one of them. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-76782552345644350392024-03-04T08:21:00.000-08:002024-03-04T08:21:27.018-08:00Vampires and Other Stereotypes <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyrgtqSVBedxSIgo_9eOB2MhLtIxwgZclc-8ni0ViCZD_1RtSYSPOuPbPwL1SvRs_vrpGExOZwahCOZbEKfYgqxu_y00X6zcDGv8-4_QaoIEMyFLKU3-BeeiLz1nR-UMp38T0yND8o4KPL_nNsBHA75jORGthoHCLe6igiNjM1tpDSzKMvmgvI3C2JVk/s1280/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="905" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyrgtqSVBedxSIgo_9eOB2MhLtIxwgZclc-8ni0ViCZD_1RtSYSPOuPbPwL1SvRs_vrpGExOZwahCOZbEKfYgqxu_y00X6zcDGv8-4_QaoIEMyFLKU3-BeeiLz1nR-UMp38T0yND8o4KPL_nNsBHA75jORGthoHCLe6igiNjM1tpDSzKMvmgvI3C2JVk/s320/poster.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uWM1rZpCHXrhPVnXMGTsA6G2pojopxP5ffIoLiVopoerpuOHgrrURgAZoZ69hUgi11G_mm4fGwA1eydETj28el2lG3BF_QBUhMB8gQ92KHIdKFczvWaCpl0eNR0J63GokZM9hdB1s-gHRHHdZpRRp5sKHB69DIcKM6QiqdHQR24Wug3OqB7Fg47-zEU/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uWM1rZpCHXrhPVnXMGTsA6G2pojopxP5ffIoLiVopoerpuOHgrrURgAZoZ69hUgi11G_mm4fGwA1eydETj28el2lG3BF_QBUhMB8gQ92KHIdKFczvWaCpl0eNR0J63GokZM9hdB1s-gHRHHdZpRRp5sKHB69DIcKM6QiqdHQR24Wug3OqB7Fg47-zEU/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8FMZa64xoyc?si=IPqvR8jswulMH-7N" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Kevin J. Lindenmuth (Rage of the Werewolf, Monstersdotcom)<div>Starring - Bill White (Heartwood), Ed Hubbard (Kissing Cousins Monster Babies and Morphing Elvis, The History of Everything Circa 1993), and Wendy Bednarz (There's Nothing Out There)</div><div>Release Date - 1994</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Tagline - "Vampirism... don't believe the hype"</div><div>Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTLMiJG6pIE1eizbwiiQXQjD2ZmAJCyRV_FDJAxr0e0dYPN9t0d15L7bvJK1lwzGSHdI9uJyWPVqLr641WIEUe1R6jGYwUncA0J8o4GFyByEl8HzAP6kqrVBSMDCuJ19NkYvjMADrukQmffQN5qFGhinQEtKi_bohEmt_nKCc3GRE-iJilbpcI5deqNM/s320/r3_5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="116" data-original-width="320" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTLMiJG6pIE1eizbwiiQXQjD2ZmAJCyRV_FDJAxr0e0dYPN9t0d15L7bvJK1lwzGSHdI9uJyWPVqLr641WIEUe1R6jGYwUncA0J8o4GFyByEl8HzAP6kqrVBSMDCuJ19NkYvjMADrukQmffQN5qFGhinQEtKi_bohEmt_nKCc3GRE-iJilbpcI5deqNM/s1600/r3_5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> I've been a fan of Wild Eye Releasing for damn near a decade now. I love the indie releases they put out on DVD. They get films that would normally be looked over by genre fans out there for people to discover. I'm a huge champion of indie cinema and love the indie releases they put out. Hell, even if I don't like the film I still have fun watching it. When Wild Eye announced the creation of their sister label Visual Vengeance, I thought they would be focusing on new indie horror titles like their Wild Eye line. I was wrong. What Visual Vengeance did was something I had hoped other boutique labels would do and bring us low quality indie horror films from the late 80s through early 2000s to bluray. While companies like Vinegar Syndrome do this with films from the video store era and before, VV delivers movies that these types of labels would often skip over due to the films being too goofy, amateurish, and far from perfect. I recently was sent their release of Vampires and Other Stereotypes for review and couldn't wait to dig into it. I want to thank Wild Eye and Visual Vengeance for sending this one over! <div> The film follows a man and his partner that fight supernatural creatures, so they don't wreak havoc on mankind. During a routine mission they find a man being held captive in an abandoned building. They save him but decide to interrogate him when they are interrupted by a man who brought three women there to party. The man is actually a demon and brought the women there to breed and when they crossed over into the building it was taken to hell forcing everyone inside to fight for their lives or die gruesome deaths at the hands and claws of hell spawn. </div><div> Vampires and Other Stereotypes is a film I was not familiar with prior to this release but the artwork fucking sold me on it. The movie itself is a bit of a low-quality film with not a lot of opportunity to restore it. Visual Vengeance did a great job with the film but the video is not the best quality. I can only assume they did the best with what they had and I'm grateful for it. The film was a lot of fun especially if you are a fan of shows like Kolchak: The Night Stalker and The X-Files. The acting in this one is inconsistent. Some of the cast delivers solid performances but the rest of the cast is extremely stiff and awkward to watch. Their dialogue delivery feels forced and they don't get into character like the rest of the cast. It's not the worst I've seen but some scenes were a little difficult to finish. The story for this one is very bold for a no budget S.O.V. horror flick but I loved it. A secret group of people fighting things that go bump in the night while the world's population is oblivious to the fact has always intrigued me. I also loved how the film is completely locked in this one location yet was able to progress the story. That is brilliant writing with budget in mind. I also loved the back story they established with hell, the demons, and how the building was taken to hell. We get something very different than what you would expect in hell from a Christian standpoint. With that being said, some of the scenes are a bit too long. Some trimming would go a long way. Finally, the film has a lot of fun practical effects. The wall of heads that is reminiscent of Coffin Joe was awesome to see along with the great make-up effects. We also get some fun deaths that are bloody with decent enough practical effects. The film clearly had a low budget, but the effects still find their mark. Overall, Vampires and Other Stereotypes was an awesome early 90s S.O.V. horror flick. The title does kind of suck but the film is well worth your time. Be sure to grab the blu from Visual Vengeance! </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-47620394433207839872024-03-03T10:00:00.000-08:002024-03-03T10:00:40.823-08:00He Knows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hRPY7Nl50TADcAaHH6_jHwiZw29drhDnjKZGB-cVfgx5EO1a1Ejr_9qnW6vWY210uterTiJsMtB7q5-eMIr_haHA8fYkILkHpASabjOmWCd7PLSH23lHYHmc8vN_80huzQ1vGOLY31oIJJtgoQ1CQuHSSepjylxV3W2oDeLetBgOHJL1WHtRMeQQjSc/s1546/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1546" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9hRPY7Nl50TADcAaHH6_jHwiZw29drhDnjKZGB-cVfgx5EO1a1Ejr_9qnW6vWY210uterTiJsMtB7q5-eMIr_haHA8fYkILkHpASabjOmWCd7PLSH23lHYHmc8vN_80huzQ1vGOLY31oIJJtgoQ1CQuHSSepjylxV3W2oDeLetBgOHJL1WHtRMeQQjSc/s320/poster.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4mCcdVp1qGeyxD7TOWUTzJtAkDZ9j8uxOlDTkFEMV4gvPQFPTKn9L4EL01YaAZO7-FNZVnJvVIQPZqUuwtWEe5b84s_S4CPCpEsKH2EXjQ-y701RYTk_XyMzweBoRSXiqkNuxb56ijJzbcNCWDlmJIYj0HdoXv3fRRZRYHDXQ2tPeuquMqzJ3TKOy7k/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4mCcdVp1qGeyxD7TOWUTzJtAkDZ9j8uxOlDTkFEMV4gvPQFPTKn9L4EL01YaAZO7-FNZVnJvVIQPZqUuwtWEe5b84s_S4CPCpEsKH2EXjQ-y701RYTk_XyMzweBoRSXiqkNuxb56ijJzbcNCWDlmJIYj0HdoXv3fRRZRYHDXQ2tPeuquMqzJ3TKOy7k/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vxkQyIkilkg?si=ypbLOs5AF9mCB8NJ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Steven Morris<div>Starring - Kayla Kelly (Straight Edge Kegger, The Devil's Left Hand), Zach Meiser (American Horror Story, A Haunting), and Lynn Lowry (Shivers, The Crazies)</div><div>Release Date - 2022</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Tagline - "He knows when you've been good or bad, so be good for your own sake!"</div><div>Format - Streaming (Tubi)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIb_oV7z8bX1yJcNH2-eOVI1Q2jUo9-FPgK67l8n4MlPw2D29EC-aKePflJbA8IG0990ZENnB5ttRPlaxV0eVKk-PqztGB2ZlbbNny4ytoECmBjeszVF2nyUd3wf1g4_UiCqvlSN5zLdG9kdI7WEPec-Y_-s4aL5wTFzE7jadJTrRo35niUSjOmuA2Wwc/s320/r3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="320" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIb_oV7z8bX1yJcNH2-eOVI1Q2jUo9-FPgK67l8n4MlPw2D29EC-aKePflJbA8IG0990ZENnB5ttRPlaxV0eVKk-PqztGB2ZlbbNny4ytoECmBjeszVF2nyUd3wf1g4_UiCqvlSN5zLdG9kdI7WEPec-Y_-s4aL5wTFzE7jadJTrRo35niUSjOmuA2Wwc/s1600/r3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> I hate how slow I am to review movies but with a day job and three kids I rarely find time to work in movies to watch and review like I used to. I can still knock out one movie a day but that doesn't do much to cut down on the stack of movies sitting beside my television and the dozen or so links waiting patiently in my email. Which is why I'm just now getting around to watching and reviewing a Christmas slasher sent to me from before October. At the end of September, I made a post looking for indie horror flicks to watch and review and was slammed with responses. I loved the amount of people that were kind enough to send over their films to review but I was a bit overwhelmed. One of those films was He Knows which was recently added to Tubi to stream for free. I wasn't able to watch it then, but I was able to finally check it out after watching Dave Kerr's Go Away. I want to thank director Steven Morris for letting me know his film was on Tubi to check out. <div> The film follows a mother and her daughter as Christmas approaches. She tells her daughter the story about an evil elf names Sammy that abducts those that are naughty and takes them back to work in his shop. The story she tells her is inspired by an incident during her childhood when her father was murdered, and her half-brother was abducted by a man in an elf mask. Now she is a mother with a daughter of her own when the murders start again. </div><div> I knew He Knows as a holiday slasher going into it, but I didn't want to wait the rest of the year to watch it during the Christmas season. With that being said, while it does take place during Christmas, it doesn't really feel like a Christmas horror film. