Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon: The Holiday Leftovers Collection

Director - Addison Binek (Psycho Ape!, Tromasterpiece Theatre: Poultrygeist)

Starring - Addison Binek

Release Date - 2011/2026

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Holiday horror is a guilty pleasure for a lot of genre fans.  There is something entertaining about a horror film completely embracing the holiday theme with it's deaths and killer.  On the other side of the same coin, not all holiday themed horror and comedies are fun especially if they are half-hearted sequels released years, if not decades, after the original was released so they could cash in on the original's popularity.  A few weeks back I was sent two collections from my friend Addison Binek featuring episodes of his long running YouTube series Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon.  This second collection is consists of random episodes of holiday episodes that he was unable put in other collections.  Like always, I want to thank Addison for sending this one over for review!

     The series follows the dapper Addison as he shows clips from various films and then painstakingly makes puns about their shortcomings.  

     I love holiday horror and I've really enjoyed these collections from Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon.  His previous sets are great to toss in as those specific holidays approached.  However, this release, as fun as it is, doesn't really have a designated holiday you can associate it with.  These random episodes are entertaining but the fun of having a constant theme throughout is not there.  The acting in this one is exactly what you would expect from a no budget YouTube series where the star pretends to smoke a pipe.  It's fun in a stand up kind of way but don't expect something that will stick with you for years to come.  The themes for each episode is reflective of the film he is watching.  He does a great job at bringing us some humor to match the film while fully embracing his no budget production.  Finally, don't expect the smoothest edits or amazing transitions.  The show doesn't try to be polished and professional looking.  We have Addison sitting or standing in front of the camera as clips from various movies are cut into frame.  While crude, it works and is a lot of fun.  Overall, Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon: The Holiday Leftovers Collection is a great collection of episodes from an underrated YouTube series.  While they do get repetitive, I still enjoy watching them from time to time especially when Addison releases a new set.  Check it out if you dig cult cinema and indie productions.  It's a lot of fun.  

Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon: Christmas Special

Director - Addison Binek (Psycho Ape!, Tromasterpiece Theatre: The Battle of Love's Return)

Starring - Addison Binek

Release Date - 2011 - 2026

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "14 episodes of holiday cheer"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm a sucker for themed collections and shows that riff movies.  I didn't have a local horror host to watch growing up but I was fortunate enough to find episodes of Elvira's Movie Macabre when I was in high school.  What I had as a kid was Mystery Science Theater 3000 which I know wasn't the same as a horror host but I loved how both were people "watching" a movie and pointing out the unintentionally funny things they found.  While horror hosts seem to be more popular, I love finding shows or web-series that riff on movies.  Many years ago I befriended YouTuber Addison Binek who hosts a long running series called Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon.  I've reviewed several collections of his episodes since then and was lucky enough to get two more sets from him for review.  The first set I dug into was his Christmas Special collection.  Like always, I want to thank Addison for sending this one over. 

     In this collection we follow Addison as he watches several Christmas films ranging from cult classics to truly abysmal films.

     Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon: Christmas Special is not something I was expecting to review in March but it was still a lot of fun.  This is the kind of collection that you would toss on while you wrap presents or decorate the tree especially if you are in the mood for something you can turn your brain off for a bit and just watch.  It's a lot of fun and I know it will not be for everyone but I dig it for what it is.  The acting in this one is exactly what you get.  It's a one man show that plays out in a similar fashion to a comedy skit or the segments from Elvira's Movie Macabre.  Addison is just being Addison while delivering a lot of puns and mocking the films in question.  The themes for each episodes is reflective of the movie he is riffing.  Some of these films are must see films for genre fans while others are damn near impossible to watch.  Each episode fully embodies the themes of the films he is riffing which only adds to the Christmas theme.  Finally, this is a no budget production that has crude editing and camerawork.  With that being said, it knows exactly what it is and doesn't try to be anything but that.  It makes fun of movies for their shortcomings while showing their obvious shortcomings.  Overall, Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon: Christmas Special is another solid collection of episodes from this long running and underrated YouTube series.  It's not for everyone, and while I have no idea who the target audience of this show is, I still enjoy it.  I recommend it but I know it won't be for everyone.  

Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver

Director - William Butler (My Babysitter The Super Hero, Waffle Hut)

Starring - Jackie Beat (Huluween Dragstravaganza , Tripping the Rift), Paris Wagner (Ready 2 Die, Tattoo Nightmares), and Steve-Michael McLure (Chow Bella, Rizzoli and Isles)

Release Date - 2011

Genre - Horror/Tagline 

Tagline - "The ultimate roller boogieman"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's not often you find a sequel that's better than the original and it's even more rare to find the third film in a series is better than the first.  Some people, who I would argue are wrong, would say films like Return if the Living Dead III is better than the first film but they would be wrong.  However, as I sit here and type this out I whole heartedly believe that parts 2 and 3 of the Gingerdead Man series is leagues better than the first film.  When I picked up the Gingerdead Man tin from Full Moon I did so because I wanted to add it to my collection but I didn't remember shit about the films prior to ordering it.  I did watch them several years back but they didn't really stick with me.  However, after revisiting them on blu, I can safely say this series gets better with each film and Saturday Night Cleaver was a lot of fun.

     The film picks up with Gingerdead Man in a very "secure" prison where he is locked away with other carb heavy monstrosities where he is accidentally released by a group of protestors.  He is accidentally sent back in time to the 70s where a roller disco is having one big party before shutting down for good.  Gingerdead Man doesn't let this slow him down as he sets out to yet again carve out a name for himself.

     Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver is probably the most absurd of the series and easily one of the most enjoyable.  It has a lot thrown into the story that might get overlooked if you are just casually viewing it but those with an eye for horror will notice a few nods to classic titles like Silence of the Lambs.  The acting in this one is consistent with the previous two films.  The cast delivers another amateurish performance with some bold characters.  I liked a lot of the characters and their personalities but their performances are pretty forgettable at the end of the day.  The story for this one once again abandons the bakery theme aside from a few puns here and there.  We then have a sci-fi comedy with horror elements tossed in.  Honestly, it works even though the series is slowly losing it's gingerbread identity.  It started as a bakery themed slasher to a time traveling, roller disco destroying, laser shooting horror comedy that is still fun but the films could be made with any killer from Full Moon's catalogue.  Finally, the deaths are not that memorable but they do work for the film.  We get some cheesy visual effects and low grade practical effects but that is about the extent of it.  Overall, Gingerdead Man 3 is not the pinnacle of horror, or even the Gingerdead Man franchise, but it is enjoyable if you dig little monster movies.  Check it out.  

Contagion

Director - Steven Soderbergh (Ocean's Eleven, Magic Mike)

Starring - Matt Damon (True Grit, Titan A.E.), Kate Winslet (Heavenly Creatures, Titanic), and Jude Law (Captain Marvel, Cold Mountain)

Release Date - 2011

Genre - Drama/Thriller

Tagline - "Nothing spreads like fear"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've reviewed several films centered around the pandemic over the last few years.  This is understandable considering how significantly our lives changed for those few years and the amount of lives lost to selfishness and ignorance.  In the early days of the pandemic I recall several social media friends decided to marathon films centered around pandemics and outbreaks.  I was considered essential so I had to work and wasn't able to partake in these marathons but I did remember seeing several people watching Contagion.  I was not familiar with the film but seeing that cast really made my imagination run.  Its only been four short years since the pandemic began and I've yet to see the film.  However, this soon changed when I was sent over the 4K release of the film.  I had never seen it before but I'm glad I was finally given the opportunity.

     The film follows a group of different people from various backgrounds as the struggle during an outbreak. We follow a family man who loses his wife at the very beginning of the pandemic as he struggles with keeping the rest of his family safe. We also follow a conspiracy theorist who suspects that something more is going on with the outbreak and government officials are hiding information from the public. We also follow several different scientists and professionals as they rush to stop the spread of the disease and find a cure. 

      I knew nothing about this one going into it aside from the fact that it revolved around a dangerous pandemic, and it had a great cast. While I did enjoy it and I'm glad that my first viewing of it was in 4K, I still wish I would have taken the time to watch it during the beginning of the pandemic. Seeing the parallels and how much of this actually happened during that first year of the shut-down made my skin crawl. I really enjoyed this movie and can't wait to recommend it to others. The acting in this one is fantastic, which is an understatement when you conder the cast. I could spend all day going through this cast and how amazing they were but I'm too lazy for that. There are no weak links in this film and some of Hollywood's biggest names deliver some of the most underrated performances of their career. The story for this one is very well written and the team behind it clearly did their research. Watching this film, especially the first 30 minutes of so, took me back to 2020 and how the pandemic started, how different organizations, political parties, and so on were at each other's throats with little care about the lives they were influencing. I loved how well this was written and could only imagine how it would have influenced me during the early days of the pandemic. With that being said, the film feels like it was originally setting out to be a television series or mini-series. The way it's edited together we bounce from character to character with no rhyme or reason as the world around them falls apart. Don't get me wrong, it's an amazing film but it feels like everything was edited together to make a film after they originally planned on making a series of some sort. Finally, the film is not a bloody one. There are some great make-up effects and one scene in particular featuring an autopsy of Gwyneth Paltrow that was amazing but that is the extent of it. Overall, Contagion is one hell of a thriller that blows my mind by how close it was to predicting the 2020 pandemic. It's a great film and this 4K release is gorgeous. I highly recommend checking it out.

