The Half-Life Horror from Hell or Irradiated Satan Rocks the World!

Director - Mark Mackner (Evil Brew, Daisy Derkins: Dogsitter of the Damned)

Starring - Sarah French (Pretty Boy, Blind), Jimmy Snuka (WCW Monday Nitro, Queen City), and Christian Hess (Return to Sleepaway Camp)

Release Date - 2014

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Welcome to Personburg. PA! Where crime, corruption, incest, voodoo, Satan, and heavy metal reign supreme"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been lucky enough to review several films from indie filmmaker Mark Mackner over the years.  I started my journey through his films several years back when I snagged a copy of Daisy Derkins: Dogsitter of the Damned.  I enjoyed this one and kept an eye out for his other films.  Since then I've reviewed three more Daisy Derkins flicks which were hit or miss with me.  Sometime last year I found an Etsy shop selling blus of Mackner's 2014 horror comedy The Half-Life Horror from Hell or Irradiated Satan Rocks the World!  I snagged a copy for my collection and tossed it on my shelf where I forgot about it until recently.  A few weeks back I received an email from Mark asking to review that film which was streaming on Tubi.  I used this as the perfect excuse to finally crack open the blu release!

     The film follows a small town gripped in fear as a glowing monster starts attacking people out of nowhere.  As a small group looks into the the monster and where it came from, they learn of a conspiracy behind a cover up and it's ties to a mayor who is refusing to postpone a metal show.

     The Half-Life Horror from Hell or Irradiated Satan Rocks the World! is the kind of movie I can see myself getting behind but I couldn't.  There is several things I did like about the film but the negatives far outweighs the positives.  The acting in this one is exactly what you would expect from a no budget indie flick.  I'm not calling it bad, because it's far from it.  However, the cast does show a great deal of inexperience.  I did enjoy Sarah French's performance and a few others that pops up here and there but the overall film did lack experience and it showed.  This included the late Jimmy "Supafly" Snuka who was extremely stiff during his scenes.  Honestly, I would have loved to see him bring the energy and charisma he did when he was shooting his wrestling promos.  The story for this one is one I was fully behind.  At times it felt like a tribute to the atomic age monster movies of the 50s which I'm a huge fan of.  At other times it felt like a Troma film of the time which I'm also a fan of.  However, it was other times in the film that it felt like it forgot where the story was going.  A lot of the scenes are dialogue heavy, which I don't mind, but in this case they do very little to progress the story.  A lot could be trimmed off this one to help the tone and flow of the film.  Finally, those of you looking for a flick with a huge body count and gore will be disappointed.  We do have some cheap effects that fit the film very well but the few deaths we do get are not that imaginative or fun.  Overall, The Half-Life Horror from Hell or Irradiated Satan Rocks the World! is one that I really wanted to like but couldn't.  The story is something straight out of a wet dream of mine but the way it was done made it difficult to follow.  I seriously wanted to love it and couldn't.  It is currently on Tubi if you want to check it out for yourself.  

Drifter

Director - Joe Sherlock (Frames of Fear, Channel 99)

Starring - Dave Bowers (Blood Creek Woodsman), John Bowker (Beyond the Wall of Fear, Platoon of the Dead), and Sonya Davis (Death Pool, Vengeance for Chloe Darling)

Release Date - 2014

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The madness is coming..."

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I recently found myself having one of the wildest and entertaining marathons I’ve had in a while. Sometime back I came into contact with filmmaker Joe Sherlock. I had been friends with him on social media for a number of years but I had never seen any of the films he produced and directed under his label Skullface Astronaut. These are films I had heard about for sometime but I never had the opportunity to check them out until he slid into my messages when I made a post about my October horror binge. He was kind enough to send over a dozen or so of his films to review. I didn’t know where to start so I began with the first movie on the list and worked my way down in order in which he sent them. That meant I was watching Drifter first. I want to thank Joe for sending this one over. 