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the hell out of it but it falls short as a Christmas slasher. The acting in this one is solid but there was plenty of room to grow. We have a supporting role from the legendary Lynn Lowry and a small role from Jessa Flux but the remainder of the cast was fairly new to me. I liked the cast and will look further into their work but there were a few scenes where the acting was inconsistent. It's clear that a good bit of the cast has little to no experience in front of the camera, but their inexperience doesn't make the film horrible. I love watching actors grow from film to film. The story for this one gets a little messy near the end but I enjoyed the ride for the most part. I loved the family dynamic of the protagonist, the drug dealer and his stoner entourage, and the entire set up of the film. However, like I stated earlier, the film did not feel like a Christmas film. My favorite slashers happen to be set around Christmas, so I am always open to any horror film set around this time of year. He Knows just didn't look the part. The story could have been set at any other time during the year or holiday with some clever writing and it would have worked. If you take away the Christmas aspect of the film, you are given a slasher that does work until the the last leg of the film. The slow buildup of the story with the cycle of everyone dying one by one is a lot of fun. The ending is more complicated than it needed to be, but I understand the urge to set your film out from other no budget slashers. Finally, the film has some clever deaths that film the characters. The effects work for the scene with one kill really standing out. I would have liked to see more gore but you can't do what you don't have the budget for. Overall, He Knows is a fun indie slasher that has some room for improvement. While I don't see myself adding this one to my December viewing list, I can see myself revisiting this one from time to time. Fans of slashers and indie horror can appreciate this one. Check it out. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-65060501059880385072024-02-29T18:20:00.000-08:002024-02-29T18:20:53.554-08:00The Box<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXRboj3KL2V70rYM-Y1RlqdPgOAqcuohiVMZELaTaZmjwAtDsrwevhBBqj41w68Imw9ogKK88aydaKgR8Rsfe4ztct99HSSVxBbwXyGv4JZzfIThWZcMjEZMdtrq0pwf1qARNCmjzijJPPe6KcbzxZ3DGZ8Q0sKXO_4LAN_IT1lsU3G02GUKby7_Ozd0/s1280/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXRboj3KL2V70rYM-Y1RlqdPgOAqcuohiVMZELaTaZmjwAtDsrwevhBBqj41w68Imw9ogKK88aydaKgR8Rsfe4ztct99HSSVxBbwXyGv4JZzfIThWZcMjEZMdtrq0pwf1qARNCmjzijJPPe6KcbzxZ3DGZ8Q0sKXO_4LAN_IT1lsU3G02GUKby7_Ozd0/s320/poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xGl8Pk0CFDHdHgER_u4KcB_YUPBb2tg44KD9_Vqr5GqVGdz_ELFh8l7XTOSyOYzbMfGpujq2DWPV5_jVqlDzrW8wbILU97Eb2yC1si7Vj52YhCpCm24xVxspoRA80I5IAUU6X8na1944Bj9Qrb_ChLLhGgH0fi2kJU3XKqV9ED-4N0P03SV2zIH4Sw0/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xGl8Pk0CFDHdHgER_u4KcB_YUPBb2tg44KD9_Vqr5GqVGdz_ELFh8l7XTOSyOYzbMfGpujq2DWPV5_jVqlDzrW8wbILU97Eb2yC1si7Vj52YhCpCm24xVxspoRA80I5IAUU6X8na1944Bj9Qrb_ChLLhGgH0fi2kJU3XKqV9ED-4N0P03SV2zIH4Sw0/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/suX7TVSKIZY?si=F2pu7XOF2BRQv52W" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Andrew Gibbs (Midnight Snack, Come Up Here)<div>Starring - Catherine Gibbs (Witch, Come Up Here)</div><div>Release Date - 2021</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Format - Streaming (YouTube)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGQisy18PqSQ8HueYEx4_lov_ySNGrBsWq7gny3osTpJwFTnO0fvpE0Ixbgxu28IIgjmjLUzPiIFokGpD4Jp7vzHmrMRbXJPpjkzZAtEmhAL8r77bfq8GHEi_NXa5awKhCBwfjRYh3dXeOiEb-VTNEhxsRBuYiJZdkYHyVh_ODSCRR_weUcW3bJB0D4o/s272/r2.5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="272" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGQisy18PqSQ8HueYEx4_lov_ySNGrBsWq7gny3osTpJwFTnO0fvpE0Ixbgxu28IIgjmjLUzPiIFokGpD4Jp7vzHmrMRbXJPpjkzZAtEmhAL8r77bfq8GHEi_NXa5awKhCBwfjRYh3dXeOiEb-VTNEhxsRBuYiJZdkYHyVh_ODSCRR_weUcW3bJB0D4o/s1600/r2.5.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> A few days ago, I started watching and reviewing several micro-budget horror films from Dark House Pictures and director Andew Gibbs. So far, I had watched and reviewed Witch, Midnight Snack, and Come Up Here. That left just one to check out which is The Box. It looks like this was the first micro-short Gibbs had uploaded to his YouTube channel. I want to thank Andrew for sending this over to check out! <div> The film follows a woman when her lights go off in her home. She proceeds to the basement and as she is looking through the breaker box the lights come back on. She turns around to find a strange box sitting behind her on the ground. She opens it for a moment to look inside and looks away for a second. When her gaze reverts back to the box, she discovers it is empty but something or someone is now standing behind her. </div><div> After watching this fourth and final micro-short from Andrew Gibbs I've realized that they are fun to watch but they don't deliver any sort of story for the viewer to grasp on to. I liked The Box for what it is but I feel like it has so much potential to be something more than a short running just a few minutes. The acting in this one is solid and fits the film very well. We once again have a very small cast with everyone except the film's lead only on screen for a few seconds. She does a great job, but we don't really get to see her "act" in a traditional sense here. The story for this one is another one from Dark House Pictures that has an interesting premise, but we never see where it goes. If the film was just a few minutes longer we could get a few answers to the questions that we have. Finally, this is another one with no blood or practical effects to speak of. Its relies on atmosphere and tension to get to the viewer and it almost succeeds. Overall, The Box is another micro-short that is beautiful to look at but doesn't really satisfy the viewer if they are looking for something with a bit of a story.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-24799215318239949002024-02-29T18:09:00.000-08:002024-02-29T18:09:21.227-08:00Come Up Here <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLdOpjLxqhnpLv02g_C84I6CZXb3SVKhjlHl2e6CcMHn1ylDs4gjU3dZOMw4upje3X3gGgAgTZ83TQ89jaflETaYkmVdp1PJQf63Cb9nY6rIRoCuB_izgJY0ghpfWx5ZHoUx-CVU-5lsJ1STpPPHvRBnbI9dkPCokdqPFBsVwB_ptzBDL_j0cDzr7qe8/s1280/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtLdOpjLxqhnpLv02g_C84I6CZXb3SVKhjlHl2e6CcMHn1ylDs4gjU3dZOMw4upje3X3gGgAgTZ83TQ89jaflETaYkmVdp1PJQf63Cb9nY6rIRoCuB_izgJY0ghpfWx5ZHoUx-CVU-5lsJ1STpPPHvRBnbI9dkPCokdqPFBsVwB_ptzBDL_j0cDzr7qe8/s320/poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2E3qvlBpWQ9w6BSlRAP0SH8PEm22dCKuqQF6Xxk0bkoF1dOehcASYzBrItBcUP-cHj7aMa7LGYl20CmP7to8NltvoGQCZP-CBLGj7AtoSjJZOtZCRm81t5ylbLozz_Bk9rDwgSB3gkyrzSycF3aK0j9TSW9AMp_QtrdtPJdveaiEszC06GlPJwk81DoA/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2E3qvlBpWQ9w6BSlRAP0SH8PEm22dCKuqQF6Xxk0bkoF1dOehcASYzBrItBcUP-cHj7aMa7LGYl20CmP7to8NltvoGQCZP-CBLGj7AtoSjJZOtZCRm81t5ylbLozz_Bk9rDwgSB3gkyrzSycF3aK0j9TSW9AMp_QtrdtPJdveaiEszC06GlPJwk81DoA/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QH4m2nGnDQg?si=jmOmVN50h3X7RwcH" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Andrew Gibbs (Witch, Midnight Snack)<div>Starring - Andrew Gibbs, Catie Gibbs, and Emily Gibbs</div><div>Release Date - 2023</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Format - Streaming (YouTube)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQJtNohHHEZufqCTr53Fe5cm9fx8HJbKe-_PWSQxxkZm9l48JJic60WcAtO6tyzJr-JNEltrTKlGCq5UZtenjtfo-P5SGKFl0L0Q9gX2kBKJXBGYOOCrZ7n_fvMy4H7jUf_gUTixswKThyphenhyphenk6225qdzBx8NpicalyCppcckPQfQJdYH6gOU11PrbaP4ZY/s272/r2.5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="272" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQJtNohHHEZufqCTr53Fe5cm9fx8HJbKe-_PWSQxxkZm9l48JJic60WcAtO6tyzJr-JNEltrTKlGCq5UZtenjtfo-P5SGKFl0L0Q9gX2kBKJXBGYOOCrZ7n_fvMy4H7jUf_gUTixswKThyphenhyphenk6225qdzBx8NpicalyCppcckPQfQJdYH6gOU11PrbaP4ZY/s1600/r2.5.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> I'm starting to suspect that micro-shorts have such low run times that it makes it impossible to tell any sort of story. I can see these being very effective as proof of concepts or funding purposes but I'm struggling to see the benefit of having a short less than five minutes long. Several months back I was contacted by director Andrew Gibbs to review several of his micro-short indie horror films. So far, I've seen Midnight Snack and Witch before moving on to this one, Come Up Here. I want to thank Andrew for sending this one over. <div> The film follows a woman who is home alone when she hears a noise upstairs. When she calls out asking if her family has returned early, she hears a voice that sounds like her husband telling her to "come up here." She reluctantly ascends the stairs where she notices the attic door is slightly opened. When she approaches the door she turns her back to it as her husband and son rushes through the door while the thing in the attack uses the distraction to sneak up behind her. </div><div> Come Up Here is a little bit more like a traditional short when compared to the other micro-shorts I've seen so far. While it was still a little too short to get anything really going, it was able to give viewers some sort of story to follow. It wasn't a lot but it was more than the previous two films had established. The acting in this one is a little more than what we were given in the other two shorts. We get some dialogue delivery and a little more emotion. I liked it but I wish we had a little more to the film so we could see what she is truly capable of Infront of the camera. The story for this one is decent enough for a short but I want to know more about the creature in the attic. Things like how did it get there, why is it there, and what is it going to do with the mother? I liked the idea of this one but I'd love to see more to it. Finally, the film isn't a bloody one but I fucking loved the masked used. I don't know if it was made for this project or picked up for a prop or Halloween store. Regardless, it looks awesome. Overall, Come Up Here is another beautifully shot genre short that has a great looking creature but the lack of story and gore does make it feel like it's a puzzle missing important pieces. