Hantu Ambulance

Director - Nayato Fio Nuala (After School Horror 2, Horror House)

Starring - Suzzanna (White Crocodile Queen, Santet 2), William Alvin, and Dimaz Andrean (Setannya Cuan, El: The Movie)

Release Date - 2008

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Suzzanna returns"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm a fan of early 2000s horror.  I was in high school in the early 2000s and this was the time I really found myself becoming obsessed with the genre.  It was during these years that my movie collection grew substantially.  After snagging some must own genre titles, I quickly took a deep dive into indie and no budget cinema.   Companies like Midnight Release, Tempe Video, and so on were my go to.  I never expected that I would be reviewing a late 2000's Indonesian no budget horror film that found it's way into a boxset from my friends over at Severin.  The final film in the Suzzanna: Empress of Darkness is the 2008 supernatural tale Hantu Ambulance.  I want to take a moment and thank Severin for sending this one over for review.

     The film follows a young man who is moving away from his family home to be closer to school.  His grandmother tries to talk him out of it but he is unwilling to listen but soon learns that his family is cursed.  His grandmother made a deal wit ha benevolent force for fortunes if she provides it with a sacrifice.  She did not keep up with her end of the bargain and now it is taking her family from her one by one.

     I had no idea what to expect when I tossed this one in.  I knew it was a newer film but it wasn't until I was putting the review together that I learned that it was Suzzanna's last film and her first feature film in almost 20 years after taking a hiatus to deal with health issues.  Sadly. this is easily the worst film in the set and one that I struggled to finish.  The acting in this one is very awkward.  The Bollywood style camp and cheese that made the first three films in the set so fun are now replaced with a more serious tone.  Most of the cast lacks on screen experience which makes a lot of these "serious" scenes feel a bit awkward.  The cast really tries to get into their roles but the lack of experience and emptions makes many of the scenes unintentionally funny.  The story for this one uses the severely underrated generational curse lore that I've been fortunate enough to read in several novels and stories through the years but rarely see as the focus of film.  This would have works in a J-Horror style film if they didn't toss in the random ambulance storyline with some of the random encounters that take place.  It feels as if the story was never finished and the filmmakers used what resources they had with the little budget left to piece something together.  I seriously wanted to like this story but it's missing so much.  Finally, the film tries to offer some jump scares but they never work and the practical effects that you would expect from a film featuring Suzzanna are nowhere to be found.  The movie doesn't give us the death scenes we would like and the effects we do get are forgettable.  Overall, Hantu Ambulance is a missed opportunity all around from the acting and story to the death scenes.  I sincerely hate that this is the last film Suzzanna appeared in because it's difficult to finish.  I hate to say it but I would skip this one.  

Gingerdead Man 2: Passion of the Crust

Director - William Butler (Baby Oopsie, The Resonator: Miskatonic U)

Starring - Kevan Moezzi (Firmly Legal, Disaster Date), Kelsey Sanders (Mad Men, iCarly), and Joseph Porter (Detention of the Dead, Mega Piranha)

Release Date - 2008

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Freshly baked terror!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     I remember buying the DVD set at Walmart in their $5 dollar bin and taking it home.  I didn't watch it right away but several weeks down the road I found an actual box set from Full Moon in a Gingerdead Man sleeve for cheap and grabbed it.  It was then that I decided to finally watch them.  I struggled through the first film but when I saw that the second film was directed by William Butler I was sold.  Butler was a huge part of my childhood after appearing in Savini's Night of the Living Dead, Ghoulies II, Friday the 13th Part VII, and Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part III along with all his work in the Power Rangers franchise.  These movies, along with the Power Rangers, would be playing at any given moment in my home during my teenage years.  I'm a huge fan and I hate myself for not knowing he had directed this one for Full Moon.