      The film follows a real estate agent who is tasked with selling a home with a horrible past. Known locally as Blood House, many refuse to see the home which has forced him to do some remodeling, cleaning, and other tactics in hopes of getting people to look passed it’s bleak history. However, he doesn’t know that a deranged drifter is squatting in the vacant home and everyone that finds their way inside meets a bloody end. 

      Drifter is one of those films that is so fucking simple that it pisses you off that you didn’t come up with the idea first. It works especially if you are into no budget indie flicks that doesn’t shy away from the blood and nudity. Most of you confuse liking a movie to comparing it to some of the best genre title to exist. You can like films and not compare them to films like Pumpkinhead and Night of the Demons. A no budget film is not going to have a same impact as a studio picture with a budget. However, they can still be enjoyable which is what the Drifter is. The acting in this one is solid but does have some room for improvement. The cast is very dedicated to their roles and it looks like they are having a lot of fun in front of the camera but inexperience is evident. The dialogue in some of the scenes are very awkward while the delivery is a bit unnatural. They are forcing the dialogue out instead of finding their character and performing. It doesn’t ruin the film but these scenes do lose some of their impact because of it. The story for this one is straight to the point and a little repetitive but I fucking loved it. It’s effective and works especially for a first time viewing. We have a drifter squatting in a house who kills repair men, cleaning ladies, teens looking for somewhere to party, and so on. It’s a simple set up for a body count but it does get a bit repetitive but what great slasher doesn’t? Finally, the film has several death scenes with some blood and light make-up effects but that is the extent of it. The kills fit the film very well but for those of you looking for detailed gore and awe inspiring effects will surely be disappointed. Overall, Drifter is for fans of indie horror or horror films with a lot of blood and nudity. I highly recommend it.

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones

Director - Christopher Landon (Freaky, Happy Death Day)

Starring - Andrew Jacobs (Lasso, The Wrong Boyfriend), Jorge Diaz (Arrested Development, American Carnage), and Gabrielle Walsh (Lucifer, The Flash)

Release Date - 2014

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "You're one of us now"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)(Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I finished Paranormal Activity 4 I was ready to take a deep dive into The Marked Ones. I was actually excited after seeing how story focused 4 was. I know 4 was far from perfect and still difficult to finish but it still had a solid story that I could get behind. However, as soon as I hit play on The Marked Ones I knew this one was going to be different in a good way. This was the film that the franchise needed and the movie they should have started with. 

      The film follows two friends who find themselves graduating high school and preparing for the real world when one of them finds themselves in possession of a camera. He starts recording everything and eventually records a former classmate running from his apartment building. Soon it’s revealed that a woman in the building was murdered and he had footage of the killer fleeing. They decide to break into her apartment when the police leave to investigate where they uncover more than they expected with one of them having a closer connection to the deceased than they realized. 

      The Marked Ones is one hell of a story that is able to pull off the found footage aspect while giving viewers something they can follow. The movie gives us an even deeper look into the coven and the first-born sons that was previously only mentioned in the films until 4. I really like this story especially now that it is being explored more. The acting in this one is probably the best in the franchise, at least up to this point. The characters are really likable, full of personality, and the cast does one hell of a job in their roles. The dialogue is a lot smoother than previous films and the awkward scenes are non-existent. The story for this one explores the blood cult and the first-born sons who are called the marked ones in this one. I absolutely love this and how it was approached. It gives us so many layers to the story that the first 3 films lacked while opening the door to the possibility of even more expansion in subsequent sequels. Finally, the film has some jump scares, a few visual effects, and that’s about the end of it. We might get a little blood but that’s it. Overall, The Marked Ones is the peak of the franchise and I seriously hope the follow up explores what was established here. Hopefully they learned a lesson and that genre fans don’t want to watch rich white people scream over pots and pans falling. I can recommend this one so check it out.