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-33049908788559863992024-02-29T17:53:00.000-08:002024-02-29T17:53:00.551-08:00The Witch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYI07PITr28dPA2P74fEW_jQZh9kXSFSMZOKTXkopqHa4SUvluQmlr95qixHUEVju1F5dkrY31zTsuZAXDSZdqKvo5EMn7xkh4BFe0sieBslJItK8kC-GooqlslbmiaYU-0ombySgNJ5_820TxsnrO5C8SzsAwm07LZ0IVjqFXDsc3ErrRE4Na-nXfLaQ/s1920/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYI07PITr28dPA2P74fEW_jQZh9kXSFSMZOKTXkopqHa4SUvluQmlr95qixHUEVju1F5dkrY31zTsuZAXDSZdqKvo5EMn7xkh4BFe0sieBslJItK8kC-GooqlslbmiaYU-0ombySgNJ5_820TxsnrO5C8SzsAwm07LZ0IVjqFXDsc3ErrRE4Na-nXfLaQ/s320/poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedgvfRG8vCOgi4qi2W6G7QoCf7IqQrAELP5Z0A7Ly_aqL4vv8yKx5xhF8vUSUbUvLv_R4RNFIDwctqB_emn408PbWnsv4e-ri2hanJJqqNAyRuTwZzQya9exkZdph4XKbkVwhUV_U_ViOz6x175Buf7wWEY6Hu4zKuPc9QDZ1dJkhDOLpzeKPludvKh8/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedgvfRG8vCOgi4qi2W6G7QoCf7IqQrAELP5Z0A7Ly_aqL4vv8yKx5xhF8vUSUbUvLv_R4RNFIDwctqB_emn408PbWnsv4e-ri2hanJJqqNAyRuTwZzQya9exkZdph4XKbkVwhUV_U_ViOz6x175Buf7wWEY6Hu4zKuPc9QDZ1dJkhDOLpzeKPludvKh8/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1SogFH1_4rI?si=ZcNq5mwqmqA1SNNw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Andrew Gibbs (The Box, Midnight Snack)<div>Starring - Catherine Gibbs (Midnight Snack, The Box)</div><div>Release Date - 2021</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Format - Streaming (YouTube)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwV_wz1UVSssqkcmkVeNNKOx5dkzijhxueD0FxsGpV80G7t3o8t1LbVzduThGDuecAJ5YJGJmNuIuLEFP4m9HxP6B93Dnf3AaryYLa9Xq6ir5CMQJeYa3JvQo0wz60P5YIoef-vNBDWFpoBV7ph1tcMrqXMBINmYg7rpEEl3TPeCUWm2KO0CDooe2y3D0/s320/r3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="320" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwV_wz1UVSssqkcmkVeNNKOx5dkzijhxueD0FxsGpV80G7t3o8t1LbVzduThGDuecAJ5YJGJmNuIuLEFP4m9HxP6B93Dnf3AaryYLa9Xq6ir5CMQJeYa3JvQo0wz60P5YIoef-vNBDWFpoBV7ph1tcMrqXMBINmYg7rpEEl3TPeCUWm2KO0CDooe2y3D0/s1600/r3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> My look into the micro-shorts of Dark House Pictures continues! A few months back director and Dark House Pictures found Andrew Gibbs reached out to me to review his shorts. I was unaware that micro-shorts were a thing but agreed to check them out regardless. I want to thank Andrew for allowing Horror Society and myself the opportunity to see his films. The next short on the chopping block is his five-minute film Witch. <div> The film follows a woman who is home alone when she starts to hear strange sounds in the home. She tries to hide under her blanket but when she thinks it's safe to leave the warm safety of the blanket she discovers that something sinister is in the room with her. </div><div> While I may be new to the micro-short films, I'm starting to realize that sometimes being too short is a problem in the world of cinema. Don't get me wrong, Witch was an enjoyable short but it doesn't offer up enough substance for the viewer. The acting in this one is solid for the film especially since the short is around 5 minutes and no real interactions with other characters. The films lead does a decent job but you don't get to see any dialogue or real emotions due to the quick runtime. The story for this one is a great set up to something that could be much more than a short. I strongly believe that there is not enough horror films centered around witches. With that being said, this micro-short just doesn't have enough of a story to tell. It's a beautifully shot short that definitely is not a waste of time but it needs more to it. Finally, this film doesn't have any death scenes or crazy looking creatures for genre fans to gawk at. Overall, Witch is a beautifully shot micro-short but is lacking in the story department. It's a solid watch for the 5 minutes but don't expect something that is story rich. Check it out. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-58526864765657583232024-02-29T17:39:00.000-08:002024-02-29T17:39:35.804-08:00Midnight Snack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJp9ptNQjR45cfmxub1Q4XI9gQMme6TzePn7sodAYwWX19bDN16m5Xzy0pShQr305KemDFy3unxfMBipJhVRZTCZB6NPWJlNbXZYFOqTRA2LIfZ6SX14PtyTnRvXKEeEytcrbbGdxdCtr5AxeyeDQjRmsoOGmww8GyjGVsFmOHvOlAGQsoy0GQcyFRx4/s1920/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJp9ptNQjR45cfmxub1Q4XI9gQMme6TzePn7sodAYwWX19bDN16m5Xzy0pShQr305KemDFy3unxfMBipJhVRZTCZB6NPWJlNbXZYFOqTRA2LIfZ6SX14PtyTnRvXKEeEytcrbbGdxdCtr5AxeyeDQjRmsoOGmww8GyjGVsFmOHvOlAGQsoy0GQcyFRx4/s320/poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZHiAAbiWOfAcyL0A5w-x2AxBPY2-r8D47UK2gQX2os9wGNdhOkqeo-Lt2Sh_wizWhKPSzNmg7DOeOyphEW0o_OtrZSVh8RcCTjxOUY-Uw6OxEJ8FKyljFPCnh1u73yw-Ey4OvCYYtxwe1LDFsJ7d7oxsqCZsfcJej6JpbASLWP7cIdjHHBF_-XV5yKs/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZHiAAbiWOfAcyL0A5w-x2AxBPY2-r8D47UK2gQX2os9wGNdhOkqeo-Lt2Sh_wizWhKPSzNmg7DOeOyphEW0o_OtrZSVh8RcCTjxOUY-Uw6OxEJ8FKyljFPCnh1u73yw-Ey4OvCYYtxwe1LDFsJ7d7oxsqCZsfcJej6JpbASLWP7cIdjHHBF_-XV5yKs/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3ZEzM64saIk?si=mU6S6V7LItUqBF0T" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Andrew Gibbs (Witch, The Box)<div>Starring - Catherine Gibbs (Witch, The Box) and Claudio Mendrano </div><div>Release Date - 2021</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Format - Streaming (YouTube)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhZlmOzxBbea0qHIsbWwcKGKNok-LKc9o3dRSF-AyzXXtoV29VG1raA6zncCzXmrn4JQmppznORoa68mX-YG3DPtbSOF8leWyP6zdvLxd8cKS_LQG9JTQpMV5BwBJ4DUPJi4n8-BSb0iQFTurD0-Fy3yj41JI7tMPvhhbm3HGR8l3o6Xq8yzDp1NI-kQ/s320/r3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="320" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhZlmOzxBbea0qHIsbWwcKGKNok-LKc9o3dRSF-AyzXXtoV29VG1raA6zncCzXmrn4JQmppznORoa68mX-YG3DPtbSOF8leWyP6zdvLxd8cKS_LQG9JTQpMV5BwBJ4DUPJi4n8-BSb0iQFTurD0-Fy3yj41JI7tMPvhhbm3HGR8l3o6Xq8yzDp1NI-kQ/s1600/r3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> I've been lucky enough to review dozens of horror shorts over the years. These films range in length from 5 minutes to around half an hour. However, I was recently introduced to micro-shorts when I was sent a series of them from Dark House Pictures founder Andrew Gibbs. I had made a post at the end of September about my October horror binge, and he shot me a message. By this point I had already received 60 to 70s films to review but I was very interested in his work. I added them to my viewing list and when I finally could get around to checking them out, I started with his micro-short Midnight Snack. I want to thank Andrew for sending this one over for me to check out! <div> The film follows a woman who wakes up in the middle of the night and decides to raid the fridge. What she doesn't know is that something else is lurking in the home with the same idea. </div><div> I had no idea micro-shorts existed or that films this short were called that. I can see the appeal they would have to movie fans but it's difficult to fully review a film when it's barely over a minute long. Regardless, here I go! The acting in this one is solid for the film. We don't get to see the small cast explore their characters and their emotional range but for the story we get the cast does a fantastic job. The story for this one is fun especially when you consider how short it is. I loved the idea of someone going to the fridge in the middle of the night only to become a snack themselves. With that being said, I have so many questions that this film just doesn't answer. A longer short with a little meat on the bone would have cleared up any questions I had. Finally, this is not a bloody one but the suit for the creature looks great. I don't know if this was designed for this project or picked up from a costume store. Either way, it looks great, and I would love to see it appear in another film with a bit more to it. Overall, Midnight Snack doesn't have a lot of depth, but it is a lot of fun for a one-minute flick. Check it out.
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<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sPx6onRES_I?si=Uq2-xPySH0cyDROR" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - David Kerr (Curse of the Slasher Nurse, Return of the Slasher Nurse)<div><div>Starring - Matthew Sharpe (Bloody Summer Camp, Bad Witch), Christine Oswald (Nightmare Pageant Moms, Sutherland), and Emily Zinski (Emily Who Was Very Sad)</div><div>Release Date - 2024</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Tagline - "5 Intruders, 4 Hours, 3 Floors, 2 Exits, 1 Problem"<br />Format - Streaming (Online Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzf4gDZKk63rUrNUrFzwzG31kUSTFlW0upH48xclL7qarY_febBzWwlIkUtapqZrTZDZNB1Q_byEVjJGkPLwDpLuijvRuFUWFiBZ3ITUcmw8crI3qLq1qIFq58xva-W8nuL5A8PKf3TZUOFAXNn_rTpxQKefwTrFwwlyEOGpxHtzKmUJxdx9iTFm6bfw/s320/r3_5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="116" data-original-width="320" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzf4gDZKk63rUrNUrFzwzG31kUSTFlW0upH48xclL7qarY_febBzWwlIkUtapqZrTZDZNB1Q_byEVjJGkPLwDpLuijvRuFUWFiBZ3ITUcmw8crI3qLq1qIFq58xva-W8nuL5A8PKf3TZUOFAXNn_rTpxQKefwTrFwwlyEOGpxHtzKmUJxdx9iTFm6bfw/s1600/r3_5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div> Several years back I befriended filmmaker Dave Kerr on Facebook when he was promoting Bloody Summer Camp. Most of you know how much I love slashers, so I was all over this one. We spoke and after that he started sending news about his projects to be covered on the site. Since then, I've spoken with Dave and frequent collaborator Michael McGlynn at several horror conventions. Their love for the genre is evident so when they announced that they were raising funds for a new horror film titled Go Away I was ready for it. Several months back when I was preparing for my October horror binge Dave was kind enough to send over a link for Go Away. I want to thank Dave and the Slasher 15 crew for sending this over for review! <div> The film follows an estranged family coming together for a dinner after revealing that their mother remarried a few years back. Their bickering and arguing is cut short when a group of masked intruders make their way into their home. They tell them to hide and if they are able to escape then they can live but if they are found then they will be slaughtered. What should be a simple game of hide and seek for the killers takes a deadly turn when they realize that the home, they just broke into belongs to a killer that is more cunning and has more experience than all of them combined. </div><div> I had posted about Go Away several times before I was able to finally see it but I made sure I kept the synopsis a secret to myself because I knew I would be reviewing it eventually. I usually just copied and pasted the news from the press releases and did very little reading. I typically do that to films I want to review later down the line and I'm glad I did because there was a part of the plot that I was not expecting and really enjoyed. The acting in this one is fantastic. We have amazing performances from genre icons Thom Matthews (Return of the Living Dead, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives), Tuesday Knight (A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, The X-Files), Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp, Zombiegeddon), and Robert Mukes (House of 1000 Corpses, Bone Tomahawk). It was great to see them in another genre title that doesn't just exploit their names. They get decent screen time and do great in their roles. With that being said, the star of the show are the is the rest of the cast. They carry the film and do a fantastic job. The story for this one is not another home invasion horror flick with no depth. It is a home invasion horror film but with a spin to it. It has a slasher sub-plot that makes it feel completely different while keeping the basics of the sub-genre intact. I loved the "twist." the characters, and how well the sub-plot and story worked together. Finally, the film has some seriously solid practical effects that I was not expecting. We get a decent amount of blood and some seriously impressive practical effects. The kills fit the film very well and I love the mask design for the intruders. Overall, Go Away is one of those titles that will cause ripples in the indie horror community. I highly recommend it especially if you dig slashers and home invasion flicks. It's well worth your time.