All-Star Superman

Director - Sam Liu (Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham, Batman: Soul of the Dragon)

Starring - James Denton (Good Witch, Face Off), Christina Hendricks (The Neon Demon, The Bad Santa 2), and Anthony LaPaglia (So I Married an Axe Murderer, Empire Records)

Release Date - 2011

Genre - Action/Sci-fi

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     A few years back I was introduced to the DC animated universe. I believed the film that did this was Gotham by Gaslight or Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay. I can’t remember which one it was that I first received for review but it was the film that jump started my love for these animated features. Since then I’ve reviewed most of them and loved almost all of them. However, I have not been able to review some of the older animated flicks. That changed a few weeks ago when I received the UHD release of the 2010 film All-Star Superman. I couldn’t wait to check this one out and I want to thank WB for sending this one over my way for review. 

      The film follows Superman who finds himself dying after a failed mission to the sun that was sabotaged by Lex Luther has Superman overdosing from the radiation. Knowing that his end is near, he takes Lois to his Fortress of Solitude and reveals that he is Clark Kent. He gives Lois a special serum that makes her like him for 24 hours and eventually stop an invasion before Samson and Atlas arrive. They give Lois a rare necklace and try their might against Superman to win Lois’ affection. However, the necklace was stolen by them and the real owner, Ultrasphinx, takes Lois forcing Superman to save her. Now, knowing his life is at an end, he takes the city of Kandor to another planet to survive not expecting to make it back from the journey. However, he does and finds the world he left behind now changed when two other survivors of Krypton found their way to Earth following in Superman’s trail. They use the world as a template to rebuild their beloved planted regardless of the people currently living there. When Superman tries to intervene he discovers that they are sick and sends them to the Phantom Zone until he can find a cure. 

      I didn’t mind All-Star Superman. In fact, it was a decent animated DC flick but it’s nowhere near as enjoyable as some of the later titles. In fact, I found it to be a bit too chaotic with too many story arcs going at once. It was a fun first time watch but I would rather revisit some of the other DC animated films instead of this one. The voice acting in this one is very well done. The film has a bunch of iconic characters from the DC roster and they are all voiced very well. The story for this one felt like several episodes from an animated Superman show that I was not familiar with that was strung together to make a feature length film. I didn’t mind the story but the different arcs and plot points could have been expanded resulting in a film series or a trilogy that would have been far more enjoyable. Don’t take it the wrong way. The film is still a decent watch as is but the story does feel a bit too chaotic and all over the place. Finally, I really enjoyed the animation and it looked great in 4K. This is more of a traditional animated style that I expect when I toss in an animated DC flick and it looks very crisp and bold on this release. Overall, All-Star Superman is not something I typically review but granted with the opportunity I couldn’t pass it up. It was a lot of fun and one that looks fantastic in 4k. I highly recommend snagging this UHD release especially if you are a collector.

B'Twixt Now and Sunrise

Director - Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather, Apocalypse Now)

Starring - Val Kilmer (Tombstone, Real Genius), Bruce Dern (The 'Burbs, The St. Valentine's Day Massacre), and Elle Fanning (Super 8, The Neon Demon)

Release Date - 2022/2011

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Some mysteries needs to be solved"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love movies that are odd and go against the grain. Movies that are meant not to fit in or made to stand out always catch my eye. I’ve watched movies about killer condoms, a living placenta, turd monsters, people eating shit to survive, and so on. I absolutely love this side of cinema and I love movies that does not try to impress anyone. They have a story to tell and they don’t care if you like it or not. A few weeks ago I received the press release for B’Twixt Now and Sunrise. This Francis Ford Coppola directed film was originally released in 2011 under the title Twixt. This was the first I was hearing about it and with the UHD release hitting store shelves I was very curious about it. I reached out and was lucky enough to get a copy of the film for review. 

      The film follows the “dollar bin Stephen King” Hall Baltimore (Kilmer) who is doing a book signing tour through various small towns. He finds himself in a town with a dark history and once housed the legendary Edgar Allen Poe. He begins working with the town’s sheriff, Bobby LaGrange (Dern), on a novel while researching the town’s past involving a mass murder when a religious father kills his children along with suspicion that a group of free loving goths are vampires. 