Alleluia

Director - Fabrice du Welz (Adoration, Vinyan)

Starring - Lola Duenas (Volver, The Sea Inside), Laurent Lucas (Raw, Rabid Dogs), and Helena Noguerra (Perfect Crimes, Heartbreaker)

Release Date - 2014

Genre - Horror/Romance

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I like to think that I have my finger on the pulse of horror but the truth is that so many genre title are released and go unnoticed.  A good bit are international titles but the same can be said about movies, especially indie productions, here in the states.  A few weeks ago Vinegar Syndrome announced the release of 2014's Alleluia from their partner label Music Box Selects.  I saw it was directed by Fabrice du Welz who also helmed Adoration which I reviewed a few weeks back.  This really caught my eye and I pulled the trigger on the pre-order.  I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed this one.  

     The film follows a woman who has a one-night stand with a man she met online.  However, he tries to stand her up before moving on to the next woman he can sucker.  She is able to track him down and her obsession for him soon takes over resulting in her killing any woman she finds him with.  The man, who also has a knack for killing to get what he wants, teams up with her to kill unsuspecting women for profit.  

     The slipcover for this release, along with Welz directing, was the selling points for the film.  I loved the bloody and gritty artwork along with the title.  However, I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did.  The acting in this one is great.  The entire film has a great cast that works so well together.  They feed off each others energy and match it on screen resulting in some emotionally intense scenes that honestly gave me chills.  The characters are a little difficult to follow at first but as the film progresses you find yourself getting pulled in by their insane performances.  The story for this one is said to be loosely inspired by the Lonely Hearts Killers from the 40s.  We follow a wayward couple who kill for cash and other means.  I can see the similarities to the LHK but I couldn't help but think about the iconic Vin Syn release of Psychos in Love.  That film also follows a killer couple but the oddball characters and comedy made it stand out a lot more than Alleluia did but the films serious tone and amazing cast made this serious story work.  It does have some slower scenes that doesn't seem to gather momentum until much later but it's nothing that takes way from the overall film.  Finally, this one doesn't shy away from blood.  We get several scenes with a good bit of blood with minimal practical effects.  It's not a gory one but the blood does flow pretty freely.  Overall, Alleluia was gruesome and intense at times and a slow one-sided romance at others.  It works well together but some of the scenes could be tweaked to fix the pacing.  

The Day of the Living Dead

Director - Thomas J. Churchill (The Amityville Harvest, Big Freaking Rat)

Starring - Natalie Victoria (Deadheads, Last Shift), Ray Capuana (Escape Under Pressure, Emerging Past), and Kevin Eugene Franklin (1000 Ways to Die, America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back)

Release Date - 2014

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "1957 Hollywood.  Glitz and glamour.  Blood and brains.  And Zombies"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm a huge fan of no budget zombie flicks.  In the world pre-The Walking Dead, I was obsessed with zombie flicks and slashers.  When I was in high school I remember snagging movies like Meat Market, Dead and Breakfast, Shaun of the Dead, Land of the Dead, and the Dawn of the Dead remake along with the classics like Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead.  Meat Market would be one that really stuck with me and I soon found myself searching for indie zombie flicks.  A good portion of the ones I found were no budget zombie flicks with a lot of heart.  The zombie sub-genre is a oversaturated once The Walking Dead become a pop culture phenomenon but I still find myself looking for them on occasion when I'm out and about shopping.  A few weeks ago I walking through Walmart when I spotted the blu for The Day of the Living Dead.  I rolled my eyes at the title but found myself pulled in by it.  I snagged it and decided to give it a spin when I had a chance.  After my recent Vinegar Syndrome marathon I decided I was in the mood for some indie zombie fun.

     The film follows an insurance investigator who is investigating a $13 million dollar claim against a cigarette manufacturer.  Several employees of the company became ill at the job and subsequently fired.  After interviewing several of them he discovers that they are infected and are slowly turning into the living dead.  However, by the time he discovers this it's too late and falls victim to one of them.  His wife and their assistant go searching for him but continue to run into dead ends until they come face to face with the undead as well.

