The Man Who Wouldn't Die

Director - Lamberto Bava (Body Puzzle, Ghost Son)

Starring - Martine Brochard (Eyeball, The Violent Professionals), Keith Van Hoven (Warhead, Black Demons), and Gino Concari (Massacre, Jealous Eyes)

Release Date - 1989/2007

Genre - Crime/Thriller

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When Severin announced the release of the High Tension: Four Film by Lamberto Bava, I knew I had to have it.  I didn't care if they sent me one for review or I had to pay for it.  This was a must own set for me.  Bava is easily one of the most underrated filmmakers in the genre and this set was four films of his that I had never seen before.  The first film in the set, The Prince of Terror, was a great start to my Bava marathon and I quickly tossed in the second film in the set which was The Man Who Wouldn't Die.  While not a horror film in a traditional sense, this crime thriller was still very much enjoyable.  Like always, I want to thank Severin for sending this one over for review.

     The film follows a gang of thieves who pull off a job of rare art and priceless antiques.  However, one of them is a real piece of shit who tries to rape a woman they have bound and gagged.  The man with her, who is also bound and gagged, drops a double boot stomp to the back of his head leaving him unable to move.  His gang find him and decide to dispose of his body deep in the woods.  However, he's not dead and is rescued sometime later where he makes a full recovery.  Members of his gang start getting murdered one by one where they suspect it's him because they dumped his body.

     The Man Who Wouldn't Die is not a horror film.  I went into it expecting a horror title but was greeted with a crime thriller that I actually enjoyed for the most part.  I am a bit disappointed that it wasn't the horror title I was expected especially from looking at the artwork for the film the accompanied the set.  The acting in this one is solid.  We have some overacting in a few scenes and a lot of flat dialogue but the overall film has decent acting.  With that being said, this is one of the few films recently where I found myself disliking every character in the film.  This is not the acting but how the characters are written which goes to show how solid the acting truly was.  The story for this one is a fantastic crime film with some thriller aspects that borrows heavily from the traditional slasher formula.  An art heist resulting in the injury of a man who finds his gang turning on him and leaving him for dead.  They then start dying one by one and suspect it's him seeking revenge.  This almost feels like a slasher but at heart is a crime film and very much so plays out like one.  I did enjoy it though.  It has great pacing and enough action to hold your attention from beginning to end.  Finally, the film has several deaths with some blood and kills that fit the film.  They are not as memorable as I would have liked but they do work with the film itself.  Overall, The Man Who Wouldn't Die is another fantastic film from Bava but it's not the horror title I was really looking forward to.  Honestly, check it out.  You will not be disappointed.  

100 Tears (Revisited)

Director - Marcus Koch (Bad Blood, Rot)

Starring - Georgia Chris (The Punisher, Vampire Biker Babes), Joe Davison (Stranger Things, Sorority of the Damned), and Raine Brown (Psycho Street, Plasterhead)

Release Date - 2007

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Everyone loathes a clown"

Format - Blu (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Many years ago I reviewed the indie clown slasher 100 Tears from effects artist/director Marcus Koch.  I remember thinking that the film was amazing but wasn't a fan of the music and how loud it was compared to the rest of the film.  I remember watching the film several times that week while I prepared my review and couldn't get passed the ridiculously loud music that was very distracting.  Fast forward several years and Unearthed Films is putting the film out on blu and they were kind enough to send me a copy.  Like always, I want to thank MVD and Unearthed Films for sending this one over!

     The film follows two journalists who are investigating the murders committed by a prolific killer.  However, their investigation has lead them straight into the path of the clown killer Gurdy (Jack Amos) who is leaving a pile of bodies in his wake.  