      The film follows a small production company after it has switched hands recently when the original owner's son takes over.  He has spread himself too thin with multiple projects going at once and is nearing financial ruin when a sick teen from a charity organization makes his dying wish to visit his favorite film studio before he passes.  However, as they explore the studio and meet the cast and crew of the many projects being shot, they realize that the young man pretending to be ill has a more sinister motive.  To make matters worse, a killer gingerbread man is wreaking havoc on set as well.

     If you completely remove Butler's name and I went into this one completely blind as to who was behind it, I would still say this sequel is a better film than the original.  I don't mean that in a negative way but I know many of you will say I'm being biased because I am a fan of his.  I get that and completely understand where you are coming from but honestly, this film IS better than the first.  Trust me, I wanted to love the first film but its an awesome idea that just doesn't do it for me.    The acting in this one is exactly what you would expect.  The performances are a bit campy and cheesy but I really liked the characters.  I love low to no budget films with memorable characters and the cast does a solid job at bringing them to the screen.  The story for this one is a lot of fun but doesn't really fit the baking theme.  With that being said, I'm completely fine with that in this case.  The first film didn't fully embrace the baking theme with the deaths which was a bit of a let down.  In this follow up, that is completely abandoned and now follows a story that almost feels like a parody of Band himself and his Full Moon studio.  I loved that aspect and the twist with the sick teen.  On the flip side of that, the film could have featured any killer in the Full Moon library and it would have worked.  Finally, the film has a lot of deaths with some practical effects and some visuals.  With that being said, I loved both.  The visuals are campy but that adds to the wild story.  The kills are not as gory as I would have liked but they did have some fun practical effects.  Overall, Gingerdead Man 2 is a bit of an improvement over the first film.  It's just as campy but the humor seems to find its mark in this one and the story is a lot more fun.  Check it out.  

Deadgirl

Director(s) - Marcel Sarmiento (V/H/S Viral, The ABC's of Death) and Gadi Harel (Operation Midnight Climax, Nights Like These)

Starring - Shiloh Fernandez (Evil Dead, Red Riding Hood), Noah Segan (Knives Out, Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever), and Jenny Spain (Harvest, American Girls)

Release Date - 2008

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Every generation has its story about the horror of growing up"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I watch and review a lot of horror movies and I've done so for over a decade now. While I do try to watch at least one movie a day and have for some time, I can remember a good portion of all the films I've seen over the years. However, occasionally I will watch a movie and recall bits and pieces of it with no recollection of actually watching it. Several weeks back my friends over at Unearthed Films sent over their blu release of the 2008 horror film Deadgirl written by Trent Haaga. When I received the blu for review I was under the impression that I had never seen the film before but once I hit play, I quickly realized that a good chunk of this movie was very familiar to me. Like always, I want to thank MVD and Unearthed Films for sending this one over for review. 

      The film follows two friends who decide to spend their evening exploring an abandoned asylum near their home when they make a startling discovery. They find the body of a dead woman and flee thinking they stumbled upon the corpse of a former resident. The next day one of them goes back and discovers that she's actually still alive in some capacity and can't be killed. Their friendship is then pushed to its limits when one of them uses her as a sex slave and the other wants to cut her loose and free her. Things take an even more dramatic turn when some bullies find out about her resulting in one of them getting bitten by her. He slowly starts dying and becomes a member of the undead just like her. This gives one of them the idea to kidnap a woman and have her bitten in order to create another sex slave and when he chooses his friend's crush for the candidate it forces him to act. 

