Colony Mutation

Director - Tom Berna

Starring - Joan Dinco, David Rommel (Downer), and Anna Zizzo 

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Don't be afraid of..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Visual Vengeance quickly became one of my favorite boutique blu labels of recent years with their dedication to S.O.V. cinema.  I'll be honest, a lot of their films do not benefit from being restored and put on blu but it's awesome having a lot of these in my collection with many of them being stuck in VHS hell.  Some of these movies are proudly displayed in my collection.  A lot of them are movies I had never seen before and it was thanks to VV that I was able to finally check them out.  However, for every movie that I live, there is one that just didn't do it for me.  A few weeks back Visual Vengeance sent me the 1995 sci-fi horror mashup Colony Mutation from Tom Berna.  I had never seen this one before but I couldn't wait to dig into it.

     The film follows a man who is sneaking out on his hot scientist wife with another woman.  She learns of the affair when she gets his credit card bill and confronts him.  She slaps him and then throws a chemical her colleague is working at him before he beats her to death.  After hiding of her body, he tries to go about his life as if nothing happened but soon learns that the chemical he was hit with has altered his body.  His limbs are now carnivorous creatures with a taste for human flesh.  

     I went into this one knowing very little about it.  It looked like an attempt at the science gone too far films that many of us would watch on the Sci-Fi Channel before their rebranding.  While it does feel like that at times, the story is just different enough to make it feel like something somewhat unique.  It had some fun moments but loses itself during the last half of it's runtime.  The acting in this one is rough at times but I appreciate their dedication to their roles.  Most of the scenes feature dialogue spoken without conviction and a lot of their mannerisms are unnatural.  They are really into their roles but their lack of experience shows in every scene.  The story for this one is another science gone too far creating body horror.  We've seen this type of films before with films like The Blob and The Fly remakes.  I loved how the film started.  We have a cheating husband and a scientist who catches him.  In a fit of rage, she throws a chemical on him before he kills her before his body slowly changes into a flesh eating beast.  I really love how the film is written but it's the second half of the film where it loses me.  The whole body horror aspect is half-assed resulting in a poorly put together last act that has nothing enjoyable for the viewer to see.  Honestly, I feel this part was changed during filming for unknown reasons.  Finally, the film has several deaths but they are not as fun as they could have been.  The effects are very limited which is why I suspect the second half of the film is difficult to finish.  I love the idea behind his body/limbs being monsters but the way the films goes about it leaves a lot to be desired.  Overall, Colony Mutation is a movie that I was really looking forward to and was actually liking until the film lost steam.  The ending felt rather dull and out of place makes me think that it was changed on the fly.  I wanted to like it but it just wasn't for me.  Skip it.  

Assault of the Party Nerds 2: The Heavy Petting Detective

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

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

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Comedy

Tagline - "The party nerds are back!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

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

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

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

Rumpelstiltskin

 

Director - Mark Jones (Leprechaun, Triloquist)

Starring - Max Grodenchik (Six Feet Under, Tales from the Crypt), Kim Johnston Ulrich (Supernatural, Highlander), and Tommy Blaze (Viewer Discretion Advised, The Newz)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror/Fantasy

Tagline - "When the fairy tale ends, the nightmare begins"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Horror has always been a genre of trends.  When something finds success you can expect find several copy cats along with others using the idea and making it their own.  In the mid 90s there was a trend where horror fully embraced the classic fairy tales.  Blending these fantasy stories and nursey rhymes with horror was something that made trips to the video store so much fun.  Seeing the titles and artwork often made my mind race with imagination.  Leprechaun was the first of these films that I remembered seeing in the video store and one that stuck with me through all these years.  However, it wasn't the only one.  Rumpelstiltskin was released by the same director in 1995 and Snow White: A Tale of Terror was released in 1997.   All three were at my local video store and I remember checking them out over the course of a few years.  While Leprechaun was a favorite of mine, I still remember enjoying the other two.  A few months back Terror Vision announced the release of Rumpelstiltskin on blu and UHD.  It had been decades since my last viewing so I quickly snagged a copy and when it arrived I added it to my watch list.

    The film follows a recent widow who is raising her daughter alone.  While antique shopping with her sister she finds a unique sculpture and decides she has to have it.  Unbeknownst to her, the sculpture is actually the prison for Rumpelstiltskin and the old tale about him doesn't warn them about the bloodshed that is about to follow.