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-61343574633136288972024-02-25T09:29:00.000-08:002024-02-25T09:29:37.807-08:00Maggots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuCZXQcgdiSzsAv5oRniDQYIdxk1ruwHx9nWPg-LcU2X0kyg8NeWnLwDz3PVLfK7D41yxU4TDuyvU1Tv4hWTayYfaBUtyxiz5QKnlfcDTINZf5vvtlQNwnCP7dyfHOLbRq9M0J1pJKco21o0EZ2D_Q0wMrHNx45iLNSVz4mqNPHALePyrKzz67JyIqoO8/s948/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuCZXQcgdiSzsAv5oRniDQYIdxk1ruwHx9nWPg-LcU2X0kyg8NeWnLwDz3PVLfK7D41yxU4TDuyvU1Tv4hWTayYfaBUtyxiz5QKnlfcDTINZf5vvtlQNwnCP7dyfHOLbRq9M0J1pJKco21o0EZ2D_Q0wMrHNx45iLNSVz4mqNPHALePyrKzz67JyIqoO8/s320/poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzGzfBudR6aq2R1BNjmVytYBwkfpy0T2cZPi0uWE7UjPVEF3lzy1fYzV0Zx98mCxMdYg5RdWk5Iiho8hgxjITFnsbeMvS-6ZWDUbQOXW2-oS0Z6alCC7M1k1o2T-SXTFlWMrb8AZ6SKMioF0WlUtPrNP7nKrF5s8DqBspjsEEaqK7RYHERZKra5ORwbo/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzGzfBudR6aq2R1BNjmVytYBwkfpy0T2cZPi0uWE7UjPVEF3lzy1fYzV0Zx98mCxMdYg5RdWk5Iiho8hgxjITFnsbeMvS-6ZWDUbQOXW2-oS0Z6alCC7M1k1o2T-SXTFlWMrb8AZ6SKMioF0WlUtPrNP7nKrF5s8DqBspjsEEaqK7RYHERZKra5ORwbo/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yWjkTcWXITg?si=8Ep-NOPcxGMQ16ND" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Neil Meschino (Mold!, The Mildew from Planet Xonader)<div>Starring - Edward X. Young (Easter Sunday, Sheriff Tom vs. the Zombies), Luke Pendley (The Candy Tree, Boxhead), and Julia Salka (Mold!)</div><div>Release Date - 2019</div><div>Genre - Horror/Comedy</div><div>Tagline - "They're here"</div><div>Format - Streaming (Tubi)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQeOujdIbnc2XwRXpblwN5AumtX6mT-0kbtZ4weBnroGPuFssQeOUuJW3y8gylsCQi-hQHqTxyAFER5FXhzwOHDI75MQospNCGfWoA0fR2aasAKjPtsKWk__8gz0RBb6Uq-6ctE5fIyAVePYOE0JUEAB15ZvTa7vwiS5LofDhRKErCZZg-1vaFDuQypKY/s320/r4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="102" data-original-width="320" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQeOujdIbnc2XwRXpblwN5AumtX6mT-0kbtZ4weBnroGPuFssQeOUuJW3y8gylsCQi-hQHqTxyAFER5FXhzwOHDI75MQospNCGfWoA0fR2aasAKjPtsKWk__8gz0RBb6Uq-6ctE5fIyAVePYOE0JUEAB15ZvTa7vwiS5LofDhRKErCZZg-1vaFDuQypKY/s1600/r4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> I've covered a lot of horror films over the years at Horror Society. Some are films that are sent my way to cover while others are movies I find on social media while browsing posts in horror groups. One film that I was following heavily only to forget about over time was Neil Meschino's creature feature Maggots. Neil was brought to my attention many years ago when I received MOLD! to review. I was so impressed with that film that I sought Neil out on Facebook so I could keep an eye on his future projects. When he started posting about Maggots, I was quick to cover it on the site and anytime a new image or casting announcement was made. However, the longer I wrote for Horror Society the more people would seek me out on the platform so I could cover their project. Before long, his film was buried in the avalanche of indie films that is my newsfeed. In fact, over time I had forgotten about the film until Neil commented on a post, I had made some time back stating that it was streaming on Tubi. I had to fucking see it so I added it to my review list to check out. <div> The film follows an eager college student looking to find a way to use his scientific knowledge as a way to support himself in college. He speaks with a professor who agrees to let him go into an area that he suspects is being contaminated by pollutants from fracking if he takes a few other students that are struggling with his class. The group of college students prepare for a weekend of drugs and partying but quickly learn that fracking has caused mutations in the local wildlife and the flies in the area are the size of dogs with maggots that can take off full appendages.</div><div> Mold! is one of those indie horror films that you never forget. I absolutely loved everything about it and when Meschino announced a new cut of the film with additional footage called The Mildew from Planet Xonader I was quick to add it to my collection as well. Neil is a fantastic filmmaker and Maggots is another priceless indie horror film for genre fans to enjoy. The acting in this one is very well done with some seriously impressive performances. The film has a lot of memorable characters, and the casting is damn near perfect. I found myself looking through the cast's imdb pages to see what else they had been in because they all showed what I thought was experience. The story for this one is a classic when nature meets science scenario that reminded me a lot of the 90s horror film Mosquito where a group of people are in the woods being terrorized by giant mutated bugs. However, this film embraced it's camp to give us some memorable characters it what feels like a love letter to 80s monster movies. The film has great pacing, and the scenes don't overstay their welcome. I also like how broad this story is and how we could get a sequel with a number of different mutated lifeforms found in nature. Finally, the film is packed full of great practical effects. The maggots look amazing. Hell, it's a damn shame they didn't get more scream time. Well also get some great kills and mutilations. I was not expecting the effects to be the caliber that they are. The film needs to be seen just for the effects alone. Overall, Maggots is an indie creature feature made by a genre fan for genre fans. This is one you will not regret watching so check it out on Tubi now! </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-76310354532287072652024-02-25T08:51:00.000-08:002024-02-25T08:51:44.683-08:00Strange Things Happen at the Weird House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwrPjsOELppJycCVdXJf-r5bzWpKKU-aC_UbbQN1rsjvNYQbtaC8HydbLDmMt5fPztQ5qqsHjg_MSnLviznLn6FaPp8PxfkjM_faIw-4fy1ND8U99J3wf8gnhiFwuEoZWNZFobAOf5JlRINqhGIWFX-k78dvJm_S1JqfnJXtQfHeVNRNXisG5SwRxZ44/s1193/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwrPjsOELppJycCVdXJf-r5bzWpKKU-aC_UbbQN1rsjvNYQbtaC8HydbLDmMt5fPztQ5qqsHjg_MSnLviznLn6FaPp8PxfkjM_faIw-4fy1ND8U99J3wf8gnhiFwuEoZWNZFobAOf5JlRINqhGIWFX-k78dvJm_S1JqfnJXtQfHeVNRNXisG5SwRxZ44/s320/poster.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2Un2WbAL9IE5PGsFwVVCb3gs-0diZ6WDXpTiy_AkPl8EGGti9uWYO-6Pi_MT97pnufAVZ6s2CZ1bEJiU1JCk5_Gn3lrdsZZwYZjk1TojyOAzTwM3kjTr_5NGub_7WgKqmDAan-Dj1zmhiaZWyAGb3XtZNHTF1HmQu_kjhIHJzWD_VEH0AwAnrEulW6A/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2Un2WbAL9IE5PGsFwVVCb3gs-0diZ6WDXpTiy_AkPl8EGGti9uWYO-6Pi_MT97pnufAVZ6s2CZ1bEJiU1JCk5_Gn3lrdsZZwYZjk1TojyOAzTwM3kjTr_5NGub_7WgKqmDAan-Dj1zmhiaZWyAGb3XtZNHTF1HmQu_kjhIHJzWD_VEH0AwAnrEulW6A/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Director - Joe Sherlock (Odd Noggins, Odder Noggins)<div>Starring - Tiffany Beall (Zombie Chronicles: Infection Zone, Odder Noggins), Melody Berg (Dark Zone Thirteen, Things 5), and Juniper Bloodraven (Odd Noggins)</div><div>Release Date - 2023</div><div>Genre - Horror/Comedy</div><div>Tagline - "This sex comedy is about to get really weird"</div><div>Format - Streaming (Online Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (Out of 5): </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOo-_ADCMtpqwlcfw9LkN0GEmUiIL6hyRrlWbp0uG595NDXISkBl_AOIVap5ktUvWvvLQjB2ImwqZXSu04-1ik5OJRU-ZsQgM46bQghxGfkSEfTrHAEVcLY_Pti8sJO4EdOwAdStoqmFNs0u8971QjuX3jfYQ4cq2UUt2wDhJzvcaAFu6GPBFy-j39AnE/s272/r2.5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="272" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOo-_ADCMtpqwlcfw9LkN0GEmUiIL6hyRrlWbp0uG595NDXISkBl_AOIVap5ktUvWvvLQjB2ImwqZXSu04-1ik5OJRU-ZsQgM46bQghxGfkSEfTrHAEVcLY_Pti8sJO4EdOwAdStoqmFNs0u8971QjuX3jfYQ4cq2UUt2wDhJzvcaAFu6GPBFy-j39AnE/s1600/r2.5.