     I was pretty excited to check out another zombie flick but it was evident early on that this one was not for me.  As I stated before, I love a good no budget zombie flick but this one was just a bit lazy.  I hate watching an indie horror flick and not liking it but this is one I just couldn't get into.  The acting in this one is surprisingly well done.  In fact, it's the only aspect of the film that was enjoyable.  The entire cast is brilliant from the film's protagonist to the director's cameo.  Everyone is absolutely amazing and deserving of praise.  The story for this one could have been a fun noir horror flick but it's messy, chaotic, and extremely dull.  Having an investigator searching for people only to find them as zombies could have been a pretty fun horror flick in all honestly.  However, the way it was shot and the extremely long scenes filled with mind-numbingly dull dialogue makes for a very tough watch.  Also, I have a hard time taking a film seriously that names a character George A. Lazarus.  I've seen characters named after horror icons countless times and each time I find it cringy.  Finally, the film has the typical zombie make-up effects and a few bite scenes here and there with minimal effects.  If you are looking for a bloody and gory zombie flick you will not find it here.  However, if a character driven zombie tale is more your speed then this one is for you.  Overall, The Day of the Living Dead was not what I was expecting.  The title should have been a dead giveaway as to how bad this one was going to be.  I'm a champion of indie cinema but this one is one of the toughest films to watch I've seen in awhile.  Skip it.  

Game of Thrones: Season Four

Creator(s) - David Benioff (Troy, 25th Hour) and D.B. Weiss (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia)

Starring - John Bradley (American Satan, Patient Zero), Maisi Williams (The New Mutants, The Owners), and Sophie Turner (X-Men: Dark Phoenix, X-Men: Apocalypse)

Release Date - 2014

Genre - Fantasy/Action

Tagline - "All men must die"

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

Rating (out of 5):

     I know some of you will read my review for the previous seasons and think that I didn't like them.  I very much enjoyed them but they just wasn't something that I would willing watch.  Those seasons are a little too political for my liking but season three was a departure from this and season four begins the pushing into some more interesting storyline featuring the Night's Watch and the wildlings.  Season three was a great jumping point with season four really diving deep into it.

     With Robb Stark dead and his northern forces crushed, Joffrey is able to find peace and marry.  However, he is poisoned in his wedding day and his brother is crowned king.  Another force that is pushing on the crown for kingship travels to Castle Black where they imprison the wildlings leader after they attacked the wall.  

     Each season has been improving over the last.  Season one was decent and season two improved but season three was really the turning point for me with season four really impressing me.  We are getting deeper and deeper into the Northern storyline which is something that has really interested me with this show.  The acting is exactly as the previous seasons.  Everyone really deserves recognition and all the characters, regardless if you like them or not, are fucking iconic by this point.  The story for this one is a beautiful continuation of the story set forth in the previous installments.  If features some great action sequences, heartbreak, happiness, and unexpected deaths.  It really does work and the entire political aspect is still there but it's not as the spearhead of the show like in previous seasons.  Finally, the series features plenty of blood and a few gory moments.  The effects look good but, much like previous seasons, it's nothing horror fans haven't seen before.  With that being said, the visual effects for the dragons are not the best.  I'm sure during half a decade ago they looked decent but they did not age well.  Overall, Season four is my favorite of the series so far and I can only see it going up from here.  The action sequences and story progression really made me a fan and this season is, without a doubt, the best I've seen yet.  I can't wait to see the next season.  