     Rumpelstiltskin, though directed by the same director, is nowhere near as enjoyable as Leprechaun.  It's still a fun movie with great characters and some laughs but it borrows a lot from what made Leprechaun so enjoyable.  It's obvious Jones wanted a repeat of the success but didn't put in the work to give viewers something different that would stand out from Leprechaun in the 30 some years after it's release.  The acting in this one is solid.  We get some fun characters and others that blend into the background.  Ulrich and Blaze were my favorite performances by far.  Their chemistry on screen makes the film for me and I loved watching their personalities clash from early on.  Grodenchik does a decent job as the title character but you can't watch this film and not think about Leprechaun and the performance was nothing memorable.  His one liners don't always find their mark and his dialogue is a bit forced.  The story for this one is is exactly what you would expect.  We follow someone who mistakenly unleashes Rumpelstiltskin and is forced to flee for her life as he chases her because she has something he wants.  Desperate, she seeks out the person who sold it to her to stop him.  The exact same story as Leprechaun.  We follows a group of people who unleash a leprechaun and run for their lives as he chases them because they have something he wants.  When they can't defeat him they turn to the person that imprisoned him.  Wildly similar stories but this one has a lot more action and it feels like the budget is much bigger.  Don't get me wrong, I love the film but it doesn't have the charm as Jone's previous effort.  Finally, I love the look of Rumpelstiltskin.  He's a menacing looking creature that adds a lot of atmosphere to the film.  We get a few deaths with some blood and decent enough effects but they lack imagination and creativity.  Overall, Rumpelstiltskin is a solid direct to video horror flick that works for a late night monster movie but falls a bit short from what it could have been.  With that being said, the release from Terror Vision is easily my favorite in my collection.  I cannot recommend this one enough.  Check it out.  

Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell

Director - Shinichi Fukazawa (Violator)

Starring - Shinichi Fukazawa, Masaaki Kai, and Masahiro Kai 

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "AKA The Japanese Evil Dead"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several years ago the 1985 horror comedy Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell was released on DVD.  The film was supposedly lost or never released before and it made waves among the genre fans.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to check it out while it was fresh in the horror consciousness but I've had it on my watch list for some time.  A few months back Wild Eye announced the launch of their new label Visual Vengeance which was meant to be the home for S.O.V. horror on blu.  One of their biggest announcements was the blu release of Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell.  I was quick to reach out to my friends over at Wild Eye and MVD, who were handling to blu release, and they were kind enough to send a review copy my way.  After watching their release of The Necro Files I decided to have a Visual Vengeance marathon with this and another release.  Like always I want to thank MVD and Wild Eye for hooking me up!

     The film follows a Japanese body builder who visits an old home that once belonged to his father with his girlfriend and a friend.  The home was once the site of a gruesome murder and now the three find themselves in a house with a benevolent spirit that want's them dead and will stop at nothing to rip them apart.

     Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell, aka The Japanese Evil Dead, is a movie that should not be slept on.  It's a wild, no budget flick with some fun effects and plenty of funny moments.  Honestly, there are a handful of films that I often recommend to horror fans that don't steer away from pop horror and this is one that is added to that list.  I absolutely loved it and can see many more viewings in my future.  The acting in this one is surprisingly enjoyable considering that the cast had absolutely no experience before this film.  The characters are fun but it's not them that makes the film as fun as it is.  It's actually the scenario and what happens to them that is so entertaining.  I liked the cast but anyone could have been cast in these roles and the film would have still worked.  The story for this one is similar to The Evil Dead with a little bit of Haus tossed in.  Twenty-somethings trapped in a house with an evil spirit/entity is nothing new especially by 1995.  However, it's the effects and what happens to the three that makes this one so much fun.  The film is barely an hour and it's a lot of fun especially when you consider the budget and cliched story.  It's the deaths and torture that makes this one stand out from the rest.  Finally, the effects in this one are the highlight of the film.  We get some seriously underrated stop-motion segments that make this movie seriously enjoyable.  We also have some practical effects that look good enough to make the gag work along with some make-up effects that are hit or miss.  Overall, Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell is a must have for fans of campy 80s horror and S.O.V. flicks with some creative effects.  I highly recommend this release from Visual Vengeance.  Don't make the same mistakes I did and sleep on this film.  

Expect No Mercy

Director - Zale Dalen (Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Street Justice)

Starring - Billy Blanks (Lionheart, Bloodfist), Jalal Merhi (Fearless Tiger, Death Junction), and Wolf Larson (Tarzan, Hard Ticket to Hawaii)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Action/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Where virtual reality begins"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I started my Billy Blanks marathon with TC 2000 I soon realized that I was going to be in for a cheesy good...or bad time depending on how I wanted to look at it.  TC 2000 was not for me but there were some aspects of the film that I actually enjoyed.  I decided to go with the Vinegar Syndrome release of Expect No Mercy next.  I love those cheap sci-fi action films that were direct to video with a large portion of the story centered around a dated technology.  It looked like a lot of fun and I had hopes that it was better than the previous Blanks starred film.  

     The film follows a school of assassins that is being trained to kill using cutting edge virtual reality.  The feds send in an undercover agent to train as one of them and put a stop to the bloody trail they leave in their wake.

     Expect No Mercy was a better film than TC 2000 but it wasn't a great one.  It's a movie that had some fun moments and just as many not-so-fun moments.  I could see myself watching it with some friends and a bunch of beer when I was in college but this wasn't one of those times.  It was decent at best as a one time watch.  The acting in this one is exactly what anyone would expect from a film of this quality.  The cast looks like they are having a lot of fun but the dialogue and action scenes are very.  I usually enjoy these heavily choreographed action flicks but this one struggled to find it's footing.  The cast has a hard time delivering any sort of emotion with their dialogue and ham up every scene.  It's fun in a so bad it's good sort of way but it's exactly what you expect from a straight to video action flick.  The story for this one is very dated but still has a certain charm about it.  The sci-fi films of the early 90s using modern technology as the basis of their stories.  Movies like Brainscan, Mindwarp, and so many more date themselves with this but they still have that late night cinema charm that a lot of us enjoy.  Honestly, I could really get behind this story if the cast could have been taken seriously.  Finally, the film is not a bloody mess like many of us are looking for.  There is a lot of martial arts action and some cheap visual effects but that is the extent of it.  Overall, Expect No Mercy is alright for a first time watch but it's not very memorable and the film could have been so much more if it had a better cast.  Check it out, especially if you are a Vin Syn collector, but there is so many other great flicks from them that I would recommend before this one.  