      I went into Deadgirl thinking I had never seen it before but as the movie went on, I realized that I recognized a great deal of it. I don't remember watching this and considering I never owned a copy of the film until Unearthed sent me a review copy has me very perplexed as to how I had seen it. The only thing I can think of is it was part of a watch party when I was a member of the Upcoming Horror Movies message board back around the time this was released. Regardless, I enjoyed this one way more than I thought I would and could see myself revisiting it again sometime soon. The acting in this one is decent but I'm not a fan of the characters and their personalities. The cast works very well with each other, and they are fully committed to the film but the characters they were given to portray are very unlikable. In fact, there is not one character in the entire film that I cared for. A little more focus on character development and wardrobe that stood out would have gone a long way in this one. The story for this one is a lot of fun even though it crawls at a snail's pace. I once read a short story about a group of teens who find a girl zombie near some train tracks. They chain her to a tree and build a fort around her. They then would meet every evening after school to nut on it until she broke loose. I don't which story came first but it reminded me a lot of it. It's a lot of fun, fucked up, and very unpredictable. Finally, the film doesn't boast a high body count but the kills we do have are fantastic. We have amazing practical effects, and one death in particular really stands out with the viewer. Overall, Deadgirl has a pretty solid cult following and for a good reason. It's a pretty fucked up movie but it's not something I would call extreme. It's graphic and bloody at times but all genre fans can appreciate it. I highly recommend snagging the Unearthed Films release.

Female Mercenaries 2: The Mad Doctor of Zombie Island

Director - Gary Whitson (Vampire Brides, HorrorTales.666)

Starring - Pamela Sutch (Psycho Sisters, Sorority Slaughter), Tina Krause (Bad Biology, Hunters), and Suzi Lorraine (Spider-Babe, Chainsaw Sally)

Release Date - 2008

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I started my Female Mercenaries journey I was looking forward to some no budget zombie action and beautiful women topless.  However, the first film was a mess of a flick and I struggled to finish it.  In fact, the two hour film took me almost four hours to finish because I had to take long breaks to let my brain rest.  I wanted to give myself some time before I hit play on the sequel so the following day I finally went into Female Mercenaries 2: The Mad Doctor of Zombie Island and I wish I wouldn't have.  I love no budget horror but these two films were a pain in the ass to complete.  

     The film once again follows a chaotic Earth that has been sent into darkness after a meteor strike.  Some of the survivors have drifted away from civilization while others scramble to hold on to what little humanity they have left.  An evil female scientist is attempting to take over the world but female warriors stand in the way of total control.

     Female Mercenaries 2 is an improvement over the first film in that it's not two hours long.  However, that is the only positive that I could find.  The movie was just as much a mess as the first film and damn near unwatchable.  I hate being so negative about a film, especially an indie production and one sent to me for review, but these two films are a chore to finish.  With that being said, having a sequel to the original leads me to believe that the first film actually had some sort of fan base.  If so, why?  What am I missing there?  The acting in this one is identical to what you will find in the first film.  The cast is chaotic, lacking energy, and lazily deliver their dialogue.  Any scenes that attempt to be "sexy" come across as awkward and unintentionally funny.  The story for this one is literally the same as the first film but a little more condensed.  It looks almost identical and doesn't really offer up anything new or a real continuation of the 1995 original.  Honestly, I have no idea what the point of this one was nor why it was even made.  Finally, don't expect any fun death scenes or sexy nudity.  The nudity is awkward and out of place and the deaths are extremely dull and unimaginative.  Overall, Female Mercenaries 2 is another huge disappointment.  It could have been a fun cheap and sleazy no budget flick but the lack of story, acting, and memorable deaths makes it another painful experience.  Skip it.  

Not Quite Hollywood

Director - Mark Hartley (Electric Boogaloo, Machete Maidens Unleashed)

Starring - Phillip Adams (Dallas Doll, Road to Nhill), Glory Annen (Felicity, Prey), and Christine Amor (Chopper Squad, Cop Shop)

Release Date - 2008

Genre - Documentary

Tagline - "The wild, untold story of ozploitation"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I never realized ozploitation was a thing until a few years back when I became friends with the fine folks over at Umbrella Entertainment.  I had seen several Australian horror films over the years with my favorite being Razorback but I never realized how different and unique filming in Australia was.  When I saw that Umbrella was releasing the 2008 documentary Not Quite Hollywood on blu I was extremely curious.  I love documentaries so I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send over a review copy.  Thanks guys!

     The documentary  is a comprehensive look at the history of Australia cinema, aka ozploitation, going from the early films before moving into more sexually explicate cinema, to comedies, and the popular horror titles that came out of there from the late 70s until today.