      I went into this one very curious and excited. I saw the imdb page prior to reviewing this and was very curious when I saw that someone was portraying Edgar Allen Poe along with seeing Val Kilmer and Bruce Dern on screen together. Sadly, these two were one of the few redeeming qualities of this film. I don’t know who the intended audience for this one is but it wasn’t for movie fans like myself. The acting in this one is so much fun. Val Kilmer and Bruce Dern work so well together. I love their characters and their clashing personalities is one of the few reasons I could finish the film. The supporting cast is great as well but Dern and Kilmer’s interactions are a highlight. The story for this one is all over the place. We never know if the film is supposed to be a ghost tale or one about vampires. Instead, it bounces between the two while the viewer is taken through Baltimore’s wake and dreaming state. It is very confusing and difficult to follow but has some beautiful imagery. This doesn’t make up for the lack of coherent story telling but it’s still nice to look at. Finally, the film has some blood and some make up effects. With that being said, it relies heavily on visual effects. Some look great especially for being over 10 years old while some scenes look very cheap and dated. Overall, B’Twixt Now and Sunrise is a confusing and difficult film to follow. I loved the acting and the idea behind the film but the overall movie is one I can’t recommend. Skip it.

Paranormal Activity 3

Director(s) - Henrey Joost (Catfish: The TV Show, Secret Headquarters) and Ariel Schulman (Catfish: The TV Show, Secret Headquarters)

Starring - Chloe Csengery (Deadtime Stories, The Good Doctor), Jessica Tyler Brown (NCIS, Hawthorne), and Christopher Nicholas Smith (Wild Bitch!, Storks)

Release Date - 2011

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Discover how the activity began"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I’ve watched television series and film franchises previously that I didn’t like but I was able to sit through them and hammer out a review in a decent time frame. However, when I started this Paranormal Activity journey, I didn’t expect to dread writing reviews like I do now. The first two films were some of the worst films I’ve watched and reviewed to date which made me not look forward to the following installments. I just didn’t have the drive to dig into the third film right away so after a small break I decided to dig into the third installment. 

      The film takes place in 1988 when the sisters from the first two films were just kids. Their father is a videographer and decided to film his family when he notices that there are strange occurrences happening around them. He decides not to tell his wife right away but when things continuously get sinister he decides to finally tell her where he learns about demonology and a tale about a witches coven that force women into having male children to sacrifice.

     Paranormal Activity 3 is the first film in the franchise to not focus on as much on the found footage angle as previous films. Instead, it follows a story first before adding the found footage aspect. Sure, the found footage part does feel over used and drags the story down dramatically but it’s no where near as bas as the first two films. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll never subject myself to this torture again but I would pick it over the previous two entries. The acting in this one is very similar to the first two films. The film is over flowing with small talk that feels forced and extremely awkward. The cast are fully dedicated to their roles, but the dialogue and character interactions is so weird to watch. This is typical of found footage films and this series really focuses on those tropes and clichés. The story for this one is a little more elaborate than previous installments but it still only touches upon the basics instead of exploring it like a standard film. If you cut out all the small talk and pointless scenes you would be greeted with a film that may run around 20 minutes. It does give us more than normal but it doesn’t give us enough. I liked the demon aspect along with the first born son aspect introduced in the previous film and explored subtly here. Finally, the film has some jump scares and cheap visual effects but for those looking for blood will be very disappointed. The visuals looked good and fit the film but the jump scares can be seen from a mile away. Overall, Paranormal Activity 3 is an improvement over the first two films but the cleanest turd is still a turd. I highly recommend skipping this one.

The Cabin in the Woods

Director - Drew Goddard (The Good Place, Bad Times at the El Royale)

Starring - Kristen Connolly (The Bay, Evil), Fran Kranz (The Dark Tower, Bloodsucking Bastards), and Chris Hemsworth (Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, Loki)

Release Date - 2011

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi/Comedy

Tagline - "You think you know the story"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

    Several years ago, a couple years before I started my reviewing journey, I was an active member of the Upcoming Horror Movies forum.  I had spent several years in there making friends and discovering movies that I would not have found otherwise.  Most were indie or no budget horror films but there was a few big budget releases that I would typically ignore that was brought to my attention by members of the group.  A few of them had mentioned that they recently watched The Cabin in the Woods in theater.  I wasn't really interested in the film but after seeing how much love it was getting from them I decided to spin it.  I went to watch it and fucking loved it.  It's easily one of my favorite films and by far one of the best films to hit theaters of the last twenty years.  I often revisit it when I get the chance so when I received news that the film was receiving an UHD release.  I reached out and was able to snag the amazing steelbook release that is currently a Best Buy exclusive release.  As soon as I could I tossed it in to check out.  

     The film follows a group of college students as they head out to a cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway.  What they don't know is that their arrival at the cabin is part of an intricate ritual that has been in place for centuries with them serving as sacrifices to appease slumbering gods.