     Horror has always been masked slashers, vampires, zombies, and werewolves to me and I know most genre fans feel the same way.  However, clowns have always had a chokehold on the genre with films like It, S.I.C.K., Camp Blood, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Killjoy, Blood Harvest, and many more.  In recent years the clown sub-genre has been flipped on it's head with the release of the Terrifier trilogy.  The first film caused a stir when released but the second and third films went on to catapult Art the clown to pop icon status.  With that being said, I was never a fan of Art and the Terrifier films though I have yet to see the third installment.  The films have tremendous gore but the story is so fucking weak.  Even the second installment, which is overflowing with story, tries too hard to be something it's not.  However, 100 Tears was Terrifier before Terrifier was a thing.  It's a killer clown film with amazing gore but it does something the first film could not and that delivers a decent story.  The acting in this one is a bit inconsistent.  It's not what I would call bad but some of the scenes is a bit stiff while others are better acted.  I don't know if it's inexperience or the rushing of scenes but they are not consistent from scene to scene.  Also, what happened to Raine Brown?  I loved to watching her when I started my writing career and haven't seen her name appear in anything in years.  Her imdb shows her most recent film credit is 2017.  I'd love to see her make a come back to the indie horror community.  The story for this one is pretty basic but it works and is just enough to get us from kill to kill without boring us to tears.  Not to compare this one to Terrifier, but that is my biggest complaint with the film.  It has very little story, unlikable characters, and amazing gore while being released a few years after 100 Tears.  100 Tears does delivers what most horror fans are looking for.  It's a coherent story with somewhat likable characters and crazy deaths.  The pacing is a bit on the slow side when people are not dying but we have a death scenes frequently to offset that.  Finally, this film has some of the most brutal and graphic deaths I've seen.  I reviewed this film in 2012 for the first time and I can probably count on one hand the amount of films that has surpassed it in regards to carnage.  The effects are top tier and these deaths set the standard for the films I've reviewed since my initial viewing.  Overall, 100 Tears isn't as polished as most films with the quality of kills that this one is.  While the music is still distracting, the film is a must see for genre fans.  I highly recommend this blu release from Unearthed Films.  

Paranormal Activity

Director - Oren Peli (Area 51)

Starring - Katie Featherston (Psychic Experiment, The River), Micah Sloat (Paranormal Activity 2, The Death and Return of Superman), and Mark Fredrichs (Emerald Nights, Wristcutters: A Love Story)

Release Date - 2007

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "What happens when you sleep?"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It seems like my November has turned into the month for found footage. A few days back I reviewed the new indie found footage flick Blamed and then followed that up with Human Hibachi sequel Human Hibachi 2: Feast in the Forest. After reviewing a couple other films sent my way I decided to go ahead and dive into the Paranormal Activity: The Ultimate Chills Collection blu set that was sent over to me for review in the middle of October. Due to the large amount of films I received last month for review I wasn’t able to check this set out until now. I was curious about it because I’ve never actually seen a Paranormal Activity film before. I know the first Paranormal Activity is one of the most popular found footage films to exist behind The Blair Witch so I was kind of looking forward to checking it out.      

     The film follows a young couple, Katie and Micah, who move into a new home. Katie reveals that she suspects that an otherworldly presence has been following her for her entire life which prompts Micah to buy a camera to record her in hopes of capturing paranormal activity on film. When he doesn’t get the results he expected he start antagonizing the spirit by mocking it before eventually purchasing an Ouija board. That’s when things take a more sinister turn and he gets the footage he was looking for but it’s the last thing he ever does. 

      Before I get too deep into my review of Paranormal Activity I will admit that I’m impressed by the story and the idea behind the movie. However, this movie is damn near unwatchable to me. The awkward dialogue, the dull scenes where we watch the couple sleep, and the “scary” moments that are almost laughable made this movie one hell of a chore to finish. Honestly, I can’t figure out why anyone would enjoy this movie. The “acting” in this one is fucking rough. The characters are unlikable and painfully generic. The performances fall flat for me and their emotional range feels like it was modeled after Kristen Stewart. The cast is small but their interactions with one another feel forced and not natural at all. The story for this one is simple and has so much potential to be something more than what it is. I know it’s an extremely popular found footage film but from a movie standpoint this movie fucking sucks. The snail’s pace the story unfolds, and the awkward dialogue makes this movie feel like it is a lot longer than it actually is. What makes this movie so boring is it’s attempting to seem like a legitimate found footage film by over doing the bullshit scenes of them talking, gasping as noises throughout the house, and laying in bed. The film would be top tier horror if it explored the entity haunting her instead of focusing on bullshit scenes that lead to nothing. Finally, if you sit through this mess of a film and expect to find some blood and gore then you will be very disappointed. The film has some cheap gags here and there to make you think the house is haunted but those of you looking for some fun practical effects and memorable kills will be very disappointed. Overall, Paranormal Activity is one of the biggest found footage films to date and one of the most lucrative franchises but I don’t see the appeal. The movie was barely watchable and the story is a huge missed opportunity. This is one I cannot recommend.