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> I’ve been fortunate enough to watch and review a good portion of Skullface Astronaut’s catalogue. I’ve had a lot of fun watching these crazy, nudity infested films that go above and beyond to entertain. However, all good things must come to an end and here I am with the last film sent to me for review from filmmaker Joe Sherlock. Today I watch and review his sex comedy/horror film Strange Things Happen at the Weird House. Like always, I want to thank Joe and Skullface Astronaut for sending this one my way to review. <div> The film follows a low budget film crew who are living in the home fighting over pizza and filming skin flicks. However, something strange is living in the basement and soon starts making it’s sinister presence known as it picks them off one by one. </div><div> It was bound to happen eventually and it looks like Strange Things Happen at the Weird House just happens to be the first film in the Skullface Astronaut catalogue that I didn’t care for. There was some things I liked about it but the overall film just felt dull. I hate to be negative about a film sent my way for review but when you dig through a filmmaker’s filmography like this you are bound to find a film or two that you don’t like. The acting in this one is exactly what I would expect from a Skullface Astronaut film. The cast is having a lot of fun in their roles and the women are nice to look at but this one doesn’t really have the characters most of the other film does. It feels as if the film was cast with no characters written or developed. The story for this one is right up my alley but fails to fully pull it all together. A house full of beautiful busty women running around nude while a monster is in the basement is every b-movie horror fan’s dream. However, the film just plays out with the monster angle never fully culminating into something worth while. I wanted to like it but I found myself watching the clock more than the screen. Finally, the film has some visual effects that showcase the film’s budget but the kills don’t stand out. The highlight of the film is the excessive nudity which is always welcomed. Overall, Strange Things Happen in the Weird House has a lot of nudity but not the laughs I was expecting. I can recommend some other films from Skullface instead of this one</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-4157195204132569262024-02-22T17:32:00.000-08:002024-02-22T17:32:26.553-08:00Odder Noggins <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1Xotz111MMuRU97ls4D9TBbSGirGl4vXQIBHROzAN2nKMSee-yqtH-MOs0sVcaMvrnzryUbF3kZoLliYkgQcqcFNv5N1Ix5_9wma_FZbzRNgop_ZkXgyeyywwQrT85MX8du46L3r2b4RIaDEQjC-tZq_OzlEID6eBzJnanpI1Y9wqyvke2cC7xn4DYY/s1415/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1Xotz111MMuRU97ls4D9TBbSGirGl4vXQIBHROzAN2nKMSee-yqtH-MOs0sVcaMvrnzryUbF3kZoLliYkgQcqcFNv5N1Ix5_9wma_FZbzRNgop_ZkXgyeyywwQrT85MX8du46L3r2b4RIaDEQjC-tZq_OzlEID6eBzJnanpI1Y9wqyvke2cC7xn4DYY/s320/poster.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjXdbhyphenhyphenrrfWHkRguzELguj-kGrfAFB2DWBKGaYNSE8_L9T8YH0MsPd0jfqoddRYU4qWzKVU_e72miF4Zy2Gdbrfb-QDiS9OCIr0N53HhLnNzlMPrDC6yJkUPOO61NVdYR1ftYQvgY9Jwxv4b2YUVWI-KXfBJiloFjYejTTmvtmDfmCTOlbOREVtUNeOY/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjXdbhyphenhyphenrrfWHkRguzELguj-kGrfAFB2DWBKGaYNSE8_L9T8YH0MsPd0jfqoddRYU4qWzKVU_e72miF4Zy2Gdbrfb-QDiS9OCIr0N53HhLnNzlMPrDC6yJkUPOO61NVdYR1ftYQvgY9Jwxv4b2YUVWI-KXfBJiloFjYejTTmvtmDfmCTOlbOREVtUNeOY/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N4tygresbos?si=AOgzRI2gK25lWUHo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Joe Sherlock (Beyond the Wall of Fear, Twisted Fates)<div>Starring - Tonjia Atomic (Smart House, Axegrinder 3), Tiffany Beall (Strange Things Happen at the Weird House, Zombie Chronicles: Infection Zone), and John Bowker (Things 666, Channel 99)</div><div>Release Date - 2023</div><div>Genre - Horror/Comedy/Sci-Fi</div><div>Tagline - "another strange trip..."<br />Format - Streaming (Online Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQUwy-EL44EFVYcbtd_zFYxqjB0YjHrjePv9spTZRPouYFW8sdJElOo3oEYLJJyUIX5KD_vlEoefv9S9NVjKPkEf30j2mb0Kp9pqLpmxuXOv-W5J20OU-9q_gzBqiqTGkspA66USvLkjalf5gRQtJnsOeyZEja7epybg3F_ZYhkz4J_BYcEGRXavb86o/s320/r3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="320" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQUwy-EL44EFVYcbtd_zFYxqjB0YjHrjePv9spTZRPouYFW8sdJElOo3oEYLJJyUIX5KD_vlEoefv9S9NVjKPkEf30j2mb0Kp9pqLpmxuXOv-W5J20OU-9q_gzBqiqTGkspA66USvLkjalf5gRQtJnsOeyZEja7epybg3F_ZYhkz4J_BYcEGRXavb86o/s1600/r3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> I’ve enjoyed the few Skullface Astronaut mini-marathons that I’ve done over the last month or so. I’ve seen some beautiful woman in the nude, memorable characters, and some fun stories during this time and my trip isn’t over just yet. I just started another mini-marathon and started with Bloodsucking Redneck Vampires which I absolutely loved. I could see myself when I was in high school becoming obsessed with this one in the same way I was Necroville. After that un flick I moved on to Joe Sherlock’s sequel to Odd Noggins. Odd Noggins is a unique film to say the least and was very curious if this follow up could deliver in that regard. I want to thank Joe once again for sending over Odder Noggins for review. <div> The film follows a busty spy with a camera implanted in her left breast, who is tasked with uncovering moles within her organization. Her mission brings her face to face with an interdimensional traveler who is doing experiment on humans. </div><div> Odder Noggins is just as strange as the first film. While it is overflowing with nudity, it is still able to deliver a unique story that can hold the viewer’s attention. Sure, there is plenty of breasts to hold your attention as well but the story is so wild that you can’t help but want to see where it goes next. The acting in this one is everything you can ask for in a no budget spy film with sci-fi elements. We have beautiful and busty women without their clothes on, enjoyable characters, and decent performances. While there was a few awkward scenes and some lines of dialogue that was forced, the acting really surprised me in this one. The story for this one blends the classic spy films of the 60s with Skullface Astronaut’s Mr. Birch character. Add a dash of straight to video skin flicks and a nod to The Brain that Wouldn’t Die and you have Odder Noggins. It’s a lot of fun even if you’ve never seen the first film which you should have seen by now. Finally, the film has some visual effects but it relies mostly on the characters and nudity to entertain the viewer over effects. Overall, Odder Noggins is a worthy follow up to one of the oddest indie films I have ever seen. I highly recommend it and this sequel. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-52949690501923557392024-02-20T18:21:00.000-08:002024-02-20T18:21:38.673-08:00Bloodsucking Redneck Vampires<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrFtQnYuJGOgUg3yJpAgF7Z0E3FDB4vmCpTOR5kYNhwB9JMGrlP6XGNKwnBw5lmKolMXIBhq5gaq3XP5fkX4Cabnng7Wp5b1WYAmnFgYLDI8WwxkN_tXL2P9LiW5W60SkknfeD9ntNhogN2ZpbJ9nv8jVcmCU3DqHF6eTJnqAfPPypbhFyfsCmpDPMcSo/s500/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrFtQnYuJGOgUg3yJpAgF7Z0E3FDB4vmCpTOR5kYNhwB9JMGrlP6XGNKwnBw5lmKolMXIBhq5gaq3XP5fkX4Cabnng7Wp5b1WYAmnFgYLDI8WwxkN_tXL2P9LiW5W60SkknfeD9ntNhogN2ZpbJ9nv8jVcmCU3DqHF6eTJnqAfPPypbhFyfsCmpDPMcSo/s320/poster.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZPYcV6HX9NyguoHhabsOeYCSsbEhEakvsBpL72x6zWBaTQu0YexGSJCNU09zMOliceM1yWf3jonuxDdZQ8WkIbg40lGisGhK6tLW50Ze56n1mf4qlFqMAH9W7_yb27t3-uK_-yY8tDoacTXkCALIR4xgE4bTXhi9G9csyK4q3OK-iXxsQUEZe8Cz3Zo/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZPYcV6HX9NyguoHhabsOeYCSsbEhEakvsBpL72x6zWBaTQu0YexGSJCNU09zMOliceM1yWf3jonuxDdZQ8WkIbg40lGisGhK6tLW50Ze56n1mf4qlFqMAH9W7_yb27t3-uK_-yY8tDoacTXkCALIR4xgE4bTXhi9G9csyK4q3OK-iXxsQUEZe8Cz3Zo/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oG0u6mYUOiI?si=OrCtn187MFXhbQ5u" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director(s) - Michael Hegg and Joe Sherlock (Odd Noggins, Odder Noggins)<div>Starring - Dee Alsman (Underbelly, Twisted Fates), Emily Andrews (Hairspray, The Devil's Trail), and Erin Arbogast (Vicious Circle, The Popcorn of Doom)</div><div>Release Date - 2004</div><div>Genre - Horror/Comedy</div><div>Tagline - "Ya'll come back now, ya hear?"</div><div>Format - Streaming (Tubi)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqxCNqPa3qlSHKjQ2TX995Qkut1quRvr8Ba4uluO7aQLRDwCEillfMovzgJUdSnr-gJY90ltSDbOMTn-a24Nv2PEDsZUc9c-yeknwTqWTAfLANfwR01ZAfa-pgU8GkXxD0wzN-Pp_fiuReYB7OCJnXMSRiiIzKmkdYDz5Diep6QAJFKnp4U98HB8UGmw/s320/r3_5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="116" data-original-width="320" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqxCNqPa3qlSHKjQ2TX995Qkut1quRvr8Ba4uluO7aQLRDwCEillfMovzgJUdSnr-gJY90ltSDbOMTn-a24Nv2PEDsZUc9c-yeknwTqWTAfLANfwR01ZAfa-pgU8GkXxD0wzN-Pp_fiuReYB7OCJnXMSRiiIzKmkdYDz5Diep6QAJFKnp4U98HB8UGmw/s1600/r3_5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> Last month I started working through a good portion of Skullface Astronaut’s filmography. This started from a post I made at the end of September when I asked for indie films to watch and review during my October horror binge. Director Joe Sherlock was kind enough to send me over links to several of his movies so I decided to have a few mini-marathons every couple of days. This time around I decided to start 2004 horror comedy Bloodsucking Redneck Vampires. Like always, I want to thank Joe and Skullface Astronaut for sending these over. <div> The film follows a backwoods family who has won a contest to have an interior designer remodel one of their rooms. While he is getting acclimated to his new surroundings, a female vampire and her servant has relocated to their neck of the woods and plans on turning the yokels into her bloodsucking servants. </div><div> Bloodsucking Redneck Vampires is probably one of the most amateurish films in the Skullface Astronaut catalogue but it’s probably one of my favorites. I was in high school in the early 2000s and was obsessed with indie and no budget horror flicks. I was an active member of the UHM message boards and founds so many of my favorite films through them. I could totally see myself loving this film if I would have watched it when it was originally released. It’s the perfect amount of goofy and I’m a sucker for a vampire flick. The acting in this one is extremely fun but it’s obvious that this was the first film for a lot of the cast. I applaud their dedication but the inexperience does make a few of the scenes feel a little awkward. The story for this one is simple and straight forward but at times it didn’t feel like a horror flick. With that being said, I loved the way the film was set up. While the horror does take the back seat, the characters and their personalities steal the show. I would have loved a bigger role for the vampires in the film but it works without it. Finally, the film doesn’t really have any deaths or effects for the viewer to enjoy. It’s a no budget film and the crew did the best with what they had. Sadly, memorable deaths were not part of the cards. Overall, Bloodsucking Redneck Vampires is one of the few hixploitation horror films that I’ve been lucky enough to review. It’s a subgenre that I wish more filmmakers would approach because you can get project like this. The film is funny and the characters are very memorable. The vampires do get the short end of the stick but it still works. Check it out. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-9024065156670860042024-02-19T16:38:00.000-08:002024-02-19T16:38:09.865-08:00Samhain: Killer Cut<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfE3ag5CCMCVrZ8BEq9lzJ7H4LQI2Q8Ua9lIJBNGpd3CY3DYLO8qpGjnQ7uDpgPiJiFe-VUlD93rLl6DDGBr5vYHHkgKfb36_-LohAJgHITCWMWd3a1DatunYIUlTl-INYFTxg_LFPgAp4O8LDUlzDNOoXXYMlk5MVkk9pozRALV7tt5ad5MsIESrd9E/s1762/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1762" data-original-width="1332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinfE3ag5CCMCVrZ8BEq9lzJ7H4LQI2Q8Ua9lIJBNGpd3CY3DYLO8qpGjnQ7uDpgPiJiFe-VUlD93rLl6DDGBr5vYHHkgKfb36_-LohAJgHITCWMWd3a1DatunYIUlTl-INYFTxg_LFPgAp4O8LDUlzDNOoXXYMlk5MVkk9pozRALV7tt5ad5MsIESrd9E/s320/poster.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4u_ptDviKNs4r6S4MIbn8YN6p7YF5HbiJ2tbYQYyiUP7JIzjn72KQsV8R2OnMeWJCgjpXOE6pAvR40EndcwVpQ1MZpW_jSQPQcqBQ78dO-FnVcW0OWskW7OfZb3EZSKjYKPZfuDAib2igZhIeSkfHfrhwQTc9TjrqN_Y6019yJaltaxoEQkVeRaZfNqI/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4u_ptDviKNs4r6S4MIbn8YN6p7YF5HbiJ2tbYQYyiUP7JIzjn72KQsV8R2OnMeWJCgjpXOE6pAvR40EndcwVpQ1MZpW_jSQPQcqBQ78dO-FnVcW0OWskW7OfZb3EZSKjYKPZfuDAib2igZhIeSkfHfrhwQTc9TjrqN_Y6019yJaltaxoEQkVeRaZfNqI/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KJYWh-GR1no?si=ZM9yFd0nHEwoAuGX" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Gabriele Rolland<div>Starring - Amanda Megan (Frosty's Revenge: Seasons Bleeding 3, Horrortales.666 Part 2), Scotty McCoy (The Body Count, Friday the 13th: Dead Before Dusk), and Tyler Ebert (Slasher Scotty, Friday the 13th: Dead Before Dusk)</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Tagline - "Some family isn't worth fighting for"</div><div>Format - Streaming (YouTube)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ibcSekUCPbwuxB2PGQpndiATfYeJLdCnHkt9hTkzz5TXJTtCRrlAU_KgiDgE8hkdUd4fQKNahW_pkAgBgk-CQVKyHhjSHk-O43dNX6NQ8RS7FoST1xQ4yfqBy-v018MF0bPZNyghxgUzr8BMIGB5Ggfh_xvU9sYBtHKMXvlF7FtarVng6mZsKe6hE_k/s137/r1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="110" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ibcSekUCPbwuxB2PGQpndiATfYeJLdCnHkt9hTkzz5TXJTtCRrlAU_KgiDgE8hkdUd4fQKNahW_pkAgBgk-CQVKyHhjSHk-O43dNX6NQ8RS7FoST1xQ4yfqBy-v018MF0bPZNyghxgUzr8BMIGB5Ggfh_xvU9sYBtHKMXvlF7FtarVng6mZsKe6hE_k/s1600/r1.jpg" width="110" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> I’ve reviewed more no budget slashers in my tenure at Horror Society than any other sub-genre. Hell, I believe that slashers are my favorite sub-genre in horror so I tend to go out of my way to find them to review. Back at the end of September I made a post looking for a few indie flicks to watch during my October horror binge but found myself overwhelmed with over 100 films sent over for review. One of those films was the slasher Samhain. This “Killer Cut” of the film was sent over and while I wanted to add it to my watch list immediately, I decided to watch the films in order that I received them which put this one near the bottom of the stack. <div> The film follows a group of nerds who hear a woman scream in the woods near their home. When they investigate they find a woman who was just attacked. They soon learn that a deranged man has escaped from an asylum near them and is leaving bodies in his wake. </div><div> No budget slashers are my bread and butter essentially. I fucking live on them and I’m a little more lenient on them than other genre films. I absolutely love these type of films so when I say that I struggled to finish this one then know that I seriously tried. I gave the film the benefit of the doubt but when the end credits started rolling I found myself asking “why?” Keep in mind that this is a different cut of the film known as the Killer Cut which was edited by the killer himself, Brett Harris, but I can’t imagine the original cut of the film being that much different. The acting in this one is pretty much nonexistent. It’s a group of what I suspect would be friends in front of the camera awkwardly talking. There is no attempt at creating characters and the dialogue is so forced it feels like THE scene in I Spit on Your Grave. I’ve seen backyard horror films with no experience and I understand that inexperience is common in films like this but the acting in this one feels like very little effort was put into it. The story for this one is not an original one but I love these films that fully embrace the slasher tropes that we grew up loving. A deranged man escaping from a local asylum is right up my alley. Sadly, that’s about the extent of the story that was thought ahead. We have a masked killer that carries on casual conversations with the would be victims, not plot of the film to follow, and characters with no development. Finally, the film has a few on screen deaths but they are indicative of the rest of the film. Doesn’t seem like a lot of thought went into their execution and nothing really stands out about them. Overall, Samhain: The Killer Cut is a rough one to sit through. I respect any one that picks up a camera and makes their own film but not all of those films are worth watching. I would like to see the follow up films to this one just to see how much everyone has grown since filming this one. However, this film is one to skip. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-53284930850042980882024-02-19T12:04:00.000-08:002024-02-19T12:04:50.097-08:00Cemetery Man<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aBbxa-wngt9ZbrrVJlo96zHZ06JzJp54uDaSfTZzqPfpD9HhCkKdwqxORHDCGHnDcK8u5kMnEObJYT55oqsetd95s7COIVDWQ6Jjw8_JgGfDk9YCS54c3U-tyQgEhJVnXwBF_bIY8NTzdNSWUCyaSMSMuiWjzlUENYbWqRuhPsrEb8dMcGqST4uU1Zk/s2048/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1396" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aBbxa-wngt9ZbrrVJlo96zHZ06JzJp54uDaSfTZzqPfpD9HhCkKdwqxORHDCGHnDcK8u5kMnEObJYT55oqsetd95s7COIVDWQ6Jjw8_JgGfDk9YCS54c3U-tyQgEhJVnXwBF_bIY8NTzdNSWUCyaSMSMuiWjzlUENYbWqRuhPsrEb8dMcGqST4uU1Zk/s320/poster.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpVEQtO8wNdPHZKJbGc0-Eds1H7UO6tI0tpcT5MZ1UzvfIG2XlMMbTI1F1mNmEAXCUZ9JIcpWHAarli5NS4qSA-merZv-U7Zr3d2frDmiwtPlJ4aEGBrm9-ZciQMJ5pkPxlznucNBxur-83xN8NQyjrebz7p2pRNm821Elh_hyfuHzYgi3GrJBpLGEHc/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRpVEQtO8wNdPHZKJbGc0-Eds1H7UO6tI0tpcT5MZ1UzvfIG2XlMMbTI1F1mNmEAXCUZ9JIcpWHAarli5NS4qSA-merZv-U7Zr3d2frDmiwtPlJ4aEGBrm9-ZciQMJ5pkPxlznucNBxur-83xN8NQyjrebz7p2pRNm821Elh_hyfuHzYgi3GrJBpLGEHc/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I6o0TJNC77I?si=27jF3yp7va4syJd_" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Michele Soavi (The Church, StageFright)<div>Starring - Rupert Everett (Dead on Time, Shrek 2), Francois Hadji-Lazaro (Brotherhood of the Wolf, The City of Lost Children), and Anna Falchi (Kin Novak is on the Phone, The Tracker)</div><div>Release Date - 1994</div><div>Genre - Horror/Comedy/Romance</div><div>Tagline - "Zombies, gun and sex, oh my!"</div><div>Format - UHD (Personal Collection)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyKUnmXk_cUK3Zbj4EgpspNNh7d6jUMv7eXOsGUx9pZZTPAdoZo37xC8iNdq6gCsZx90kZAT0AVXYaXmZvUo0koWPtMYyH5evSQb-iZ6L2S2ISa72N-EMSYn7Sgd8uA0Kxolp065a-Ma8Fd8KcWFcdmPvChhMsP5kBUbHiOX2BpydxnxZ0mXFsxsbNvI/s320/r4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="102" data-original-width="320" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyKUnmXk_cUK3Zbj4EgpspNNh7d6jUMv7eXOsGUx9pZZTPAdoZo37xC8iNdq6gCsZx90kZAT0AVXYaXmZvUo0koWPtMYyH5evSQb-iZ6L2S2ISa72N-EMSYn7Sgd8uA0Kxolp065a-Ma8Fd8KcWFcdmPvChhMsP5kBUbHiOX2BpydxnxZ0mXFsxsbNvI/s1600/r4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> Every movie buff, especially genre fans, have that one film they have tried to watch for years but never had the opportunity. The movie is either hard to find or various obstacles get in their way. I call these movies unicorns because they take on an almost mythical tone. My unicorn is the 1994 Italian horror/romance film Dellamorte Dellamore. When I was in high school I was an active member of the Upcoming Horror Movies message board. One of the other members had an image of what looked like a grim reaper in his signature. I was fascinated with that image for a few days and finally asked them what it was from. He told me about the film Cemetery Man from director Michele Soavi. I rushed to eBay with a friend where we pooled out money together to buy a copy of the film on VHS. It took a few weeks but the day it arrived we prepared to give it a watch. After about 20 or so minutes into our first viewing the VCR started to make a loud whining sound before it ate the tape. It would be several more years before the film would get a DVD from Anchor Bay but I was quick to pre-order it. When it finally arrived the post office was kind enough to customize the package and it’s contents for me resulting in a dislodged disc that wouldn’t play in my PS2 or my friends DVD player. Anchor Bay was kind enough to send over a replacement disc but that took several more weeks. When I was able to finally watch the film I feel in love with it. It was unlike anything else I had seen at that point. The DVD quickly became one of my prized possessions that I still appreciate all those years later. That changed recently when Severin released the film on UHD. While the DVD held some fond memories, I could not wait to add this release to my collection. <div> The film follows a caretaker at a small Italian town. He lives in a little shack on the property with his nearly mute assistant and they are tasked with keeping the dead…dead. Those buried in this particular cemetery return after 7 days to feast on the living. He puts them down with a quick bullet to the head so the town doesn’t get overrun by the undead and for fear he would lose his job. He eventually falls in love with a beautiful widow but when her husband breaks free of his coffin and bites her, the caretaker is forced to shoot her. Heartbroken, and struggling with his own mortality, he befriends a group of college women. One of them shares a striking resemblance to his now dead loved one so he goes with them back to their house. He spends the night with her and the following morning he learns that they are prostitutes that are paying their way through college by selling their bodies. He panics and burns the home down with them trapped inside. Once again heartbroken, he meets a young woman working as the mayor’s assistant. She too is identical to the woman he once loved. She mentions that she has commitment issues and does not want to be with a man sexually. Succumbing to rumors that his impotent, he seeks medical help to take away his manhood so he can be with her only to discover that she was raped and she liked it. Now, he’s heartbroken for