Evil Night

Director - Chris Seaver (Stoinky Beach, Death O'Lantern)

Starring - Josh Suire (The Weirdsies, Return to Blood Fark Lake), Meredith Host (Paranormal Investigation Agency, Moist Fury), and Marilyn Mayson 

Release Date - 2014

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "This nerd seeks revenge with the most dangerous weapon of all...HIS MIND!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     I know exactly how some of you will react when I review a movie.  It's almost funny how predictable most of you are.  When I write a review that's positive for a no budget flick I usually get trolls or horror hipsters coming out to bitch about my review saying shit like I was paid off for the review or I was part of the production.  I'm always honest in my reviews and if I like something then my review is going to reflect that.  Most of my reviews for indie filmmaker Chris Seaver are positive which is often criticized by some of you.  I like his sense of humor and the films are usually fun.  When I watched the 1992 S.O.V. slasher Evil Night recently I decided to follow up with Seaver's remake of the film.  This one was released in 2014 and I bought it around then on blu but never got around to watching it until now.  I have no idea why I waited because I believe this is my favorite Seaver flick to date.

     The film follows a science nerd who is often tormented by others his age including his sister.  When a prank goes wrong he finds himself hurt and a secret science experiement turned over on his body.  The bullies leave him there to die on his own but he awakens and his secret science experiment has given him special powers.  Now he is hellbent on getting revenge on those that wronged him.  

     The original Evil Night is a pretty solid S.O.V. flick but I was not expecting Seaver to deliver the film that he does here.  This is easily the most polished film I've seen from Seaver and one that I can see myself revisiting several more times before the year is up.  The acting in this one is what you would expect from Seaver and his productions.  The characters are all memorable with very unique personalities.  Most are from previous films of Seaver's and their characters are the same throughout those films.  They deliver plenty of laughs but here they don't overdo it.  They keep the story intact without making the scenes feel too goofy.  The story for this one is 100% the Seaver take on the original Evil Night story.  We get the laughs, dialogue, and hilarious set ups that fans can expect from Seaver but the story is still true to the original.  The premise of the nerd being bullied only to come back with a mask and kill those that wronged him is still very faithful to the original story.  Finally, the film has the funny deaths that Seaver is also known for.  The death scenes have plenty of laughs, plenty of blood, some boobs, and practical effects that are far from perfect but still delivers a few extra laughs.  Overall, Evil Night is the perfect example of what I love about indie cinema.  The movie doesn't take itself too seriously and delivers up plenty of laughs, story, and memorable performances.  It's a great fucking remake and en even better movie.  I highly suggest you give this one a chance.  

A Stoinkmare Before Christmas

Director - Chris Seaver (Evil Night, Ski Wolf)

Starring - Minty Dave, Alec Lambert (The VelociPastor, SexSquatch), and Heather Maxon (Evil Night, Death O'Lantern)

Release Date - 2014

Genre - Comedy/Sci-Fi/Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I know some of you are going to get your panties in a twist when you see that I reviewed a Christmas movie in the middle of October but I had to.  When I received the Stoinky Saga I decided to hold off on watching it until this month because the film features a Halloween themed segment.  However, I had to watch the Christmas short before it.  So, here I am watching and reviewing a Christmas short in October.  Shame on me.

     The film follows two young men who are struggling to find the Christmas spirit.  After some brainstorming they decide to create a hot elf to grant their wishes.  Things start out smoothly with her granting their wish for beer and longer dongs but when she starts to act strange they quickly realize that they fucked up.

     A Stoinkmare Before Christmas runs a little less than 20 minutes and you can clearly tell that it was a quick shoot with an idea they had.  It was fun but, unlike other films from Seaver, I don't see myself revisiting it any time soon.  The acting in this one is fun.  It consists of some familiar faces from the Warlock alumni.  They portray similar characters that they have in the passed and really have fun in their roles.  I always have fun watching these over the top characters.  The story for this one is a Christmas themed horror take on Weird Science.  It's fun and you can tell that Seaver and company spun this one out quickly. Flawed or not, I still really enjoyed it for what it was.  Finally, if you want blood you will be very disappointed.  The horror aspect is very light and the film focuses more on the characters and story than it does the deaths.  Overall, A Stoinkmare Before Christmas is not a perfect film and not a prime example of what a Chris Seaver flick is but it is fun and gives fans something else to enjoy.  It's flawed but fun.  