Homicidal Maniac

Director - Johann Tetreault (The Demon Club, Homicidal Maniac 2: Sicko)

Starring - Alexandra Cruz (Creekers, American Hostage), Melissa Eichorn, Nelli Kowalik (Deadly Sins, Sprawl)

Release Date - 2007

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The first movie from the "Mad Genius" Johann Tetreault"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I review a lot of movies and the majority of them are indie productions.  Those films may have slowed down with the onset of the pandemic but before last year I was spending a lot of my spare time watching and reviewing no budget films that was sent over by eager filmmakers wanting me to check out their hard work.  I know it takes a lot to make a film and it's even more difficult to make a feature length film when you have no budget at all to work with.  That's why I try to never completely bash a film but find something redeeming in each and every movie I review.  Sadly, sometimes I get something in that just doesn't do anything for me and almost every aspect is difficult to find something positive to say about it.  A few weeks ago Chris Woods shared that he would be releasing the Homicidal Maniac double feature on blu through his The Sleaze Box label.  I was curious about this release so I went ahead and snagged a copy.  After watching The Sleaze Box/ GatorBlade Films co-production Blood, Guts, and Sunshine I decided to keep it sleazy and go with another Sleaze Box release.  Homicidal Maniac was that film... o boy, what a movie.

     The film follows a man that works at a seafood restaurant while doing odd jobs on the side for his boss who is constantly getting caught up in illegal activity and fraud.  One day he is pushed too far when his boss' wife tries to fuck him.  When he turns down her advancements she gets mad and tells him that her husband is at his house fucking his wife.  He fucks her, then kidnaps her before going home to abduct his wife as well.  He takes them to a secluded area where he rapes, tortures, and kills them.

      I went into this one with an open mind and a great curiosity but what I found was a movie that felt like each scene was shot in one take with no rehearsal and little direction from Tetreault.  The movie was a little over an hour but it felt like it was a lot longer.  The acting in this one is forced, awkward, and very inexperienced.  The characters are cliched and the cast is all over the place with their performances.  I don't know if there was actual dialogue written or improved but we get a lot of "uh, uhms, and like" scattered throughout the scene which makes me think that they either forgot their lines or couldn't think of something to say.  This was funny at first but as the film progressed it made the scenes difficult to follow.  The story for this one is 40 or so minutes of dialogue heavy scenes and filtered sex scenes before we move into the horror element.  Even though these scenes were the final portion of the film it was still dragged out longer than it needed to be.  The film does very little to hold the viewer's attention and the story is all over the place.  It's almost as if they didn't have an actual story written and just started filming with a general outline.  Finally, the film has some blood and nudity but neither are eye catching or memorable.  We get some blood splatter here and there and random nudity  but if you are looking for memorable kills and great gore you will be very disappointed.  Overall, Homicidal Maniac is one of the toughest films to finish that I have ever reviewed.  Almost every aspect of the film was a struggle to finish and I can't recommend this one to anyone.  Skip it.  

Black Water

Director(s) - David Nerlich (Dark Sun) and Andrew Traucki (The Reef, The Jungle)

Starring - Diana Glenn (My Life is Murder, The Slap), Maeve Dermody (The Beast Must Die, Ripper Street), and Andy Rodoreda (Cargo, The Tunnel)

Release Date - 2007

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "What you can't see can hurt you"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've seen some pretty fun alligator/crocodile films over the years.  Lake Placid, Rogue, Crawl, and several more that I've seen were pretty fun but not something I would go out of the way.  I like a good when nature attacks flicks so when I saw that my friends over at Umbrella Entertainment was releasing the 2007 film Black Water I was very interested in it.  Australia has surprised me with their other nature horror films before so I reached out to Umbrella and they were kind enough to send a copy my way.

     The film follows a group of young adults who miss a boat trip in the swamps of Australia.  One of the guides offers to take them out with his smaller motorboat and they agree.  However, once out in the swampy waterways they find themselves stranded in a tree while their boat is overturned and their guide killed by a very large crocodile.  Realizing quickly they help is not on the way, they frantically search for a way to get out of the water before they are caught in the croc's metal like jaws.