An Ex-Hooker's Christmas Carol

Director - Dave Castiglione (Deep Undead, Before I Die)

Starring - Dave Castiglione, Phyllis Crouthamel, Deana Demko (Dark Tales from Channel X, Halloween Horror Tales)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Crime/Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I ordered Backwoods Marcy I had no idea that a second film was included as part of the special features.  I know I wasn't much of a fan of Bookwoods but I was happy to be able to include it in my collection.  However, I was very interested in the bonus film which happened to be the 1995 film An Ex-Hooker's Christmas Carol.  I'm all for odd cinema and couldn't wait to check out this S.O.V. drama brought to us from Saturn's Core.

      The film follows a hooker who is caught stealing while on probation.  Her punishment is to work for a mentally challenged man who wants to show her the true meaning of the holidays.  

     An Ex-Hooker's Christmas Carol is a little better than Backwoods Marcy but that isn't saying much.  The movie does have a few random laughs, that I'm sure was unintentional, but the movie was almost just as difficult to finish.  I wanted to love it but it was one bad film.  The acting in this one is some of the worst I've seen.  The cast is inexperienced but they do try.  They are dedicated to their performance but their inexperience and lack of direction is very noticeable.  The story for this one is a no-budget attempt at the classic Christmas Carol that fails.  The characters are poorly written, the scenes are dull, and the story is stretched so thin that it fails to achieve what it set out to do.  I did laugh at a few unintentionally funny moments but the overall story is one huge missed opportunity.  Finally, no blood or guts for you sickos.  The movie is meant to be a cult movie fan's Christmas film but even then it doesn't really achieve that.  Overall, An Ex-Hooker's Christmas Carol is another one I can't recommend.  As a collector I'm super fucking pumped to own it but I'm not going to lie and saw I loved it.  

Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh

Director - Bill Condon (Gods and Monsters, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I)

Starring - Tony Todd (Candyman, Night of the Living Dead), Kelly Rowan (The Gate, Hook), and Caroline Barclay (Species, American Gothic)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Evil comes when you call his name"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     I spent a great deal of my time in Dewey's Video.  It was my local video store and it was my mecca.  I was there every couple of days and always on Friday to rent a few Sega Genesis games and a stack of VHS.  I fucking loved walking up and down the aisles searching for the movies that I would be taking home for the night or weekend.  When you entered his shop and took a hard right you walked passed his bead covered doorway to his adult films and into a room full of sci-fi and horror films.  I spent a lot of time in that corner of the store and remember how amazing the artwork was for most of the horror titles.  One that stuck out to me was the bee comb artwork for Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh.  It was so simple yet pulled me in.  I had watched the first film several times but never the second so I rented it that weekend with a few other genre titles.  I remember really loving the film and when I was in college I finally snagged my first copy of the film on DVD.  Honestly, I haven't watched it since college and while I was preparing for my review of Candyman: Day of the Dead I decided to revisit the trilogy.  I immediately spun Farewell to the Flesh after the first film.

     The film follows a teacher in New Orleans who is given word that her brother was arrested for murder.  Their father was murdered several years before and it has went unsolved.  Her brother is obsessed with the lore of Candyman and when his sister discovers that her brother suspects Candyman she uncovers the truth about her family heritage and their ties to the Candyman.  

     Farewell to the Flesh is not as good as the original film but it's still a fantastic follow up.  I love the cast, the location, the expansion of the backstory, and the deaths.  It's one of the few sequels that are almost as good as the original source and leaves a lot on the table for future installments.  I like the acting in this one more than the first installment.  Todd once again knocks it out of the park as Candyman but this time the female lead, Kelly Rowan, is a better female protagonist than Madsen was in the first film.  Her emotions are genuine and she is able to carry the film better as well.  I really enjoyed the character she portrayed.  The supporting cast is just as great with just as many memorable performances as the first.  The story for this one takes the move from Chicago to New Orleans to further explore the back story to Daniel Robitaille and how he was cursed to become Candyman.  It's a much bigger look into it and tying it to the characters in the film makes it have an even bigger impact.  Slavery and how the white slave owners treated freed blacks is still a major point of the story but it's not as weighted as it was in the previous film.  Finally, the film turns it up a notch with the deaths.  We get some deaths with a little more imagination and creative effects.  I really enjoyed them this go around and they do stand out while fitting in with the theme of Candyman.  The effects are great which really solidifies the character as a 90s slasher icon.  Overall, Farewell to the Flesh is a great follow up to an amazing film.  It's a prime example that not all 90s horror was bad.  I highly recommend this one especially if you plan on revisiting the first film.  