Unfriended

Director - Levan Gabriadze (Rezo, Yolki 2)

Starring - Heather Sossaman (NCIS, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Matthew Bohrer (Lucifer, Hipster Holocaust), and Courtney Halverson (True Detective, Ghost Whisperer)

Release Date - 2014

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "This April, revenge comes online"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was sent the press release for this set I was curious about checking out a few of the films listed.  There was only one film I wasn't looking forward to checking out but the others were movies I had been curious about for some time.  One of those movies was the 2014 new age found footage flick Unfriended.  The movie spawned a sequel and several more copy cat films trying to appeal to the young movie goers.  It looked goofy but I was excited to check it out.  Sadly, it was even goofier than I originally thought and one of the worst movies I had seen in a long time.  

     The film follows a group of high schoolers one year after one of their own killed herself after an embarrassing video went live.  Now, on the anniversary of her suicide someone has joined in on their group video call under her name.  One by one they are taken out of the call and eventually die.

    I was a little curious about this one but after actually seeing it now I have to say that it is one of the worst movie experiences I've sit through for sometime now.  The movie was cheap, lazy, and lacked almost every aspect that I hold dear about the horror genre.  I would be open to the sequel to this one but if I was ever tasked with watching this movie again or kicking my favorite child you better believe I'm punting my 2 year old across the living room.  The acting in this one is like nails on a chalk board.  Watching a group of teenagers try to impress each other on a video call is cringy to say the least but then watching those same teenagers try to act scared on a video call was extremely goofy.  The found footage inspired approach really made me want to turn it off in terms of the acting.  It was very unnatural.  The story for this one is super simple but the lack of content with this super simple story made it a pain to finish.  Watching people panic on webcam was a horrible experience.  Honestly, I liked what the story wanted to do but the execution was all wrong.  Finally, the film's only redeemable moments is the death scenes.  They were unintentionally funny but they did entertain.  The deaths are rather quick but I liked the way they looked.  Overall, Unfriended is a huge waste of time and I would almost bet that it's the low point of this set.  Skip it.  

Ouija

Director - Stiles White 

Starring - Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One, Bates Motel), Ana Coto (Can't Take It Back, Disconnected), and Daren Kagasoff (The Secret Life of an American Teenager, Stalker)

Release Date - 2014

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Keep telling yourself it's just a game"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     The Purge was a solid kick off to the Blumhouse Horrors 10 film blu set.  It's not the best movie but it is a fun watch to begin the month of October.  I don't see myself revisiting it anytime soon but it does set the mood for the month.  After watching it I went ahead and quickly tossed in the second film in the set which is the 2014 supernatural horror flick Ouija.  This film spawned several sequels, prequels, and copy cats over the years but it was one I had never seen until now.  

     The film follows a group of friends who recently lost a close friend.  She killed herself a few days after playing with an old Ouija board.  They suspect something more sinister is at play so they break out the same Ouija board that she used to see if they could find some answers.

     I went into this one pretty excited to see the film that started a pretty popular trend in horror.  Sadly, the movie was not what I was expecting and became one I wished I would have skipped.   The movie had a painfully dull story, very bland performances, and the atmosphere was lacking.  The movie just wasn't for me.  The acting in this one is very lackluster.  The characters are very cliched and unoriginal.  If you've seen a paranormal film from the last 20 years then you've seen these same characters.  No redeeming personalities and no performances to hold your attention can be found here.  The story for this one is interesting on paper.  People have an unnatural fear of the Ouija board so having a horror film set around it only made sense.  However, the entire film focused on the board and not enough around an actual set up.  The movie itself feels almost rushed and many of the scenes could be cut with no effect on the story.  Finally, the film is not a bloody one.  We get some visual effects that are solid but if you want some blood and gore you will be very disappointed.  Overall, Ouija is a pop horror flick for the pre-teens.  Honestly, with some editing, I could see it playing on Disney during October,  I do know that it will NOT be playing in my house again.  Skip it.  