     Black Water is a solid horror film with a great setting and a simple yet effective story but it doesn't have that wow factor that makes the film stick with you after viewing it.  I liked it but I doubt I'll ever watch it again.  The acting in this one is great.  The cast is small and they all work very well together. With that being said, the roles were very demanding and they were fully dedicated to their performances.  I couldn't imagine being in these conditions and expected to remain calm and act on top of it all.  The story for this one is straight to the point and very well done.  We get no twists or turns as the story gets straight into it.  We follow the three as they slowly succumb to the crocodile as it hunts them one by one.  It's a straight forward story that doesn't waste time.  However, the simplicity in the story is it's downfall.  After you watch it once you find yourself not wanting to watch it again.  It's not that memorable but it is fun.  Finally, the film has a great looking crock that works for the film but if you are expecting to see some body mutilations and croc carnage then you will be very disappointed.  Overall, Black Water is a fun when animals attack film that is similar to films like Anaconda.  It's enjoyable but it's not making anyone's top ten lists.  The blu from Umbrella looks great.  

August Underground's Penance

Director - Fred Vogel (The Final Interview, The Redsin Tower)

Starring - Fred Vogel, Cristie Whiles (August Underground's Mordum, The Redsin Tower), and Shelby Lyn Vogel (Maskhead, Murder Collection V.1)

Release Date - 2007

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Well, I was able to do it.  I honestly didn't think I would be able to finish the August Underground trilogy.  I know some of you are going to go to the comment section and talk about how I couldn't handle them or I missed the point but I can assure you that is the furthest from the case.  I know exactly what the trilogy is trying to achieve and it doesn't work for me.  Maybe, big maybe, if I would have saw these films when they were released they would have had a bigger impact on me but seeing them all these years later after watching more extreme releases makes me wonder if I've become desensitized.  Regardless, I completed the trilogy.  

     The film follows the young man from the previous two installments and his girlfriend has they butcher, torture, and rape anyone that is unfortunate enough to cross their paths.  

     I really did go into this series with an open mind but the movie just doesn't have enough content to hold my attention for well over an hour especially after you have just sit through the other two films.  By the time you've reached the third film the movie is so overdone that you literally have to force yourself to finish it.  The acting in this one is consistent throughout all three films.  The characters are forced, unlikable, and really drag the scenes out.  Watching Fred scream the length of all three films is rough to sit through.  The characters are not that grounded and not enjoyable.  The story for this one is literally the same as the previous films.  We follows aadistic killers as they kill.  Simple as that with the film stretching an hour longer than it really needed to be.  Finally, this wouldn't be an August Underground film if it didn't have some of the best practical effects I've ever seen.  This one doesn't really embrace the gore like the previous films but what we do get is still very well done.  Overall, Penance is exactly as the previous films but it offers up very little for horror fans.  It's shocking for the sake of shock value but not much of a movie in itself.  Skip it.  

Hooker with a Hacksaw

Director(s) - Donald Farmer (Cannibal Hookers, Shark Exorcist) and Caroline Kopko (Cannibal Hookers)

Starring - Kasper Meltedhair (Grindsploitation 666, Cannibal Cop), Jason Crowe (The Bad Man, Harvest Lake), and Colleen Herkert (Grindsploitation 666)

Release Date - 2017

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "She'll love you...to pieces"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     I recently found myself hunting down the films of Donald Farmer.  I had reviewed a few of his films previously but after getting his remake of Cannibal Hookers in I needed more.  I turned to Amazon and started grabbing any movie of his I didn't have.  Then I came across his imdb page and noticed that I couldn't find his 2017 horror film Hooker with a Hacksaw anywhere.  I reached out to Farmer on Facebook and he confirmed an upcoming release of the film.  I waited a few months and sure enough a DVD was announced from the newly formed Skullheart Video.  As soon as I saw that orders were up for the film I jumped on it and it arrived just a few days later.  I couldn't wait to dig into it!

     The film follows phone sex operator Kirsten (Meltedhair) who receives a call to meet up with a man who offers her just the right amount to do it.  She agrees and meets him.  A few days later Raymond calls her and tells her that she was recommended by a friend to meet up.  She declines at first but he soon convinces her to do it.  However, she soon realizes that she shouldn't have accepted his offer.  Left beaten and broken but a group of masked men, she sets out for revenge with her trusty hacksaw. 