     The Cabin in the Woods is one of those rare instances where a film can throw everything at the viewer and it actually sticks.  It's a movie that is so absurd that it just has to work.  It's so well thought out and the odd and off the wall aspects of the film still finds a place.  I've yet to meet someone that blatantly hates the film.  People either fucking love it or they haven't seen it.  The acting in this one is a lot of fun.  We have so many enjoyable characters and many of them grow and change with the story.  The amount of dedication and work it took for a lot of these performances is nothing shy of impressive with so many sticking out.  I fucking loved Fran Kranz's character along with the duo Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford.  Honestly, these two need their own spin-off.  I had so much fun with the cast and the variety of characters we get. Some are more for comical relief but they all deliver fantastic performances.  The story for this one is so fucking fun.  So many elements pop out of left field to catch the viewer off guard.  The premise, a government organization that ritualistically sacrifices people to ancient gods using creatures and beings that have inspired myths and nightmares, is absolutely fantastic.  I love the premise but having all this shoved into a feature length film with no prequel, sequel, or television show that explores it further is a fucking shame.  There is so much more that could be done with the story and the fact nothing has been done with it in 11 years is criminal.  I absolutely adore this story and the mix of humor and story.  Finally, the film is a mix of fantastic practical effects and dated visuals.  I love the creature designs and practical effects.  The film is surprisingly bloody and plenty of brutal moments but I've never been a fan of the visual effects in this film.  They are noticeable and stick out like a sore thumb.  Overall, The Cabin in the Woods is a film that I could never tire of.  I absolutely love the story.  It's ambitious and takes some risks which works.  I cannot recommend this film enough.  If you haven't seen this one yet I highly suggest you do so with this gorgeous release.  

Blaming George Romero

Director - Robert Lise 

Starring - Sam Platizky (Chronicles of the Beyond, Spooky), Robert Lise (Red Scare, Dr. Pegg), and Loarina Gonzalez (Skype War, Home at War)

Release Date - 2011

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "It's the end of the world as they know... and they feel awesome!"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several months ago I was browsing the indie releases on Amazon.  I do these from time to time to snag some releases that have slid under my radar.  I saw an indie movie from 2011 that really caught my attention.  The film, Blaming George Romero, looked like the type of movie that I would have watched in college during the early 2000s so I snagged it.  I didn't have to watch it when it arrived but I sit it by the television to toss in as soon as I could.  After I finished It Wants Blood! I figured now would be the perfect time to check it out.  

     The film follows a group of twenty-somethings who are obsessed with horror movies and struggling with adulthood.  One night while having a get together they are attacked by a bloody man.  They fight off their attacker and agree that they are in the beginning stages of a zombie outbreak.  They gather what supplies they can offhand and flee to a spot they think would be perfect to wait out the apocalypse but as they continue on their journey they have doubts that the man was a zombie at all.

     Blaming George Romero is a very unique spin on the zombie sub-genre.  It's hard to find a zombie movie that's not a clone of The Walking Dead in some capacity after 2010 so this was a breathe of fresh air.  It works for this film but I don't see myself revisiting this one anytime soon.  The acting in this one is pretty solid for a film of this caliber.  The cast works extremely well together on screen.  Their chemistry together is what makes this film work.  The characters have great personalities and the cast does a fantastic job at bringing those to life on screen.  The story for this one is so simple but extremely entertaining.  The film is character driven with a lot of time spent on their development.  It works but doesn't have a lot of replay value.  Once you've seen it the story is no longer affective.  With that being said, it's still an enjoyable film with the same kind of tone that made Kevin Smith's earlier films so enjoyable.  Finally, the film is not a bloody one.  We have one seen with a little blood but that is fairly early on in the film and the effects are minimal.  This is not your typical zombie film in a lot of ways and the deaths you would associate with a zombie film is no exception.  Overall, Blaming George Romero is a fun late night no budget horror flick that is fun with some friends and a few cheap beers.  The movie is far from perfect but it works at least for one viewing.  Check it out because you will not be disappointed.  

Deathbone

Director - Chris Seaver (Evil Night, SexSquatch)

Starring - Billy Garberina (Necroville, Moist Fury), Meredith Host (The Weirdsies, Death O'Lantern), and Casey Bowker (Wet Heat, Carnage for the Destroyer)

Release Date - 2011

Genre - Fantasy/Adventure/Comedy

Tagline - "Prepare to get boned"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Most of you that have followed me for some time now and may have noticed that I'm a huge fan of Chris Seaver.  His brands Low Budget Pictures and Warlock Home Video have been a huge part of my movie collection journey for several years now.  For the most part I've collected most of his films with the exception of a few but there is still a couple I have yet to watch and review.  A few weeks ago MVD announced that SRS Cinemas was releasing Seaver's 2011 fantasy adventure film Deathbone on DVD as part of their retro line.  I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send over a review copy of it.  I want to take a moment to thank MVD and SRS Cinemas for sending it over.  