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Creator - Hideaki Anno (Shin Godzilla, Gunbuster)

Starring - Megumi Ogata (Bleach, UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie), Megumi Hayashibara (Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon: MewTwo Returns), and Kotono Mitsuishi (Pokemon, Ghost Stories)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Action/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "A new world. A new technology.  One last hope for salvation"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm not much of an anime fan.  I've tried to be more receptive of them in recent years but when I was younger I often avoided them.  I do love both Vampire Hunter D films but that is about the extent of my anime knowledge.  Several months back Shout Factory announced the release of 1995's Neone Genesis Evangelion on blu.  I wanted to explore some animes so I decided to check this one out.  I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send a copy my way.  I wasn't able to spin it right away but as I found myself obsessed with Elden Ring I decided to multi-task and finally break out the series.  I'm glad I did because it was a lot of fun.  

     The show takes place many years after a group of giant beings known as Angels wiped out most of humanity.  The surviving humans have grouped together in giant cities that can be driven underground in the case of an angel attack.  To fight the angels, scientists have build giant mechs known as Evas that are piloted by teenagers that are synchronized with the machines.  With their very existence on the line they still find time to worry about the normal teenager things like love, maturity, family, and so on.

     I'm very surprised by how much I actually liked this show.  It was a lot of fun even though it sizzles out by the last two episodes.  Hell, I liked it so much that I may start checking out some other animes now.  Who knew that Neon Genesis Evangelion would be a gateway anime?  The voice acting in this one is one of the few aspects of the show that I didn't like.  The voices didn't match all the characters in my opinion while others were perfectly cast.  This was very inconsistent and made the show have some unintentionally awkward scenes dude to the dialogue.  If the voice cast matched the characters then the scene and the series would have been just a little more enjoyable.  The story for this one is a lot of fun but it feels like the writing became lazy or they just gave up during the last leg of the show.  With that being said, I fucking loved the back story, the betrayal, and the mechs.  It's a great sci-fi action series with some seriously impressive lore.  I know there is two films that follow the series and I can't wait to spin them.  Finally, the animation is great.  We get some blood, a lot of awesome fight scenes, and some light gore.  Genre fans, especially those open to anime, will greatly appreciate this.  Overall, Neon Genesis Evangelion is a fantastic series that may spark a love for anime if you were not a fan already.  I highly recommend grabbing this release from Shout Factory as part of their GKids line.  

Female Mercenaries on Zombie Island

Director - Gary Whitson (Abducted!, Sleepover Massacre)

Starring - Tina Krause (Bloodletting, Camp Blood 666), Pamela Sutch (Paranormal Captivity, Day of the Ax), and Laura Giglio (Deep Undead, Cannibal Sacrifice)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "In the year 2008 women control the zombie force..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     W.A.V.E. Productions is iconic among indie horror fans especially those that lived through the 90s and early 00s.  However, I was fairly unfamiliar with them until I watched the documentary Mail Order Murder: The Story of W.A.V.E. Productions.  Since then Saturn's Core and a handful of other boutique labels has released some of their films on blu.  One such company, Camp Motion Pictures, recently released the Female Mercenaries on Zombie Island Collection on blu which included the 1995 film Female Mercenaries on Zombie Island along with it's sequel Female Mercenaries 2: The Mad Doctor of Zombie Island.  This release also included a couple shorts.  I was very interested in this release so I reached out to my friends at MVD and they were kind enough to send a review copy my way.  I had never seen any of these films so I started with title flick.  Thanks MVD for hooking me up with this!

     The film follows an evil female doctor who has been experimenting with brain transplants.  She is working with the older male leaders of the world and is going to transplant their brains into younger bodies.  However, she is manipulating them and is including a brain control device so she will have total control of them.  She has also created a drug that turns the other men into cannibalistic mutants.  The only thing standing in her way is two women who refuse to let her control what is left of the world.  

     I don't expect to find a film that will immediately leave a lasting impression on me when I toss in a W.A.V.E. flick, however,  I do expect some cheesy and sleazy fun.  Female Mercenaries looked like it could deliver both of those but it missed the mark.  It was sloppy, chaotic, and the story was stretched so thin that it was damn near impossible to finish.  I hate being so negative about a film but there is very little, if any, positive aspects to this flick.  The acting in this one is extremely lazy and just as chaotic as the rest of the film.  The cast awkwardly delivers their dialogue and they have no real commitment to their roles.  Each scene is rushed and it looks like the entire film was edited together using the first or only takes.  All the character lack personalities and it's difficult to tell most of the women apart due to their acting.  If it wasn't for their imdb pages I would have thought that they all lacked on screen experience.  The story for this one is something we have seen before but with a more female oriented approach.  Direct to video action movies, especially during the mid-90s, featured similar stories where the world is in shambles and an evil man is hell bent on taking over what is left of civilization by any means necessary.  That has been switched here to an evil woman but the story is still pretty much the same.  This basic premise is stretched to over 2 hours of run time which is almost 2 hours too long.  It could have been a little more enjoyable if it was trimmed down a lot and the story actually followed itself instead of focusing on scenes full of women in peril.  The sleazy aspect is wasted on poorly filmed scenes of women yelling but lacking any emotional attachment to their dialogue.  Finally, the film has a few instances of great practical effects while others lacked practical effects and just sprayed blood everywhere.  I really enjoyed the brain scene but that is the extent of it.  Overall, Female Mercenaries on Zombie Island is not as fun as I had hoped it would be.  I'm sure it would be a blast to watch in a room full of drunk horror fans but it's a difficult one to finish by yourself and sober.  Skip it.  