     I really can't express how excited I was for this one.  I really enjoyed Cannibal Hookers and I'm a fan of Jason Crowe so this movie was one of my most anticipated horror films of the Halloween season.  Sadly, it would be my biggest let down of the month.  The movie struggled to hold my attention and the story was just all over the place.  I wanted to love it but at the end of the day it was one I doubt I will ever watch again.  The acting in this one is very uneven with most of the cast falling flat.  Most of the cast is awkwardly saying their dialogue with no real attempt at creating a character.  Most are just going through the motion which makes most of the scenes a struggle to sit through.  The story for this one could have been a sleazy classic but the editing and organization of the scenes makes the story flow at a weird rate and some of the scenes are just tossed in to extend the running time with little or nothing to do with the actual story.  Finally, this one doesn't shy away from the red stuff.  We get some blood and gore.  The kills are done quickly or off screen but Farmer doesn't take all the fun away from the viewer.  We watch Kirsten really cut loose on the bodies with some solid practical effects.  Overall, Hooker with a Hacksaw could have been something so much more but fails to pull itself together.  It's a messy one and I'm not referring to the blood.  This is one indie flick I would skip on.  

Erotic Nights of the Blind Dead

Director - Vick Campbell (Black Roses Symphony, Withering Rose Twice)
Starring - Thais Buforn  (13mil, El Sepulturero), Anarka de Ossorio (2 De Noviebre Dia de los Difuntos), and Albert Gammond (Violencia Gore)
Release Date - 2007
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "For mature audiences only"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

   Now I'm back to some blood, gore, and occasional boob.  After taking a quick break from horror I wanted to watch a few no budget indie horror flicks.  I looked through my review stack and decided that another Wild Eye marathon was in order.  I put together a few movies I had been very curious about ranging from torture porn to possession and even a Spanish tribute to some classic Templar horror.  The first one on the chopping block is the 2007 film Graveyard of the Dead which was re-titled to Erotic Night of the Blind Dead.  Thanks Wild Eye for sending this one over!

     The film begins with Templars roaming the countryside looking for witches.  However, when they only find beautiful and attractive women they torture them in the name of riding the world of evil.  Eventually, the townsfolk has enough of their bullshit and stops them.  Fast forward to 1976 and the Templars are rising up from their grave and hungry for virgin flesh.
     The Blind Dead series from director from director Amando de Ossorio is iconic.  Horror fans love these films and so do I.  A few years back I remember that an unofficial sequel was successfully crowd funded.  That's the last I had heard of it but apparently in 2007 Spanish filmmaker Vick Campbell made another unofficial sequel/inspired by/loosely based on Blind Dead film.   Sadly, this film does not offer the same level of entertainment as the original series.  In fact, there was very little I actually enjoyed in way of this.  The acting in this one is very inexperienced.  The cast is really trying but it looks as if they did not have proper guidance.  The scenes feel rushed and their dialogue, though dubbed, is still somewhat sloppy.  The Templar scenes are a little better acted and fun to watch but once the film moves later on the film is a little hard to sit through.  The story for this one is very much in tune with the classic Blind Dead but the unlikable characters and unoriginal take makes this one a little hard to sit through.  The bloodthirsty and perverted Templars torturing and killing people only to be murdered and rise again is the basis for the films.  However, with this one, the film gives us characters we don't like and scenes that are painful to sit through.  The film could be edited together a little more coherently instead of jumping around like it does.  Finally, the film has some blood and no budget effects but if you are looking for a gory masterpiece you will be very disappointed.  Overall, Erotic Nights of the Blind Dead could have been a fantastic unofficial sequel for horror fans to enjoy.  Sadly, it's not able to pull it all together into something memorable or entertaining.  This is one I would skip unless you need it for your Blind Dead collection.  

Day of the Ax

Director - Ryan Cavalline (Mountain Devil, Demon Slaughter)
Starring - Dustin Ardine (Uncovered, The Grail), Eddie Benevich (House of Carnage, The Great American Serial Killer), and Adam Berasi (Demon Slaughter, Dead Body Man)
Release Date - 2007
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "The ax is family"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several years back I started collecting the Pendulum Pictures box sets.  Most of these sets comes with 10 flicks but there is a handful that has 50 or 100 films in them.  These sets are out of print but I'm a sucker for late 90s and early 00s no budget indie flicks.  These sets usually follow a theme but you can typically find the works of Bill Zebub, Eamon Hardiman, and Ryan Cavalline in several of them.  It's because of these old Brain Damage Films released in these sets that I've become accustomed to the name Ryan Cavalline.  I've only seen one of his films to date but I have several in my collection so he is a name I'm very familiar with due to these box sets.  Sometime back his film Day of the Ax, which I believe is in one of these sets along with Demon Slaughter, was released by my friends over at The Sleaze Box.  This 2007 slasher got a new updated cover for the film and a few new special features courtesy of TSB.  With work taking the slow dive due to the Covid-19 outbreak I decided to venture into my indie horror stuff and it was time to toss this one in to finally check out.