      The film follows Deathbone (Garberina) who is approached by an elf to rescue her villiage that was overrun by an evil Goblin.  Deathbone reluctactly agrees to the quest and their journey begins.  They make their way to the villiage where they encounter other swordsmen, orcs, witches, and lustful faries before reaching the overrun villiage where an epic battle ensues.

     Not everyone will enjoy Seaver's films.  I love his humor and bold stories but some people may be turned off by the lack of budget.  Over the years he has released some extremely entertaining films but there has been a few duds.  Deathbone is one that is a bit different than he other films but I really enjoyed it.  The acting in this one is exactly what you would expect in a Seaver flick.  Garberina is absolutely brilliant as Deathbone the barbarian.  His mannerisms, dialogue, and charisma was so funny to watch.  He really got into his role and made the title character come to life.  The supporting cast is just as intense, funny, and entertaining.  Everyone gets into their roles and has a lot of fun.  That fun translates very well to the camera.  The story for this one is a parody of the fantasy adventure films that a lot of grew up watching like Deathstalker, Beastmaster, and the most obvious film, Conan.  The humor carries well throughout the entire film but the story does hit a few dry patches.  The movie is stretched a bit thin at times but it's still a fun watch if you stick with it.  The humor does a great job at masking the story's weaknesses.  Finally, the film is not a bloody and gory one.  We get some low-brow fight scenes and some surprisingly well done make-up effects but that is the extent of that with this one.  Overall, Deathbone will not be for everyone.  However, if you are a fan of the funnier side of cinema then I would highly recommend digging into this slice of back yard fun.  It was funny and very enjoyable.  

Game of Thrones: Season One

Creator(s) - David Benioff (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Troy) and D.B. Weiss (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia)

Starring - Lena Headey (Dredd, The Purge), Sean Bean (Silent Hill, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring), and Emilia Clarke (Solo: A Star Wars Story, Murder Manuel)

Release Date - 2011

Genre - Fantasy/Action

Tagline - "The game begins"

Format - 4K Ultra HD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Most know me for my love of horror and exploitation but when I was younger I was a normal little boy.  I loved kid movies but I had a love for fantasy adventure tales.  I loved both Conan movies, Beastmaster, the Lord of the Rings animated films, Deathstalker, and a few others like it.  I was a huge fan of these films and they were such a huge part of my childhood.  When HBO announced their television adaptation of Game of Thrones I really wanted to check it out but work and writing reviews for movies took away most of my free time.  Season one moved on to season two and before long there was 8 seasons.  I knew I would get around to checking it out eventually but I gave up on checking them out when the episodes aired.  Recently, I received word that the series was getting a 4K release.  I reached out and was lucky enough to get a copy in for review...and now my journey begins!

     The first seasons follows 7 kingdoms under the rule of one king.  However, the king dies and news spreads that his son is actually the result of an incestuous relationship between his mother, the queen, and her twin brother.  This, along with others believing they are the rightful heirs to the throne, creates strife among the 7 kingdoms.

      Almost everyone I know is fans of this show with some going as far as to have various tattoos to dedicate their love of the show forever on their body.  The following for this series is very loyal and that only fueled my desire to finally check it out.  I enjoyed this first season but it wasn't as fun as I was hoping for.  In fact, if I wasn't told my fans to keep going I would probably stop here.  It was entertaining but nowhere near as entertaining as many lead me to believe.  The acting in this series is absolutely phenomenal.  There is so many amazing cast members in this show and if I was to talk about each and every one I would be here all day.  This is easily the best cast and acted show I have ever seen.  Everyone absolutely nails their performances and the characters will stick with you long after you stopped watching the show.  The story for this one is very much a political drama set against a fantasy adventure backdrop.  Think of House of Cards meets Lord of the Rings.  The political drama aspect does require you to pay close attention which is a little too smart of a watch for me at times.  However, the character development, action, and betrayal that happens really pulls the viewer in.  Finally, the film has some rather impressive fight scenes and plenty of blood.  It does have some moments of brutality and great practical effects but nothing hardcore horror fans haven't seen before.  Overall, Season One is a very entertaining watch.  The cast is the highlight of the show but the story is a little too politically charged for my own liking.  With that being said I enjoyed it.  