     I went into this looking to learn a lot and god damn did I.  I had no idea how deep the Australian cinematic history was until I spun this one.  I, also, wasn't aware that Americans were hated.  Regardless, this was a very informative and enjoyable documentary that I wish I would have seen when it was originally released.  The interviews in this one go deep with producers, cast members, and long-time fan Quintin Tarantino.  They go into great detail with all the struggles, dangers, and trends of the times while giving those unfamiliar with the films a lot of basic information that was new to me.  The topics discussed are in chronological order which makes it easy for the viewer to see the whole picture.  For someone who is not too familiar with the history of ozploitation like myself I found myself really enjoying the approach each topic was discussed and how it pertained to a specific year or film from their history.  Finally, the editing and transitioning in this one is great.  We move from topic to topic and person to person very smoothly while still keeping the important information in focus.  Overall, Not Quite Hollywood is a fantastic documentary that not only covers Australia's important horror films but many other films that most of us love.  It's a great look at the history of their cinema and why many of us love these films so much.  I highly recommend snagging this blu from Umbrella Entertainment.  

Monster Movie

Director(s) - Mark Polonia (Splatter Farm, Return to Splatter Farm) and John Polonia (Church of the Damned, Hellspawn)

Starring - Brian Berry (Werewolf Rising, Splatter Beach), Todd Carpenter (Sharkenstein, Bigfoot vs. Zombies), and Anthony Polonia (Peter Rottentail, Razorteeth)

Release Date - 2008

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Prehistoric terror... at 24 frames per second!"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     The Polonia Brothers, Mark and John, and two of the most prolific filmmakers in the indie horror scene.  Their careers started in 1985 with the film Church of the Damned.  Sadly, in 2008 John passed away.  That didn't stop Mark from continuing his work in film.  In 2008, the year John passed away, the pair worked on a found footage film called Monster Movie.  I had heard very little about this release but it was included as a bonus disc in Camp Motion Picture's release of Splatter Farm.  While I was on a Splatter Farm double Feature I decided it was a good time to check this one out as well.  

     The film follows a group of men who decide to go out into the woods for a little getaway.  What starts out as a trip for smoking, drinking, and fishing, turns strange and deadly when they find their camp destroyed one morning.  Soon they find themselves face to face with a giant creature that is destroying livestock in the area.

     I had stated in other reviews that the films from the Polonia Brother's are hit and miss with me.  Some I absolutely love while others are tough to finish.  Monster Movie is one that was difficult to finish which would explain why I had never heard about it aside from it being a double feature in the Splatter Farm release.  The acting in this one is pretty rough.  In fact, it's easily the worst I have seen to come out of the Polonia camp.  The dialogue is painfully awkward to watch and the characters lack personalities and defining traits that make them stand out.  The found footage style adds another layer of awkward conversation to the film as the cast attempts to capture that family video type vibe.  The story for this one is a lot of dialogue with very little horror.  The film tries very hard to capture that found footage vibe so we get a lot of unimportant conversation and meaningless tasks being performed for the viewer which creates a very dull film.  The horror aspect doesn't appear until the final portion of the film and then it's barely anything to hold your attention.  If anything, the film could have ran for around 20 minutes and even then it would have failed to tell a story.  Finally, if you are looking for a bloodbath like other Polonia releases you will be disappointed.  The film does have a cheesy looking "creature" that is not that impressive and barely on screen.  Overall, Monster Movie could have been another fun and cheesy Polonia release but the film itself feels rushed and unfinished.  This is one I cannot recommend.  Skip it.  