Scanner Cop II

Director - Steve Barnette (Mindwarp, Cop Files)

Starring - Daniel Quinn (Scanner Cop, The X-Files), Patrick Kilpatrick (The Stand, The Cellar), and Khrystyne Haje (Bates Motel, Raven)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Nowhere to hide, not even in your mind"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I was expecting the first Scanner Cop to be a cheesy cop flick based on the Croneneberg concept created in his Scanners film.  However, as cheesy as it was, I fucking loved it.  I'm kicking myself for not watching this one soon.  Hell, I didn't know about the film until Vin Syn announced it which is a fucking shame.  It's cheesy but a great mix of Cronenbergian and sci-fi inspired cop drama.  As soon as I finished the first Scanner Cop I was quick to toss in the sequel which was equally as entertaining.  

     The film once again follows officer Sam Staziak (Quinn) who has made a name for himself on the force with the help of his scanner ability.  When other scanners turn up dead and horribly mutilated he is asked to work the case.  He soon discovers that the murders are the work of another scanner her put away some years back for murder and he has learned how to steal the "essence" of other scanners to make himself stronger.  Now Sam is tasked with stopping him before other innocent scanners are murdered.

     Scanner Cop II was not what I was expecting at all but I did enjoy it just as much as the first film.  I had some issues with the story but the cheese and practical effects more than made up for the terrible choices with the story.  The acting in this one is more of the same from the first film.  We get solid performances from most of the cast but Quinn and Kilpatrick's scanner faces leaves me in stitches.  I struggle with the acting in these films because I'm too busy laughing at their strained shit faces.  They are completely ridiculous and takes the tension out of the scenes.  The acting in any other scene is great and enjoyable.  The story for this one builds up a character that has a past history with Sam but it's new to us.  Bring in an established character would have more of an impact that creating one and having him "return."  Aside from that we get a continuation of the original film with several new aspects introduced.  It's a shame this film never received a follow up film capitalizing on some of the new things introduced like the scanners stealing each other's essence and the new form of the drug that Sam takes.  Finally, the film once again delivers some fun practical and make-up effects that fit nicely in the Scanners universe.  I really enjoyed the way the corpses looked and how the scanners melted when their abilities were being drained from them.  Overall, Scanner Cop II is a fantastic follow up to the first film.  It continues the story while delivering something new while showcasing some great practical effects.  Sure, the actors do ham it up but that's just part of the charm.  

     

Cruel Jaws

Director - Bruno Mattei (The Other Hell, Rats: Night of Terror)

Starring - David Luther (Only the Strong), George Barnes Jr. (Detective Extralarge, South Beach), and Scott Silveria 

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Just when you thought it was safe to go into the sea again"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Late last year Severin Films released several movies that caught my attention.  I like Severin for the most part but there has been a few of their films that I just didn't care for.  One of those releases last year that really caught my eye was their blu release of the 1995 sharksploitation film Cruel Jaws which some of you may know as Jaws 5.  I had never seen this one before but it looked a lot of fun.  I eventually snagged a copy but wasn't able to watch it right away.  After spinning a few Arrow Video releases I decided to have a Severin sharksploitation double feature with Cruel Jaws up first.

     The film follows the beach community in Florida who is terrorized by a giant shark.  The greedy mayor refuses to close the beaches but when the shark get it's taste of human flesh it goes on a feeding frenzy forcing the authorities to spring into action to kill it before it can kill again.

     I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a big fan of shark flicks.  They tend to be boring and the lingering thought of "stay out of the water and nothing will happen" sticks with me the entire time.  Sharks are only menacing if you are in the water so if you stick to land then you just took away all the horror and fear.  However, that wouldn't make for a good movie so we have various reasons the people venture out into the sea.  I was hoping Cruel Jaws would have that Italian sleaze that Mattei was known for but it didn't.  In fact, the film fell short in a lot of ways.  The acting in this one was far from perfect but it was funny in a lot of ways.  The characters are pretty generic and a lot of the performances we get are fairly flat resulting in a lot of unforgettable scenes.  The humor is unintentional but it's funny regardless.  The cast overreacts at times making for an awkward but hysterical scene.  The story for this one is just like every other shark movie since Jaws.  A giant shark terrorizes a coastal community that is based on tourism so they have to kill the shark forcing several teams to go into the water never to return.  What makes this movie miss is how it can't even deliver original footage.  It takes scenes from previously shot movies and integrates them into the film.  You get an unoriginal film that's not finished.  Finally, you can only do so much with a shark feature.  We get some make-up effects and blood, along with stock footage of sharks but that's about the extent of it.  Don't expect a bloodbath because you will be very disappointed.  Overall, Cruel Jaws was a mess of a film that I just couldn't get into.  The blu does look great but the movie itself is a tough one to finish.  Skip it.  