the third time and without the use of his penis which forces him to go on a killing spree before trying to skip town. </div><div> I don’t say this a lot but Dellamorte Dellamore, aka Cemetery Man, is easily the most beautiful horror film I’ve seen in my short life. We have a not so typical horror story that blends comedy and romance in a way I had never seen before or since along with several gruesome scenes that reminds the viewer that they are in fact watching an Italian horror film. I might be a bit biased here but Cemetery Man is one of my favorite horror films and this Severin release is a must own for horror fans and collectors alike. The acting in this one is great. Rupert Everette is absolutely amazing as the romantic cemetery caretaker (he’s not an engineer). His character is what makes the film and his performance is nothing short of brilliant. When you add the fantastic performances from model Anna Falchi and the “Gna” from Francois Hadji-Lazaro you have performances that are truly unforgettable. The characters are so enjoyable and the cast truly gives it their all. The story for this one is a mix of comedy and romance with a lot of horror thrown in. The romance is a huge part of the story and while it does take the front seat, it doesn’t make the horror take the back seat. Both coexist in the film in a way that is rarely seen and never as successful as it is here. You then have the humor to break up some of the more drawn out scenes a little bit. They all work together very well without making the horror feel out of place which became normal after the success of Shaun of the Dead. While I do love SotD I will be the first to admit that the horror is second to the humor and romance. This film keeps it in the front. The film also has great pacing and doesn’t over stay it’s welcome. Finally, this film has some seriously great effects with a lot of gore and beautiful sets. I love the sets and locations used in the film. Movies don’t really look like this anymore and these locations and sets give this film the perfect gothic look and feel. This really works with the film’s atmosphere and tone making it even more effective. You add that with the fantastic make-up and practical effects and you have a film that can only be seen to be appreciated. Overall, Cemetery Man, or Dellamorte Dellamore, is one of the most underrated Italian horror films in cinema history. The film is absolutely amazing and this release Severin is essential for horror fans or fans of this film. Check it out. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-83809113813209474882024-02-18T15:36:00.000-08:002024-02-18T15:36:56.741-08:00Daisy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGYNlsCA3OSI_Fb-pgk8IXII3_1Tqu2aYYZ3Gz122SiKs_IQa6Fpi2CRckisMKdMUXhRWVdMygLNw8vFsR6PHQnK27o_dsRNdToq_xV4a19-bkSHu00SL0_kmET6_WH_WBm9NcpUvXDKjVgSllNkUgn6CBmVkyAdyvYm5GpnW7JrFjEEL7oM1RB4VNjI/s2048/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGYNlsCA3OSI_Fb-pgk8IXII3_1Tqu2aYYZ3Gz122SiKs_IQa6Fpi2CRckisMKdMUXhRWVdMygLNw8vFsR6PHQnK27o_dsRNdToq_xV4a19-bkSHu00SL0_kmET6_WH_WBm9NcpUvXDKjVgSllNkUgn6CBmVkyAdyvYm5GpnW7JrFjEEL7oM1RB4VNjI/s320/poster.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj207SwU5elHI9dOtx0cDfm-nGyUjbYKNt3vPfuBqBUn3vS0zbiIOKOgWFDIOEykH9itNqFSSZwsdj_ziXXgJk_lOJ46isaAMmKudMBpcqyM880ckhe_74OUZVjlgX2KRcI6GywmdZYZtNrqPU7QFBPL0kZ0o5ML9ef5dFoBHmaM7oDgg7zIP31bf8nmYQ/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj207SwU5elHI9dOtx0cDfm-nGyUjbYKNt3vPfuBqBUn3vS0zbiIOKOgWFDIOEykH9itNqFSSZwsdj_ziXXgJk_lOJ46isaAMmKudMBpcqyM880ckhe_74OUZVjlgX2KRcI6GywmdZYZtNrqPU7QFBPL0kZ0o5ML9ef5dFoBHmaM7oDgg7zIP31bf8nmYQ/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rrhTNmajxCk?si=24l2a62rtzl2Mvo9" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Michael S. Rodriguez (Lamb Feed, Lake of Shadows)<div>Starring - Sparkle Soojian (Wolf Corps, Strange Files), Michael Wainwright (Death House, Lilith), and Matt Macedo (The Sinister Strain, A Portrayal of a Subtle Suicide)</div><div>Release Date - 2024</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Tagline - "Pray for dawn"'</div><div>Format - Streaming (Online Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sHa-WhTl5H-LUs2tQyUD8WzWT75njod93LOvKoEnMcUdi_aqSXemYcp1toycXgPVD-mxCNqBQdx6cuvnCwDMA61-aHNzcT0fyOLKA4b6ZVvT7MbSBDT9T1olDraw6L2pXnYZxmfvqg4D3xINAMvHWCFxKL6BOwOu9fOtNBy1JVhxwTIIdyl9dX0wUOM/s320/r3_5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="116" data-original-width="320" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sHa-WhTl5H-LUs2tQyUD8WzWT75njod93LOvKoEnMcUdi_aqSXemYcp1toycXgPVD-mxCNqBQdx6cuvnCwDMA61-aHNzcT0fyOLKA4b6ZVvT7MbSBDT9T1olDraw6L2pXnYZxmfvqg4D3xINAMvHWCFxKL6BOwOu9fOtNBy1JVhxwTIIdyl9dX0wUOM/s1600/r3_5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> Many years ago I befriended filmmaker Michael S. Rodriguez when he was promoting his horror short Night of the Sea Monkey: A Disturbing Tale. Since then he has became one of my favorite indie filmmakers with films like Lamb Feed, Homewrecked, and Lake of Shadows. That’s why I was so quick to accept his offer to review his newest film when he reached out to me. The film, Daisy, is a horror film centered around a cryptid which brought me back to his first short. I was excited to check this one out and want to take a moment to thank Michael for sending it over my way for review! <div> The film follows a mechanic who is trying to run his father’s garage but is not doing that great of a job when a young couple walk in looking for a thermostat for his antique truck. The man kills them and then hides their bodies. The father and brother of one of the victims goes searching for them and visits the mechanic where they reach a dead end. The brother suspects the man of something sinister and returns later to discover that he is hiding a creature in the back of the garage and has been feeding travelers and the stranded to it at night. </div><div> I knew absolutely nothing about Daisy prior to watching it. I saw the artwork and the tagline but that was all I had to go on as I went into this one. With that being said, this is probably my favorite film from Michael. I’m not too familiar with the lore around the cryptid that he chose to center the film around but I admire the fact that he used one that has not been overdone like bigfoot or mothman. While I’m a huge fan of cryptids and love the lore around them, I’m a little tired of the found footage flicks focused on bigfoot or mothman. The acting in this one is very well done. I liked a lot of the characters and while I liked the acting I can safely say that there was some uneven performances. Michael Wainwright and Matt Macedo makes the film for me. While Wainwright brings an intense performance that could easily be compared to classis horror villains, Macedo brings in some much needed humor that does break up the film a bit. It’s not a horror comedy but some random moments of humor goes a long way with films as dark and brooding as this one. The supporting cast is solid but some are not as experienced in front of the camera as others resulting in some uneven scenes. The story for this one works especially for a monster movie. I liked the idea of a soldier finding a creature in the sand and bringing it back stateside only to discover that it’s monster with an insatiable appetite. He loves her and does everything he can to provide for her but he knows that eventually something bad is going to come from this. The creature is a human/bat hybrid which is reminiscent of Ghilan in middle eastern folklore but it’s refreshing seeing something aside from the more popular cryptids . While I enjoy the originality of the film, I did find some of the scenes to be a little long winded. A little more trimming would have helped the pacing out tremendously. Finally, the film has some great practical and make-up effects. I loved the look and design of the creature and the deaths are what you would expect from a monster that feeds on humans. It’s a bloody and violent film that horror fans can appreciate. Overall, Daisy is much more menacing than the title suggests. The film has a great cast, a fantastic story, and a memorable creature design. Fans of classic monster movies will want to see this one. I highly recommend it. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-51971180589696841052024-02-18T15:04:00.000-08:002024-02-18T15:04:45.203-08:00The Demon of Serling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjR59sqpysdGkus8BREg1KIlLtFoGDRWKtBSG10B5dwVyPG2ry0_48w1o7-rxA5i6Vyoyk1P7hCMvp46c36ylb5tk9gjOF-lUiVswRHTb6QznlwxsphC2Iq8k2TmJpu8o9mGky_VIJ53LU4rfvsyZGWWb69752kAH-aeDLrM8mgbsuh_W9BtKuBnI_O6o/s2048/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjR59sqpysdGkus8BREg1KIlLtFoGDRWKtBSG10B5dwVyPG2ry0_48w1o7-rxA5i6Vyoyk1P7hCMvp46c36ylb5tk9gjOF-lUiVswRHTb6QznlwxsphC2Iq8k2TmJpu8o9mGky_VIJ53LU4rfvsyZGWWb69752kAH-aeDLrM8mgbsuh_W9BtKuBnI_O6o/s320/poster.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7eQU3Y-fmtqd_7r7in-Y-FcBT3qMrfUZltM2XUn0J1gTiwP3OYZWlBTpKqf-ZCTYV1FEGeZFfX9qqn9wSZD2EfJhz5lc0a5whO3iOUEqghFbQS-CSpRXsTl-EecrtkyaY8PRkf6dI3S2FxViGRRrnJyZBr0JGDFLcWYE-yGGJ9-y74FFhSQ_1I8NNCK4/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7eQU3Y-fmtqd_7r7in-Y-FcBT3qMrfUZltM2XUn0J1gTiwP3OYZWlBTpKqf-ZCTYV1FEGeZFfX9qqn9wSZD2EfJhz5lc0a5whO3iOUEqghFbQS-CSpRXsTl-EecrtkyaY8PRkf6dI3S2FxViGRRrnJyZBr0JGDFLcWYE-yGGJ9-y74FFhSQ_1I8NNCK4/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9Q5uFVG91Xc?si=ajSpFRvEs0l1LHOD" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - Dylan R. Nix (Sharp Candy, Baron Von Laugho's Halloween Spook-a-thon)<div>Starring - David E. McMahon (He Never Left, Johnny Z), Claire Louise Huder (The Truth About Monsters, The Things We Bloom)</div><div>Release Date - 2023</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Tagline - "Even a serial killer needs a friend"</div><div>Format - Streaming (Online Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVyKLlEMdEbrGjXYSxxmoPNN6ikIHyk8K_9k9L8yFMPzL-z8vwrSKmGysheceJGtidqer-pLTw4XXU35pXmtjhKhyphenhyphenVnDIH9t_XMe98XKlrKDovyTZVvLCybMx8sBb1cQ1AtAcFdqCGpuRl9bcqB_N4ZxsC3NSKw-L3ZgIQsqy2ALjl96X3Y5lMyZ2bGA/s320/r4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="102" data-original-width="320" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVyKLlEMdEbrGjXYSxxmoPNN6ikIHyk8K_9k9L8yFMPzL-z8vwrSKmGysheceJGtidqer-pLTw4XXU35pXmtjhKhyphenhyphenVnDIH9t_XMe98XKlrKDovyTZVvLCybMx8sBb1cQ1AtAcFdqCGpuRl9bcqB_N4ZxsC3NSKw-L3ZgIQsqy2ALjl96X3Y5lMyZ2bGA/s1600/r4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> Many