October Moon 2: November Son

Director - Jason Paul Collum (Safe Inside, October Moon)

Starring - Sacha Sacket, Judith O'Dea (Night of the Living Dead, Hole in the Wall), and Brinke Stevens (The Slumber Party Massacre, Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity)

Release Date - 2008

Genre - Horror/Drama

Tagline - "It's time to dig up a few old friends... and bury some new ones"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I ordered the October Moon double feature because I want to support filmmaker J.R. Bookwalter and his MakeFlix brand but these films looked like ones I would typically not watch.  However, I went into the first film with an open mind and was absolutely blown away by the film.  It may not be the most horror oriented film I've seen in recent years but I really enjoyed it.  The blu release included the 2008 follow up October Moon 2: November Son which made it a great deal for the price.  After watching the first one it only made sense to follow it up with the sequel.  

     The film picks up two years after the events of the first film.  Several of the people affected by Elliot's murder is still living day to day dealing with the loss of their loved ones.  Eli, an openly gay photographer, moves into the apartment that Elliot once occupied with his fiancé before the murders happened and soon starts working for Elliot's mother.  Soon her gains her trust and she replaces her lost son with Eli before some evil intentions are revealed.

     October Moon is a fantastic film that I would recommend to anyone open to the viewing experience.  It is a little too long but it is a well made and put together dark drama.  October Moon 2 expands upon the film with new leads and returning characters.  It's fun but the impact of the first film can not be replicated here.  Where the first film an be revisited this follow up is a one and done film that just can't capture what the first film delivers.  The acting in this one is just as good, if not better, than the first film.  A good portion of the characters that return have more screen time and do a fantastic job with their performances.  The characters have great personalities and they really work.  With that being said, the new characters are a little uneven and not as fun or memorable.  The story for this one struggles for a bit before it finds it's footing.  The film does expand on the first film but it takes almost an hour for it to do so.  I'm all for a movie taking it's time to establish atmosphere and tension but this one is way too long and filled with unnecessary scenes.  Also, the story doesn't have the same impact as the previous film.  It's almost as if the film was written sometime after the first film and struggled to replace the characters that were murdered.  It has it's moments and is still entertaining but it's not as fun as the original.  Finally, this is not really a bloody film.  We have some make-up effects on "dead" bodies and some blood but those looking for a gory late 00's horror romp will be very disappointed.  Overall, October Moon 2 is a fun watch for fans of the first film but it has no replay value whatsoever.  The original film is far superior to this one but this release on blu does look better.  The image quality is so much better than the first film.  

Texas Vibrator Massacre

Director - Rob Rotten (Porn of the Dead, Bong Load Girls)

Starring - Rob Rotten, Roxy DeVille (Halloween Whorer Nights, Bio Slime), and Daisy Tanks (Swallow My Children, Bong Load Girls)

Release Date - 2008

Genre - Horror

Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Back when I started collecting horror movies I found a few horror porn movies cheap.  First was The XXXorcist and then Fuckenstein before I found copies of Porn of the Dead and Texas Vibrator Massacre.  I watched XXXorcist and Fuckenstein many years ago but never found the time to toss in Porn of the Dead and TVM.  I was testing the water with my Sleazy Sunday reviews and when I saw they were doing well I decided it was time to finally check out Rob Rotten's Texas Vibrator Massacre from 2008.  I had got a copy of this one in a trade many years back but was now finally digging into it.

     The film follows a group that run out of gas somewhere in Texas when they find a hitchhiker walking by.  They let him into the van and he immedately pulls out a knife, killing one of them.  The rest flee through the Texas country side while they are stalked by Leatherface and his horny family.  