     

Last Gasp

Director - Scott McGinnis (Cousin Skeeter, Angel)

Starring - Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Fire in the Sky), Joanna Pacula (Warlock: The Armageddon, Virus), Vyto Ruginis (Star Trek: The Next Generation, The X-Files)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Pray you never hear the last gasp"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Vinegar Syndrome is always bringing out movies that I've never seen.  Hell, in a lot of cases they are movies I've never heard of until they were released by them.  Over the years I've seen some great, and not so great, films that I would have never seen if it wasn't for them.  I love how they don't care to take a risk and release something most genre fans had never heard of before.  Back in March they released the strange 1995 film Last Gasp starring Robert Patrick.  It's not often that Vin Syn gets ahold of a film from the 90s so I was very curious about it.  I had already pre-ordered the March package so it was just a matter of time until it arrived so I could dig into it.

     The film follows a land developer who is know for his cut-throat ways.  On a trip to Mexico he had a team of mercenaries wipe out a tribe.  However, one of them is able to transfer his spirit into the land developer.  When he returns to his home he is forced to kill by the vengeful spirit dragging a young woman who is looking for her husband into the middle of it all.

     I wasn't expecting an unforgettable movie but I was hoping for a cheap and fun flick.  The movie did surprise me a few times and struggled during others.  At the end of the day I have to admit I enjoyed it regardless of how short it was.  It was fun but I don't see myself revisiting it anytime soon.  The acting in this one is uneven but not bad.  Robert Patrick delivered a great performance for most of the films but there is a few scenes where he is very underwhelming.  The same can be said about Joanna Pacula.  She delivers an awesome performance for a good portion of the film but then she runs out of steam in a few of the scenes resulting is a pretty dull scene.  The supporting cast is solid but the characters are generic and blend in with the background.  The story for this one struggles with it's identity.  It wants to be a slasher film with a possession subplot but the noir aspect mixed with the pacing and timing issues results in a clunky story.  I has it's moments and satisfies but the replay value is not there.  I wish the film would have approached the story in a typical slasher style instead of trying to reinvent the sub-genre.  Finally, the film doesn't really have on screen kills.  A good portion of the deaths are off screen but when we do get to see the body we get some very impressive practical effects.  They do look a little plastic but they still work for the scene.  It's just a shame that these kills were off screen.  Overall, Last Gasp was exactly what I thought it would be.  It was a fun first watch but I don't see myself checking it out again anytime soon.  The blu looks great.  The image is clear and the audio is pristine.  Vin Syn knows what they are doing and knocked another release out of the park.  

The Day of the Beast

Director - Alex de la Iglesia (The Last Circus, Witching and Bitching)

Starring - Alex Angulo (Pan's Labyrinth, Possessed), Armando De Razza (Lightning Strike, The Squad), and Santiago Segura (Blade II, Pacific Rim)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "A comedy of Satanic action!"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several months ago Severin revealed that they would be releasing two new films on UHD for the first time.  As a collector, this really excited me.  Vinegar Syndrome and Arrow Video has been doing an amazing job with their UHD releases and I couldn't wait to see what Severin had in store for us.  When it was revealed that the two UHD releases would be The Day of the Beast and Perdita Durango I was excited.  I had never seen these films but I was extremely excited to check these out.  After watching Nosferatu in Venice I decided to spin the 1995 black comedy The Day of the Beast.  I want to thank Severin and MVD for sending this one over.

     The film follows a rogue priest who has uncovered a hidden code in the bible that predicted the apocalypse would happen during Christmas in 1995.  He teams up with an occult television host and a metalhead to prevent the end of the world.

     The Day of the Beast is one I had heard a lot about prior to Severin's announcement.  A lot of horror fans that have similar tastes in film as me often recommended it to me but I was always hesitant to pull the trigger on it especially when I saw the quality of releases out there.  Now I feel like a fool because I think I found my new Christmas must watch.  It was goofy, dark, and extremely fun.  Sure, it does feel a little dumb at times but I loved it.  The acting in this one is very entertaining.  Angulo was great as the priest trying to save the world.  He's goofy at times but his character's personality really made the film.  De Razza was great as well as the television host reluctantly pulled in by this theory.  His character was just as fun as well.  With all that being said, genre veteran Santiago Segura delivers my favorite performance.  He always brings the most memorable characters in a film to life and here his metal head character fit so well with the Satanic angle.  I fucking loved him.  The story for this one is a bit of a stretch but if you just go with it the pay off is well worth it.  Having a priest uncover a hidden message in the bible that predicts the apocalypse is a pretty good start for a black comedy if you ask me.  Following this religious hero as he gains two accomplices in the way of an occult master and a metal head is even more brilliant especially if you are a horror fan that loves metal.  It does drag it's feet a few times throughout but these slower scenes make way for better scenes.  Finally, the film isn't a gory one.  It does have some blood and a few great practical stunts involving fire.  I was a bit let down by these scenes, however, the scenes with the horned demon more than make up for the lack of gore.  Overall, The Day of the Beast is not the movie I was expecting at all.  I loved the character and the story but a lot of the humor does miss it's mark.  Regardless, its a movie I will be revisiting every December and a movie I would highly recommend checking out.  The UHD release from Severin is great.  The artwork for the release is a little bland but I highly recommend checking it out.  