Screaming in High Heels: The Rise & Fall of the Scream Queen Era

Director - Jason Paul Collum (5 Dark Souls, October Moon)

Starring - Linnea Quigley (Night of the Demons, Return of the Living Dead), Brinke Stevens (Savage Streets, Body Double), and Michelle Bauer (Demonwarp, The Tomb)

Release Date - 2011

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Vampirism.  Flesh eating.  Demonic possession.  Chainsaw hookering.  It's all in a days work"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I was born in the late 80s and, obviously, grew up in the 90s.  I lived in the video store but I did miss the heyday of the scream queen era.  Sure, these beautiful and talented young ladies were appearing in films that I would often rent but the time in which production companies was tossing together cheaply made movies around this vixens was already behind us.  I wish I was just a few years older so I would have been around during this phase.  A few months back Makeflix, the off shoot of Tempe Digital, announced the release of Jason Paul Collum's 2011 documentary Screaming in High Heels: The Rise & Fall of the Scream Queen Era on blu.  I had never seen this and own most of the Tempe Digital blus so I pulled the trigger on this release.  

    The documentary takes a brief look at the history of the scream queen with a more in depth look at the careers of Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens, and Michelle Bauer.

     I was very curious about this documentary and the three scream queens in question.  No one can question their contributions to the genre but I was really curious to see how this documentary would approach their careers.  As you can tell, this documentary is not about Scream Queens in general but about these three ladies, their careers, and how over the years they become overlooked by most casting calls but fans are still including them in their films.  The interviews we have are informative but mostly one sided.  The film's focus is around Quigley, Stevens, and Bauer so we mostly get personal accounts from them and some frequent collaborators.  However, these three were not the only "scream queens" working during this time.  Sure, they were the most well known and prevalent but there was so many others that could have been interviewed.  It would have been very interesting to hear their take on this era and working in the industry while these three were more active.  Also, there is a new wave of scream queens that could have been interviewed.  I'm sure they would have wonderful stories about being inspired by these three and which movies of theirs made them take up acting/modeling.  The topics discussed this one flows in a chronological order and is organized very well.  Some of the people being interviewed does go off topic a few times but the things they discuss is not that far away from their point.  The documentary is very tight and the director does a great job keeping everyone on topic.  Finally, the film is edited well.  The pacing is smooth and the transitions are nice. The sets are cheaply put together but no one is here to see the backgrounds.  Overall, Screaming in High Heels is a fun documentary.  The movie itself is not as good as some of the movies discussed but if you are looking for something you haven't seen yet I would highly recommend it especially if you are fans of these three lovely ladies.  The blu release is alright but the lack of supplemental material may make it difficult for fans to double dip.  

Kotoko

Director - Shin'ya Tsukamoto (Vital, Haze)
Starring - Cocco (Girl of the Sea, A Bride for Rip Van Winkle), Yuko Nakamura (Firefly, Strawberry Shortcakes), and Shin'ya Tsukamoto
Release Date - 2011
Genre - Drama/Horror
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Most people that know me on a personal level know about my childhood.  Honestly, my childhood was shit but everyone has their own cross to carry so to speak.  I had a horrible mother that left several times when I was younger and she left for good when I was 8.  I lived out of the real world and in the movies I watched and that love for film has, obviously, carried over to today.  I have two films left in the Solid Metal Nightmares set from Arrow Video.  Next on the chopping block is the 2011 film Kotoko which followed a struggling mother battling her own demons.  Knowing what the film was about prior to viewing made me nervous about tossing this one in.  

     The film follows a single mother doing her best to protect and provide for the child but her child's constant crying forces her into a mental breakdown.  She constantly dreams of the child being harmed at her own hand and soon sends the baby to live with her sister.  She visits occasionally as the child grows up but he is distant with her.  This sends her into depression and she attempts to stay secluded but an award winning author notices her and tries to give her life meaning.

     Honestly, I didn't know if this movie was going to make me uncomfortable considering but I was shocked by how well put together and heartfelt this film actually was.  It was a movie that hit hard but still left an impact on me.  The acting in this one is great. Cocco carried the entire film on her shoulders.  Her performance was intense at times and extremely powerful.  Honestly, I'm shocked at how small her imdb credits are after seeing this.  The supporting cast does a solid job as well but the focus of the is on Kotoko (Cocco).  The story for this one is real, grounded, and, for some, hits harder than others.  Being a single parent is one of the most difficult jobs on the planet but when you add mental health into the equation it becomes almost impossible.  That makes Kotoko a frustrating and anxiety inducing film but it still has power behind each scene.  You really feel for the character and find yourself pulled into the film scene after scene.  Finally, the film is not a bloody one, however, there is one extremely violent scene that has great practical effects.  I highly suggest you seeing it for yourself.  Overall, Kotoko is a must for fans of cinema.  The horror elements in this one is small but fans of good movies will want to check this one out for sure.  It's not my favorite in the set but it's damn near close.  Check  it out.  