     Horror porn can go one of two ways.  It can embrace the original story while keeping true to it's horror roots like Re-Penetrator and Evil Head or it can be a cheesy parody of the original film while focusing more on the porn rather than the story like the Official Friday the 13th Parody.  Sadly, Texas Vibrator Massacre tries to be a horror film and porn and fails.  The acting in this one is what you would expect.  The cast is professional porn stars that has made a considerable career out of adult films.  They fuck like no one's business but the acting is rough around the edges.  It's not bad but it is cheesy.  I liked it for the most part and liked most of the characters.  The story for this one is pretty true to the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre story.  However, the horror portion of the film is half-assed (pun intended).  The film has the standard sex scenes you would expect from a porn flick.  The scenes are set up to parody, or be inspired by, scenes from the original TCM.  It works for a porn set up but the horror aspect just hits and is immediately over.  The sex is the main focus which is understandable but for those of us that want the cheesy porn parody with horror elements is feeling neglected.  Finally, the film does have a surprising amount of gore.  The kills are not done in a traditional horror manner so the viewer doesn't get to really enjoy them.  They are there but not as fun as they would be in a traditional horror flick.  Overall, Texas Vibrator Massacre is a gritty porn that is inspired by a horror classic but fans of horror porn may not find it enjoyable.  Edgy movie fans will proclaim it to be amazing but it's really boring.  Skip it.  

Gutterballs

Director - Ryan Nicholson (Live Feed, Torched)
Starring - Alastair Gamble (Hanger, Mind's Eye), Mihola Terzic (Collar, Sanctuary), and Nathan White (Charmed, Supernatural)
Release Date - 2008
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Tagline - "I warned you not to bowl tonight"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     There is a lot of horror movies that I'm always get asked to check out.  The most common movie friends and fans of the site ask me to review is the August Underground trilogy.  I've seen the trailer for these films but I never thought they looked appealing enough to review.  Another movie many of you have requested is the Ryan Nicholson slasher Gutterballs.  I had seen a few of Nicholson's other films and thought Gutterballs looked fun.  I bought the DVD sometime back and a few years later I bought a bootleg blu that Nicholson had allowed a fan make.  Sadly. I never took the time to watch either of those.  When Unearthed Films announced their release of the film I decided that I would use this as an excuse to finally check them out.  I want to thank Unearthed and MVD for sending the two disc release my way to review.

      The film follows a group of bowlers who are part of a local bowling league.  Animosity between the two causes tension and one of the teams decides to rape one of the women on the opposing team.  The next night they return to the bowling alley as if nothing happened but soon patrons start dying one by one at the hands of the Bowling Bag Killer (BBK).  

     Nicholson, who passed away in October of 2019, was a phenomenal effects artist that had worked on several big budget productions.  The movies that he directed went on to gain a rather large following.  Up to this I had seen Live Feed and Collar with both being relatively enjoyable films.  I had high hopes for Gutterballs.  It was entertaining but nowhere near as amazing as most of my horror loving friends made it out to be.  The acting in this one is very hit and miss.  Some of the characters are funny and bring a lot of personality and fun to the film while others were there purely as background noise.  With that being said, this movie has some of the worst dialogue I had heard in a long ass time.  Indie productions always has awkward scenes to some degree but the dialogue here had me rolling my eyes often.  The story for this one is pretty clever.  Having a slasher stalk bowlers while wearing a bowling ball bag is pretty fucking funny if you ask me.  The theme really works which is something a lot of slasher fans love.  With that being said, the dialogue in this one is clearly improvised.  I'm extremely foul mouthed but hearing fuck every other word really shows how little dialogue really matters in this one.  Finally, the kills in this one are unforgettable. They fit the theme of the film and the practical effects are fucking amazing.  Honestly, I haven't watched a horror movie that bloody and impressive in a long time.  Overall, Gutterballs gets a lot of love.  I can see why but there was several things that stopped me from loving it.  Regardless, its a damn fine horror movie that indie horror fans really need to check out.  The blu is a great addition to any Plotdigger and Unearthed fan's collection.  Check it out if you haven't and be sure to snag this blu release from Unearthed Films.  