The Fear

Director - Vincent Robert 

Starring - Eddie Bowz (Mad Dog Coll, Murder in the First), Heather Medway (Seinfeld, Friends), and Ann Turkel (Humanoids from the Deep, Night Court)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "He's whatever scares you the most"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     No one, and I mean no one, can question my love for Vinegar Syndrome.  Sure, they do, on occasion, release a film that I don't really care for but a majority of their releases are phenomenal.  Back in January it was speculated that Vin Syn was releasing the 1995 horror film The Fear.  I had never heard of this one prior to these rumors so I turned to YouTube where I found several clips from the film.  It looked extremely cheesy but it could be fun.  When Vin Syn officially announced the release I was looking forward to checking it out.  I want to thank Vin Syn for sending this one my way!

     The film follows a group of young adults who visit one of their own's lakeside childhood home to work on fear therapy.  However, an old wooden mannequin comes to life and with all their fears made flesh.

     I went into this one with an open mind and looking forward to adding another Vin Syn release to my collection.  After almost 30 minutes into it I found myself struggling to follow these painfully dated characters in a story that just didn't work for me.  I really wanted to like this one but I couldn't get into.  The acting in this one is forced and not very genuine.  The characters are so 90s that it feels like an odd music video feature members of various nu metal bands.  The characters and their inability to react in a genuine way to the different scenarios does make the story feel weaker than it actually is but I would have loved to see the film cast people that actually dedicated themselves to their roles.  The mid-90s was the horror revival with films like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer so it was very possible to cast unknown actors and pull off a hit.  The story for this one has endless possibilities but the approach they took to it made for a very dull and almost predictable film.  Having a wooden mannequin bring people's fears to life before killing them could have been something nightmares are made out of especially if it was grounded in real life fears of being stalked and killed by a serial killers and so on.  It does do a rape angle that could have been way more effective and impactful but it doesn't fully explore that as much as they could have.  Instead, we get random other real but not as terrifying fears being brought to life with a laughably bad wooden man shambling around to the tune of what sounds like the coconut horse from Monty Python.  Finally, the film has several deaths and none of them are as bloody or gruesome as we would have loved.  The 90s was known for taking risks in the genre as most productions turned their back on over the top deaths and practical effects.  We get a nice looking wooden man but that's it.  Nothing else effects wise to enjoy.  Overall, The Fear is not what I was expecting and one I didn't care for at all.  It was a bit of a chore to finish and I can't, in good faith, recommend this one.  If you are a collector then you will want to snag this amazing release for your collection.  However, if you are looking for something new to watch then I would skip this one and check out something else from the Vin Syn catalog.  

Nemesis 2: Nebula

Director - Albert Pyun (Cyborg, Dollman)

Starring - Sue Price (RoboWoman, House of Pain), Chad Stahelski (Constantine, Vampires), and Tina Cote (Barb Wire, Bram Stoker's Dracula)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Sci-Fi/Action

Tagline - "The future just got darker"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When it comes to the world of direct to video action films you can almost always bet that a sequel is going to be cheaper than the first one film and nowhere near as good.  There is a few instances where this is not true but for the most part a lot of direct to video sequels are garbage.  Nemesis was a film that was pretty fucking bad but it's a fun kinda bad.  When I saw that there was not only one sequel but four additional films I was blown away.  However, once I started looking into them I realized that one of the films, Nemesis 2: Nebula, was one I had actually seen when I was younger at a friends house.  I never finished the film but it was cool to revisit it.  This is, in my opinion, one of the few times where the sequel surpasses the original film.  

     The film picks up almost 80s years after the original.  The cyborgs has enslaved the human race with the few survivors hidden away trying to defeat them.  They are able to develop a mutated strand of DNA which they hope to use it to breed an army that can defeat the cyborgs.  They inject it into a female survivor and she gives birth to a little girl.  However, they are found out forcing her to flee to 1980 where they arrive in Africa.  The mother is hunted down but an African tribe finds the baby and raises her to be a warriror.  Now, 20 years later, a cyborg bounty hunter has tracked her down and the survival of all mankind rests in her hands.

     Honestly. I went into this one expecting pure shit but I found myself seeing some of this one for the second time.  The movie is another rough one but I actually enjoy it.  Shitty acting, unoriginal story, and horrible fight scenes but when you put it all together it's a stupid but fun film.  The acting in this one is so bad.  I don't know much about female bodybuilder Sue Price aside from the fact that her imdb page is relatively small.  After binging these four Nemesis films starring her I can see why.  She's very fit and does a solid enough job during the more physically demanding roles but the dialogue heavy scenes are pretty fucking awkward to watch.  The same can be said about her co-stars.  Some have some pretty impressive credits under their belts but they didn't bring their "A" game to set on this one.  The story for this one was not originally intended to be a follow up to Nemesis.  Instead, it was meant to be a stand alone sci-fi action flick centered around aliens.  A few scenes were added to make it loosely a sequel.  With that being said, it's cheesy as fuck but it works. As much as I like it I know it's far from perfect and has more holes in it than swiss cheese.  Finally, this one has a little blood and some fun practical effects but the icing on this cake is the horrible visual effects that will leave you laughing your ass off at how bad they are.  Overall, Nemesis 2 is, in my opinion, a little better than the first film but still far from perfect.  It's cheap but entertaining.  Fans if mid-90s sci-fi action flicks can appreciate it.  