     The film follows a masked madman who mutilates people with his trusty ax and along the way he has gathered a group of followers that believe he is the chosen one of sorts.  When he's not butchering people in the woods he is looking for attractive women with healthy wombs to carry his off spring so he can keep the family business going for generations.  

     This is one of the many Sleaze Box releases I had never seen prior to their release.  I remember seeing the title somewhere, possibly in one of those box sets I previously mentioned, but I never got around to watching it.  Now, after checking out this release I can say I'm kind of glad I put it off.  This one wasn't for me.  I've seen my fair share of backyard no budget horror films over the years but this one just couldn't hold my attention.  Maybe if they would have followed through with the Texas Chainsaw Massacre fan film I think it was originally intended to be but the way it is now was not fun.  The acting in this one is not the worst I've seen but for a cast made up of mostly people with no prior acting credits I have to say I'm somewhat impressed.  Most of the characters were painfully generic especially for an indie horror flick in the mid 00s, however, we do get a few stand out performances.  The story for this one mixes backwoods cultists with the classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  We get an ax wielding maniac wearing a mask with Leatherface mannerisms, a Great Value Choptop, and several more nods to TCM.  With that aside, the story could have worked as a short but it is stretched so thin to meet that feature length running time that we are given a film that moves at a snails pace and leaves so much on the table.  Finally, the film has plenty of blood but it's not much of a saving grace like most slashers.  The deaths are quickly tossed in and the viewer doesn't get to really enjoy them like they do in most slashers.  The effects are minimal and the kills are very lackluster.  Overall, Day of the Ax could have been a solid TCM short fan film but as a feature length film with so much taken from TCM it just feels like a thrown together mess.  I hate writing a negative review for someone's hard work but I'm honestly confused as to how this film became to be.  

Superman/Doomsday

Director(s) - Lauren Montgomery (Scooby Do: Mystery Incorporated, Green Lantern: First Flight), Bruce Timm (Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, The Adventures of Batman and Robin), and Brandon Vietti (The Batman vs. Dracula, Spider-Man)
Starring - Adam Baldwin (Full Metal Jacket, The Patriot), Anne Heche (Psycho, John Q), and James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel)
Release Date - 2007
Genre - Animated
Tagline - "Where were you the day Superman died?"
Format - 4K Ultra HD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I graduated high school I went to work for my dad for a year or so before deciding that college was where I needed to be.  Horror was literally everything I thought about but when I arrived on campus I found the environment lacked the atmosphere I was expecting.  I was hoping to meet some fellow students that had a love for horror and exploitation like I did.  I didn't but I did meet some people that would go on to become some of my best friends at the time.  During this time I would show them underground horror and b-movies and they would get me to step out of my comfort zone to check out more popular films that I would typically ignore.  One night we were all drinking and watching O' Brother Where Art Thou? when a friend of mine suggested we check out Superman/Doomsday that he had just picked up.  We all agreed to check it out but I honestly don't remember shit about it.  A few days back I got in The Death and Return of Superman to review and inside was a bonus disc of S/D on 4k.  I thought I would revisit this one before tossing in the new film.
     The film follows a scientific expedition by Lex Luthor to dig deep into the Earth when the team uncovers something ancient buried.  They accidentally puncture the shell with a laser freeing an indestructible monster inside.  Doomsday, the name the news gives him, is an unstoppable force that leaves Metropoles in ruins before Superman can arrive.  Superman and Doomsday battle for sometime but eventually the two kill each other.  The world mourns the loss of Superman and soon Superman returns.  He's acting strange and doesn't acknowledge Lois Lane as his love interest which throws up some red flags.  Lois does some investigating and uncovers that Lex Luthor used some of Superman's blood found at the scene of his death to clone him.  Now the cloned Superman is dishing out his own brand of justice which went against everything Superman stood for. Meanwhile, the real Superman's body was stolen and taken back to his fortress of solitude so he can absorb the radiation from the Earth's sun to regain his strength.  He has had enough after watching the news and rushes back to Metropolis to save Lois and the others from the clone.
     After revisiting this one I can say that I'm not a fan which may be the reason I don't remember a lot about it after my initial watch.  The movie itself looks good in 4K but the film itself is painfully boring and predictable.  The voice acting in this one is not that fun for me.  I grew up on the animated Batman and Superman shows and I find myself drawn to the newer animated DC movies but this one falls short compared to all those.  Honestly, the voice just doesn't match the character and they rarely change their tone throughout the film.  Voice acting is tough work.  You can't just act and use your facial features to show emotion.  You have to show emotion in your tone and pitch.  The cast struggles to do so.  The story for this one is nothing short of epic but the film fails to capture that.  Superman "dies" yet it's not as dramatic or suspenseful as one would expect.  The movie just moves at it's own pace which makes the segments in the story that should have the most impact feel weightless.  Finally, the animation in this one weird to me.  Superman/Clark Kent is so damn blocky and goofy looking that I had a difficult time taking this film seriously.  Lex Luther and other side characters look like they do in the animated show but Superman looks like he had the least amount of time spent on him.  Overall, Superman/Doomsday is worth a watch especially in 4K but don't expect an amazing experience.  The film itself has it's moments but is pretty forgettable.  