The Strangers

Director - Bryan Bertino (The Monster, Mockingbird)
Starring - Scott Speedman (Underworld, Dead Silence), Liv Tyler (Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Armageddon), and Kip Weeks (Glory Road, Totally Baked)
Release Date - 2008
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Because you were home"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     In 2008 my life changed.  My girlfriend at the time convinced me to go to college.  I was 21 at the time and was convinced that I would die in my father's garage.  That changed when I went to college and focused on a degree in education.  That year I changed for the better but I still remained a horror fan.  That year saw a ton of horror hit theaters.  We saw Let the Right One In, Midnight Meat Train, Quarantine, Trailer Park of Terror, Tokyo Gore Police, and Zombie Strippers.  This was a pretty solid year for horror.  The Strangers was another film released that year and I had no interest in seeing it.  Honestly, the film looked boring as fuck but so many horror fans loved it.  I see shirts, fan art, posters, and tattoos for the film everywhere.  Not long ago Scream Factory released the film on  blu.  Ten years is plenty of time to see it hanging around so I pulled the trigger and requested a review copy.  Thanks guys for sending this one my way!

     The film follows a couple who are in a rough patch.  While attending a wedding he proposed to her and she declined.  They return to a summer home for the night before going their separate ways but their night doesn't go according to plan.  Three masked individuals have set their sights on the couple in what would be a bloody game of cat and mouse.
    
     I hate when I get a movie in for review and I don't like it.  I always try to be open minded to the movie I review but sometimes they just don't strike a chord with me.  The Strangers was one of those films.  I wanted to like it but there wasn't enough story there to hold me over for the film's running time.  The acting in this one isn't the best but I've seen worse in a theatrical release.  People know me for my love of horror and exploitation but not many know I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan.  Star Wars and Star Trek are cool but my fandom is LotRs.  Liv Tyler isn't the best actress ever.  In fact, her range of emotion is equivalent to a celery stick.  She is decent in LotR because elves don't show emotion.  However, in The Strangers she completely ruins the tone set by the rest of the cast.  Scott Speedman tries his best to carry the film but he doesn't have the chops to be the leading man.  He shows emotion but he struggles to create a believable character.  With that being said, I loved the actors under the masks.  They act without showing facial expression which is difficult to do.  The story for this one should have never been turned into a feature length film.  A home invasion film centered around bland characters who attend an event briefly is a struggle to watch.  The attacks, if you want to call them that, happen in waves so we get random slow moments where they casually talk and attempt to act panicked.  The story has an issue with pacing and struggles to actually capture that feeling of dread.  Finally, the film does have a few gruesome moments.  The movie doesn't shy away from blood and has some fantastic practical effects.  I was not expecting that much blood and really enjoyed that aspect of the film.  Overall, The Strangers is one of the more popular films released in the last 20 years and I don't know why.  The film is predictable and rather boring.  We get some blood but nothing that stands out among other film released around that time like Haute Tension, Feast, and so on.  Scream Factory put together an awesome release of a rather flat horror flick.  If you like the film be sure to grab a copy of Scream Factory's blu.

Stockholm Syndrome

Director - Ryan Cavalline (Mountain Devil, Dead Body Man)
Starring - Jason Senior, Eddie Benevich (The Great American Serial Killer, Day of the Ax), and Lisa Marano (Discipline)
Release Date - 2008
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "No one escapes"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     After watching the documentary VHS Massacre I decided it was time for some blood.  I've been away from the carnage for far too long and needed to return to my bloody roots.  I went through my review stack and one film caught my eye and that was Stockholm Syndrome.  The fact that I had a Sleaze Box film to review excited me and I had to rack my brain about when I had actually got the film in to review.  I can't remember getting the package but I was excited nonetheless.  I was even more excited when I learned that Ryan Cavalline had directed the film who brought us Dead Body Man and the new Wild Eye release Mountain Devil.  I want to take a moment to thank Chris and The Sleaze Box for sending this one my way!