Famine

Director - Ryan Nicholson (Gutterballs, Live Feed)
Starring - Beth Cantor (A Safe Place, The Switch), Christopher Patrick Donoghue (Wave, It's Confidential), and Nathan Durec (Star Vehicle, Hitman 101)
Release Date - 2011
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Tagline - "20 students. 20 hours. 20 horrible ways to die"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (Out of 5):

     After taking some time to watch a few movies from Wild Eye Releasing I decided it was time to have an Unearthed Films/Plotdigger Films double header.  I've been wanting to check out Gutterballs for several years now and Unearthed's release on blu presented the perfect opportunity to check it out.  After I gave that one a go I wanted to follow it up with another slasher from the late Ryan Nicholson, Famine.  This 2011 horror comedy is another one of his films that many horror fans had been requesting me to review.  I want to thank MVD and Unearthed for sending this one over for me to check out.
     The film begins with a prank on a teacher going horrible wrong and he is maimed with acid.  Those responsible think they got away with it but after a few years they decide to rekindle their old tradition of hosting a 24 hour famine at the school.  That's when things take a grisly turn when faculty and students alike start dying one by one at the hands of someone maniac wearing the school's mascot uniform.
     The hardcore fans of Nicholson that I know always talk about Famine being his best work.  Many proclaim Gutterballs their favorite but admit Famine is a far greater film.  Within the first five minutes it was evident that they were correct.  Famine was such a better movie in almost every aspect.  The acting in this one is leagues better than the previous film.  The cast is more comfortable in front of the camera and their chemistry works on screen.  The dialogue is a vast improvement over the other film as well.  You could actually listen to the interactions and not feel embarrassed for the cast.  Gutterballs is known for it's excessive use of "fuck."  Don't get me wrong, I say it multiple times a day and my employees are probably sick of it but I don't string out sentences with it to the point they absolutely don't make sense.  Here, we get dialogue that actually fits the story and doesn't make you want turn the film off.  The story for this one is classic slasher.  We follow a group as they are stalked and killed one by one by a masked slasher after they wronged someone.  You can't go wrong with this traditional formula and it works.  I really liked how the story unfolded and the humor worked very well.  I actually found myself laughing at this one.  Finally, this film has some very impressive and bloody kills.  Nicholson was known for his amazing kills and practical effects and this one only confirms what most of us already know.  The kills are highly entertaining and the practical effects are damn near flawless.  You truly have to see them to appreciate them.  Overall, Famine was more my speed.  It's a traditional slasher with Nicholson's flair and it works very well.  The blu looks great as well and will need to be added to your collection.  

Swamp Shark

Director - Griff Furst (Trailer Park Shark, Alligator Alley)
Starring - Kristy Swanson (Flowers in the Attic, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), D.B. Sweeney (Jericho, Fire in the Sky), and Robert Davi (The Goonies, Die Hard)
Release Date - 2011
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Tagline - "Fresh water.  Fresh meat"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     My shark marathon is almost to a close.  With gems like Ghost Shark, Mississippi River Shark, Ozark Sharks and Santa Jaws I figured the fun had ran its course and the remainder of the set would be extremely lackluster.  The second to last of the shark films is the 2011 Swamp Shark starring Kristy Swanson and D.B. Sweeney.  After watching movies like Ozark Sharks and Mississippi River Sharks I could only assume that this would once again pit people against sharks in an unlikely area.

    The film follows a restaurant older, her brother, and her sister who have a bar and a gator farm together as a tourist attraction.  With tourist season ramping up and a giant gator festival just around the corner something horrible happens.  The sheriff is part of an exotic animal trading ring and a rare shark was accidentally released into the swamp marshes.  The sheriff is secretly trying to catch it and refuses to warn people its loose.  The siblings lose their gators to the beast and partner with an undercover federal agent in order to stop it before the festival goers turn into chum.

     I went into this one not expecting much but was surprised how entertaining a movie could be when it literally spits the same story back at you that two other films had.  Swamp Shark was entertaining but does not deliver anything new for the viewer to digest.  The acting in this one is a pinch better than the other film in this set but still leave plenty of room for improvement.  The characters are entertaining at times but extremely flat.  The cast does their best in the scenes but their character is not much to work with.  The story for this one is literally the same as two previous film where we follow good people fighting sharks in an unusual area.  Aside from that, the film does not offer up anything different.  It's fun but nothing different.  Finally, this film is even more horrible CGI sharks and gore with no practical effects in sight.  The shark does look better than the other sharks in the previous films but nothing that stands out.  Overall, Swamp Shark is another entertaining but cheap shark film that doesn't give you anything new nor is it a waist of time.