[Rec]



 



Director(s) - Jaume Balaguero ([Rec] 2, Sleep Tight) and Paco Plaza ([Rec] 3: Genesis, Romasanta: The Werewolf Hunt)
Starring - Manuela Velasco (School Killer, Fish People), Ferran Terraza (The Nameless, Countdown), and Jorge-Yamam Serrano (Orson West, Train Station)
Release Date - 2007
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Experience fear"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):



      Horror always has a few movies a year that are released that cause a stir among horror fans.  Back in the late 2000s the found footage film [Rec] was released in Spain and would go on to become a worldwide hit that spawned three sequels and an American remake.  I never had a desire to see these films until the third and fourth film was released and looked up my alley.  Honestly, I'm not a fan of found footage films but I always go into them open minded and on occasion I've been surprised.  The four films was released in an amazing box set from Scream Factory sometime back.  I wanted to check them out and Scream was kind enough to send a review copy my way.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a news crew filming a late night show with the local fire department when they get a call that something has happened to an elderly woman living in an apartment complex.  However, once they get inside they find themselves barricaded in and under quarantine.  Unable to leave, they explore the building and learn that there is people infected with what could be a virus similar to rabies turning normal law abiding citizens into killing machines with the news crew filming every second of the madness unfolding inside. 
       I tossed this one in and it was clear after 20 minutes that I was not going to enjoy this.  The movie itself was extremely predictable and just as boring.  After speaking with several of my horror friends I discovered that I was in the minority.  I decided to give it another chance and on the second viewing I learned that I actually disliked it less the second time around.  The acting in this one is solid.  The cast had to portray clichéd characters but they did a great job at finding the right emotion during the scene to make it believable.  The cast does a very solid job which makes the film a little more watchable.  The story for this one is slow and very predictable.  Once they are locked in the building you know exactly how the movie is going to go.  I will go ahead and say I have not seen the American remake but I would assume it follows this same story.  I did like the end portion once they reached the attic.  This was cool and I loved the look of the woman in the attic but this was not enough to make the rest of the film fun.  Finally, the film is shot in true found footage style so the death we do get are usually out of frame or the footage is so shaky you can't enjoy it.  The film doesn't shy away from blood but don't expect to see gore.  Overall, [Rec] was not as fun as I was hoping.  The story is very predictable and the slow scenes makes it a struggle to sit through.  I can see why so many enjoy it but it's not a film for me.  

 

Trick 'r Treat

 



Director - Michael Doougherty (Krampus, Deadtime Stories)
Starring - Dylan Baker (Cat Fight, The Americans), Rochelle Aytes (Shark, Bones), and Quinn Lord (R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour, The Possession)
Release Date - 2007
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Poison, Drowning, Claw, Or Knife. So Many Ways To Take A Life."
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Everyone has that one movie they have to watch every Halloween season.  For most that is John Carpenter's essential slasher Halloween.  For others they take the light hearted approach to the holiday with films like Hocus Pocus and A Nightmare before Christmas.  For me that film is Michael Dougherty's Trick 'r Treat.  I first heard about this film when I was a member of the UHM message board.  I fell in love with the trailer and I couldn't stop watching it.  The day the film was finally released on DVD I drive for three hours after midnight to every Wal-Mart I could to find it.  I absolutely adore this movie.  When Scream Factory announced that they were releasing the film on blu I had to have it.  I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send a copy my way.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows five stories that connect to each other.  One follows a school principal with a murderous appetite.  The second follows a young virgin who is going to a party with her friends and struggles to find the perfect date to be her "first."  The third follows a group of young kids who prank a young girl with a local legend that turns out to be true.  The fourth follows a hermit who is paying the cost of not celebrating the holiday before his past comes back to haunt him.  The fifth and final tale follows a woman who tries to end Halloween early only to suffer the consequences. 