     The film follows a young couple expecting their first child soon as they stop for the night at a cheap roadside motel.  Two men are casing the place and see them enter their room.  They plan on kidnapping them so their boss can sell them for a hefty profit especially where the young bride is expecting a child.  They kidnap them both and take them back to their warehouse where they learn the woman and child are not healthy.  Their "doctor" advises them to terminate the baby and when the mother fails to recover they kill her.  They take the man to one of the dealers where is has to fight for his life or die in a human trafficking operation.
     I wasn't expecting to see one of the best movies I have seen but I was expecting to see a movie full of blood, gore, and nudity.  The movie did deliver on that and was actually pretty entertaining.  There was a few moments where I felt uncomfortable and I love that feeling.  The acting in this one is not the best but is far from the worst.  The cast is very dedicated to their role and some have a great deal of experience.  Sadly. a good portion of the cast does not have the same experience and the interactions show it.  A little more direction would have went a long way with these awkward scenes.  The story for this one has a lot going on for it.  It could have been a simple abduction film but it adds many more elements to it.  We have a priest that fucks the sin out of girls, a man looking for redemption, a businessman trying to turn a buck, and a serial rapist who prepares people for auction.  The film really does toss a lot at you instead of just a tale of abduction.  With that being said, the writing is a little awkward.  There is times in the film where the story feels like its going nowhere and we have an overabundance of characters on camera.  This can be frustrating for the viewer that looks at every detail.  The editing could have been a little tighter.  Finally, the film has several gory moments ranging from a fetus being destroyed to a girl being fucked with razor blades.  The film is truly deranged.  The effects we get are solid but there was plenty of room for improvement.  Some of the kills/gags were a little unnerving and I fucking loved it.  Overall. Stockholm Syndrome is a rough film that is rough to watch but delivers on the red stuff.  If you are looking for horror with a little backbone then let me recommend this one to you!  Check it out.   

Embodiment of Evil

Director - Jose Mojica Marins (At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul)
Starring - Jose Mojica Marins, Jece Valadao (Razor in the Flesh), and Adriano Stuart (The Besieged House)
Release Date - 2008
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "The master of horror is back"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     There is a lot of confusion about the Coffin Joe films.  Most believe that there is several Coffin Joe films.  These people are correct but most of these have nothing to do with one another with the exception of At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul, This Night I Will Possess Your Corpse, and Embodiment of Evil.  These three films make up the Coffin Joe trilogy while the others vary in what they are.  The only true follow up to At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul and This Night I Will Possess Your Corpse is the 2008 film Embodiment of Evil.  This is the only Coffin Joe film available on blu and the final film in the dvd box set from Synapse Films.

     The film picks up forty years after gravedigger Ze do Caixao has been arrested and sent to prison.  He is finally released and is soon reunited with his follow Bruno who takes him to their secret dungeon with his followers.  His followers abduct and torture women in order to find one suitable enough to give birth to Coffin Joe's son.  Soon, the local authorities find a trail of bodies and hunt Joe down while he tries to impregnate a gypsy.

   
     I was weary about this installment in the Coffin Joe series.  How would the character hold up after a forty year hiatus?  Would the same theatrics and story be just as entertaining in color and placed in a more modern setting?  The answer is no.  It wasn't.  The acting in this one is better than the original films in some ways and worse in others.  The supporting cast in this one is a huge improvement over the other films.  Most of the cast has experience in front of the camera and it shows greatly.  Sadly, Jose Mojica Marins has lost his spark and excitement for the role and it shows.  Age has taken its toll and Marins is unable to bring that energy and passion that made Coffin Joe stand out all those years before.  It was the characters charisma and arrogance that made these films so damn enjoyable.  The story for this one is the original story tossed in a modern horror setting.  The search for a woman to deliver his son has been the basis for most Coffin Joe tales but Embodiment of Evil takes it into the era of torture porn and torture dungeons.  This, oddly enough, works for the film but turns stale very quickly due to the flat characters and the slow paced Coffin Joe.  Finally, this one is the goriest of all the Coffin Joe films.  The film has tons of great gore and amazing practical effects.  Sadly, a good portion of the kills are done off camera but they more than make up for it with some great gore.  Overall. Embodiment of Evil could have went the distance if it was made earlier in Jose Marins' career.  He lacked the charm and charisma that made those films so much fun and lacked characters to pick up the slack.  The story was solid and the effects were top notch but the overall presentation was lacking.  Skip it.