years ago I befriended filmmaker, actor, and author Dylan R. Nix on social media. I believe the initial contact was through Instagram when he was sharing pictures from his Halloween horror anthology Baron von Laugho’s Halloween Spook-a-thon. I made contact with him and was lucky enough to get a review copy where I immediately fell in love with it. Since then I’ve incorporated it into my October horror binge each year and recommend it to anyone that is willing to listen. Since then Dylan has put out anthology series, another movie or two, and several written works. Way back in October he reached out to me to review his newest horror feature The Demon of Serling. I wasn’t able to squeeze it into my October horror binge but I kept it in queue until I could get to it. Due to the large volume of films sent over during that time I wasn’t able to get to it until now. I want to thank Dylan for being so patient with me and allowing Horror Society the opportunity to see his newest film. <div> The film follows a young man who is searching for his girlfriend who is either missing or dodging him. He suspects that she is avoiding him but news of a serial killer dubbed the Demon of Serling preying on women in the area has him a little on edge. Things take an unexpected turn when he helps his landlord place something heavy in his vehicle. He realizes it was a body but instead of panicking, he befriends him. The two have long conversations which leads to the young man realizing that his relationship woes is brought on by himself. </div><div> I absolutely fucking loved this film. In fact, I watched it twice prior to writing this review. While I wouldn’t necessarily label it a horror film I would call it an effective dark drama. Going into this one thinking it’s a horror film will leave you feeling very underwhelmed but its extremely enjoyable if you are looking for a true crime drama or a dark thriller. The acting in this one is great. Nix has entertained me during Halloween for several years now as Baron Von Laugho. He is very energetic and really gets into character in the film. However, we see a different side of him in The Demon of Serling. He is way more serious, grounded, and a huge asshole. This just shows how well rounded he is as an actor and I can’t wait to see his other genre efforts in front of the camera and behind it. With that being said, I was blown away by David E. McMahon as Semward Yarley, the Demon of Serling. He’s one of my favorite actors and has been for sometime so I was genuinely excited to see him partner with Nix on this project. He is not the traditional serial killer you would expect in a true crime flick and which also speaks to his skill as an actor. I was also impressed by Claire Louise Huder’s performance. Not only is she extremely gorgeous but she was so genuine in her role. Her character was very grounded and the film makes great use of her acting and sex appeal. The story for this one is a character driven piece that focuses more on the relationship of a young man struggling with find himself and love and a man who was abused as a child who takes his frustrations out on women. The character dynamics is a lot of fun and a film that consists mostly of conversations between two characters oddly works. I found myself pulled in and didn’t look away until the credits. With that being said, as much as I enjoyed the film I did find the film’s run time to be a little too long. A few scenes could use some trimming without compromising the story’s integrity. Finally, this is not a bloody flick. Sure, there is a little of the red stuff but the film’s main focus is the characters and their interactions with one another over blood and gore. Overall, The Demon of Serling is a fantastic indie drama about a serial killer and a man trying to sort his life out. It’s not a film you would expect a horror site to cover but I honestly loved it. I highly recommend it. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209883880203204756.post-6094739682786481562024-02-17T11:11:00.000-08:002024-02-17T11:11:25.201-08:00Side Effects May Vary <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIk-HivsK6vvADcd1R3b5yC-L3lNxBKcFi8ssz_8Np3hQM-AU5cXq5xF0pZPJQOWfzi8Qi1l_8Ai2771eP5vlNsiww3A0wg5W-OHQncaugHkjMtc44KrjLqrDWnucwAyG6akKCGngtg-p_RYeXd_ycKx449b4lRLzRSAJKa2eWjgPXypQ70wTpNRbQPpk/s2048/poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1575" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIk-HivsK6vvADcd1R3b5yC-L3lNxBKcFi8ssz_8Np3hQM-AU5cXq5xF0pZPJQOWfzi8Qi1l_8Ai2771eP5vlNsiww3A0wg5W-OHQncaugHkjMtc44KrjLqrDWnucwAyG6akKCGngtg-p_RYeXd_ycKx449b4lRLzRSAJKa2eWjgPXypQ70wTpNRbQPpk/s320/poster.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9o_LWDuPkDwsi5mZkm_iTLfqTTQpEIbAkZA495CkO_DRqeLlN7gXCLfowPG1IqQZJcslSAq-UQJ3DyUbgFP34T-th1wa1dLTvnqDYHlTFKY1pBs8_XYaEQX4_RR-SaDg8Ygh_ldhPX4LXbIGVpagBQFtpILCbrykIv2TWY5AGmhJ40za_JUm3xpI24c/s2048/title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="2048" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9o_LWDuPkDwsi5mZkm_iTLfqTTQpEIbAkZA495CkO_DRqeLlN7gXCLfowPG1IqQZJcslSAq-UQJ3DyUbgFP34T-th1wa1dLTvnqDYHlTFKY1pBs8_XYaEQX4_RR-SaDg8Ygh_ldhPX4LXbIGVpagBQFtpILCbrykIv2TWY5AGmhJ40za_JUm3xpI24c/s320/title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HFXLH_xy2ew?si=3_vxsXkKFrcuexN7" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></center>
</div><div><br /></div>Director - J. R. Bookwalter (The Dead Next Door, Robot Ninja)<div>Starring - James L. Edwards (Deathboard, Zombie Cop), Drew Fortier (Dwellers, Brimstone Incorporated), and Floyd Ewing Jr. (Skinned Alive, Robot Nija)</div><div>Release Date - 2024</div><div>Genre - Horror</div><div>Tagline - "The only thing more fatal than the virus... is the cure"</div><div>Format - Streaming (Online Screener)</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rating (out of 5):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqA-Xaw5jSaiuXSmbpDsNPVDk5CCVjeJHUW8nqppfnt5kGvPLyj-z5JxofETRutnbC_KYYEIqVsiERWgys6LRsgx3QpoInZGLUgs8QOyVtsjvLZXtk_c1JDwzDZrlHKTycuObn0G3Lk5lMPuGT8M3BJaTgXhyPa80v4ye_92-q7jFPvuPLxUp87dZ8phI/s320/r3_5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="116" data-original-width="320" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqA-Xaw5jSaiuXSmbpDsNPVDk5CCVjeJHUW8nqppfnt5kGvPLyj-z5JxofETRutnbC_KYYEIqVsiERWgys6LRsgx3QpoInZGLUgs8QOyVtsjvLZXtk_c1JDwzDZrlHKTycuObn0G3Lk5lMPuGT8M3BJaTgXhyPa80v4ye_92-q7jFPvuPLxUp87dZ8phI/s1600/r3_5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> When I was in high school I befriended a new student who was also interested in horror movies. We shared movies back and forth with one another along with introducing each other to horror titles we had never heard of before. It was around this time that he introduced me to Tempe Video. He was an avid effects fan and reader of Fangoria so he had picked up the film The Dead Next Door and Skinned Alive sometime before hand. I remember one night watching both movies multiple times while drinking. I absolutely loved both of these movies and after that initial viewing I quickly got my own copy of both for my collection. I’ve added most of the Tempe releases to my collection over the years and upgraded them when I was able to as they made premiers on new formats. I’m a huge fan of J.R. Bookwalter and his messy horror films so when I received the press release about the theatrical run of his newest film Side Effects May Vary I had to reach out to him. He was kind enough to send over a screening link and I want to thank him for the support he’s shown myself and Horror Society. <div> The film follows Glenn (Edwards) who is a conspiracy theorist during the onset of a pandemic. When he becomes ill he is forced by his wife to get a vaccine to overcome his illness. While it helps him overcome his sickness, he does slowly start to disintegrate and crave human flesh. </div><div> I went into Side Effects May Vary knowing nothing about the film aside that it was from legendary indie filmmaker J.R. Bookwalter and starring frequent collaborator James L. Edwards. This pairing has resulted in some seriously unforgettable moments in horror cinema. This pairing in Side Effects May Vary is no exception. It’s another fantastic film with oozy effects and a story that is still relevant today but would have made a bigger impact a few years ago. The acting in this one is great. James never disappoints when he is attached to a film whether it be in front of or behind the camera. His character here is very relatable. While he doesn’t share the same views as I do I still found it very grounded and down to Earth because we all know people just like him. We also get a fantastic performance from Drew Fortier who has been in several other films that I was lucky enough to review in the past. I like his character and how he approached the role. The supporting cast is just as solid but these two stand out and carry the film. The story for this one isn’t something new or original but it does have Bookwalter’s spin on it. The film’s impact would have been greater if it was closer to the beginning of the pandemic but Covid restrictions and so forth made that damn near impossible so I understand why it took so long for this to hit theaters. Also, I wish the film embodied more of the wild off the wall conspiracies that we’ve heard over the last four years. With that being said, Bookwalter’s spin on this familiar tale is a lot of fun. I’ve reviewed several indie productions that featured people taking experimental drugs and found themselves mutating into flesh crazed fiends. However, in this film the person retains part of their humanity. You add that with the film’s supporting characters and their storylines and you have something that will hold your attention during the entire run time. Finally, this film has amazing practical and make-up effects. The film’s make-up effects are absolutely top notch. I couldn’t help but think of other films with this much puss, slime, and oozing skin like The Stuff and The Blob. Fans of Bookwalter’s earlier films and horror movies that don't shy away from the red stuff will truly appreciate this one. Overall, Side Effects May Vary is the contender for best horror movie of the year and it’s only February. This is the kind of horror movie that got me into reviewing and I hope this is the beginning of more horror films from J.R. and James. Check it out if you ever get the chance. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0