     Trick 'r Treat is one of those rare Halloween horror flicks that isn't just set against Halloween but incorporates it into the story.  I watch it every year during October and randomly throughout the year just because I love the movie that much.  The acting in this one is fantastic.  Some of the characters are a little more fun than the others but the cast does a phenomenal job.  Each story for this one compliments the other and flows like one perfectly orchestrated story.  Each story is absorbed in Halloween and the lore around it before coming together to reveal and even bigger story also set around the holiday.  Each one has great pacing with very little dry spots.  The dialogue is great as well resulting in a very well rounded flick.  Finally, the film isn't what I would call gory but there is several kills that add the Halloween elements to them.  The kills are fun and the effects are fantastic.  Everything from the severed head to the lollipop death are fantastic.  Overall, Trick 'r Treat is the perfect Halloween movie and I say that with extreme confidence.  The film is fun, has a great cast, and the stories are perfect for those looking for the Halloween spirit.  Check out the awesome blu from Scream Factory!



The Search for Weng Weng

Director - Andrew Leavold (The Last Pinoy Action King, Birds of Destruction)
Starring - Tikoy Aguiluz (Boatman, Triangle), Roy Arabejo, and Tilman Baumgaertel
Release Date - 2007
Genre - Documentary
Tagline - "He's tough.  He's tender.  He's three feet tall"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I watched a few good horror flicks recently.  After working through a few classic films recently released by Synapse Films I decided to step away from my beloved genre for something a little different.  I first settled for a sleazy good time with Vinegar Syndrome but changed my mind when I spotted a released from Wild Eye in my collection.  Sometime ago Wild Eye Releasing sent me the documentary The Search for Weng Weng.  This documentary was wrapped in 2007 but just recently got a release from Wild Eye.  Weng Weng was a myth among exploitation and b-movie cinema fans for years until recently with this documentary shedding light on several aspects of Weng Weng's life that went unknown until now.  I want to thank Wild Eye for sending this one over for Horror Society and myself to check out.
     This documentary follows an Australian filmmaker and Weng Weng fan as he travels to the Philippines to uncover the truth around the mystery that is Weng Weng.  Weng Weng is a small actor who portrayed Agent 00 in several James Bond rip offs, as well as, several western comedies.  They discover that Weng Weng passed in the early 90s, was unofficially adopted and exploited by the filmmaker, and died with nothing.  During their investigation they learn a great deal about filmmaking in the region at the time and how the political powers at be lead to several of his films never being released.
       
     I knew nothing about Weng Weng prior to receiving this DVD.  I had seen images of him on different horror and exploitation forums over the years but never actually sought out who he was.  Hell, I still wouldn't if I would have never received this documentary.  Now that I know I want to find his films.  They look absolutely amazing.  The interviews in this one are great.  They are extremely informative and detailed.  The people being interviewed give off a vibe that they were aware of what they was going to be asked ahead of time and was able to actually prepare for it.  These interviews take the viewer from not knowing a damn thing about Ernesto, aka Weng Weng, to knowing everything about his upbringing, film career, unofficial adoption, and death.  The film also does a great job at showcasing how the Philippines and political powers affected the films and repressing Weng Weng as to not tarnish their look.  The film does not use any sort of computer images or "polish" to make it look better or better looking.  This documentary is barebones in the way it looks.  We have the subjects on screen and the investigation on Weng Weng which is something I really like.  The documentary is not over produced or made to look bigger than it actually was.  Finally, the editing and transitioning in this is smooth.  We casually stroll from one topic to the other.  This was great and made the documentary even more effective.  Overall, The Search for Weng Weng is a must for b-movie fanatics and exploitation aficionados.  Check out this superb documentary as soon as possible.