Beaver and Buttface

Director - Buck Adams (Hellriders, Nightmare Visions)

Starring - Buck Adams, Tony Tedeschi (Boogie Nights, Dark Angels), and April Adams (Wishbone, Evil Temptations)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Erotic/Comedy

Tagline - "Hold on to your nads…"

Format - Streaming

Rating (out of 5):

     Most people are stuck in their little bubbles and refuse to look at the much bigger picture.  They allow others to make up their minds for them without actually experiencing life.  As a movie fan I often check out movies I typically wouldn't because you never know what hidden gem is waiting out there for you to find.  Over the years I've found myself collecting as many porn parodies that I could find.  Some, sadly, never made it to disc but VHS rips are everywhere on the internet.  A few nights ago I found the Beavis and Butt-Head parody Beaver and Buttface on one of the many streaming porn sites and decided to give it a spin.  I'm glad I did because I honestly laughed more than I expected.  

     The film follows Beaver and Buttface who leave behind high school for higher learning where they discover that the women here are far more open to sexual encounters than women in their high school.

     Porn parodies can usually go one of two ways.  They can loosely put a porn together with some of the characters or themes or it could be made by someone that is actually a fan or familiar with the property and keep the film close to the source material.  That is why I love films like Evil Head so fucking much.  Burning Angel is huge fans of Evil Dead and their parody is a pornographic epic.  Beaver and Buttface was as close to the show as you could get with a live action porn adaptation.  I really enjoyed it and was not expecting to laugh as much as I did.  The acting in this one is a very comical approach to the boys. I found myself laughing at their make-up but there was times where they nailed their laughs.  They are far from perfect but it works especially for a no-budget fuck flick.  The story for this one really does keep it close to the source material.  We have the sex-obsessed boys going to college where they fuck girls and when they are not fucking girls they are watching porn and commenting on the videos like the show did music videos.  It's fun, raunchy, and full of laughs - intentional and unintentional.  At it's core, it is a porn so the sex is the center of the film, but everything else is a real nod to the show.  Finally, no blood or guts here.  We have green screen backdrops that feature hand drawn scenes reminiscent of the show and beautiful women.  It's fun and visually similar to the show.  Overall, Beaver and Buttface is a porn so don't expect something else.  However, it was funny and I really enjoyed this adult themed take on a show I grew up loving.  I highly recommend it for sleazy fans.  

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation

Director - Kim Henkel 

Starring - Renee Zellweger (Cold Mountain, Dazed and Confused), Matthew McConaughey (My Boyfriend's Back, Reign of Fire), and Robert Jacks (Scary Movie, Slacker)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "If looks could kill, he wouldn't need a chainsaw"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Over the years I've been fortunate enough to review several of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre releases.  Some were re-releases while a few were newer installments that went direct to video.  Regardless, I'm always shocked when I get a TCM flick in for review.  I grew up with the movies and many of you that know me on a personal level know my views on the series is very controversial.  I love the installments that people love to hate while the more popular entries are among my least favorite.  Regardless, the series has left it's mark on horror history and I love the sequels that I do.  Sometime back Scream Factory sent over the blu release for the 1995 sequel/reimaging Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation which just happens to be one of my favorite TCM films.  With October here I figured it was time to finally dig into it.

     The film follows a group of high school students on prom night when they find themselves lost on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere.  They find themselves in a car accident and forced to walk to the nearest home but soon find themselves hunted down by Vilmer (McConaughey) and his demented family.

     I know many of you dislike this one and I honestly see why it gets the hate it does but I genuinely love it.  I love the atmosphere, the characters, the story (for the most part), and the throw back to the original film.  I'm fully prepared to catch hell over this review but I love what I love and I refuse to change that just to fit in.  This movie really is fun if you just give it a chance.  The acting in this one is uneven but has it's moments.  Renee Zellweger is the low point of the film.  I hate to say that but her performance is very lackluster and several of her scenes lacked conviction.  She is lazily saying her dialogue with no emotion behind it.  With that being said, McConaughey absolutely kills it.  His performance is absolutely insane and his character is one of the most iconic in TCM history.  Honestly, I hold his performance up there with Moseley's as Choptop.  I fucking loved it and every time I watch the film I take away something else from his performance.  The story for this one is extremely confusing and far out there but it you just roll with it you can really enjoy the weirdness that it brings to the series.  Having the family work for a sinister organization is a touch of genius if you ask me and really explains why they have evaded capture for so long.  With that being said, nothing is explained about the new host of characters or why Leatherface suddenly dresses drag.  I loved that was the way they took his character but it just happens with no explanation as to why.  The movie works as a TCM but leaves more questions than answers.  Finally, the film has several kills but just doesn't bring the carnage like some of the other entries.  The on screen deaths we do get are weak while others that take place off screen relies heavily on the viewer's imagination.  These do work but the lack of blood and gore really takes the fun out of them.  Overall, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation is one people love to hate and I completely understand their frustrations with the film.  However, as a movie it's pretty fucking fun.  The gritty look, the insane characters, and the off the wall story really works for me.  The blu release does have some grainy scenes but I honestly liked it.  Most of the movie is clear and great but those grainy scenes from damaged negatives really adds charm to the film.  I really recommend checking this one out this Halloween season and giving it a chance.