Doll Factory

Director - Stephen Wolfe (Dracula's Coffin, 10/31 Part 2)
Starring - Justin Herman (Dracula's Coffin, Evil Deeds: Full Circle), Nicole Elliot (The Devil's Hand, Lars the Emo Kid), and Andy Palmer (Midnight Abyss, 10/31 Part 2)
Release Date - 2014
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Come play with us"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     My indie horror marathon continues!  The last few days has been spent watching a few Wild Eye releases.  Yesterday I posted my review for Bigfoot Blood Trap and it was not as positive as I would have hoped.  I love Wild Eye but I can't say that all their films sit well for me.  I followed that up with my review for Open Wound.  Though, the film was not horror in a traditional sense it was extremely entertaining.  In fact, I loved it way more than I was expecting.  I decided to follow that up with the 2014 Stephen Wolfe film Doll Factory.  Honestly, the artwork made me think I was going to be in for a bad time but I actually enjoyed this one.  So much so that after I watched it I decided to give it another spin.  It's not often I can re-watch a film that quick.  Thanks Wild Eye for sending this one over.

     The film follows a group of party goers on Halloween night that decide to break into an abandoned building to party.  The building they just happened to choose to party was once a doll factory that was the site of a heinous incident several decades earlier.  An evil man put the souls of his employees in the dolls and used the dolls to capture even more souls.  The local sheriff and a few others were able to stop him but now the party goers have awakened the evil man and his dolls once again dragging the elderly sheriff back into the carnage.  

     My 4 out of 5 rating should already tell you that I absolutely loved this fucking movie.  I started writing reviews so I could watch forgotten action and exploitation flicks from the 70s and 80s but before long my love of horror took back over.  I was reviewing anything and everything horror I could get my hands on.  Doll Factory is everything I love about indie horror.  We get a cheesy simple story, unforgettable characters, and locations that work for the story and budget.  In fact, if I didn't know this was a Wild Eye release I would have thought I was watching a Full Moon film.  The acting in this one works for the film.  Most indie productions take actors with very little on screen experience and try to have them deliver award winning performances which only makes most scenes with any sort of impact come across as unintentionally funny.  Doll Factory did not do that.  Instead, they take a cast willing to try and had them have fun with their characters.  This translates so much better on screen.  I loved the characters we were given and the cast does a great job with them.  The story for this one is simple, funny, and works if you like the Full Moon style doll films.  I was raised on Full Moon so I really appreciated what Wolfe and team did with the story.  I also liked the occult and supernatural spin thrown on the story as well.  The scenes are dialogue heavy but it adds some humor to the film as well and works.  I also liked the look of the film.  It once again reminded me heavily of the Full Moon films we've been given the last decade or so.  Finally, this film caught me off guard within the first few minutes with some great practical effects and we get it the remainder of the film.  The blood and effects look fucking fantastic which really adds another level of enjoyment to an already entertaining film.  Overall, Doll Factory is fun.  Simple as that.  I really enjoyed myself and now I feel like I need to search for some other works from Stephen Wolfe.  He has the same eye for horror as I do and I can't wait to see more from this extremely talented filmmaker.  Check it out now on DVD from Wild Eye.  

Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies

Director - Cody Knotts (Breeding Farm, Lucifer's Unholy Desire)
Starring - Shane Douglas (ECW, WCW), Matt Hardy (ECW, WWE), and Roddy Piper (They Live, Hell Comes to Frogtown)
Release Date - 2014
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Good old American violence"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've collected Troma releases for a long ass time.  Hell, I've collected Troma releases for as long as I've collected movies in general.  I've been a huge fan of Troma for about two decades now and in that time I've seen a fair bit of their releases.  Some of these releases I've loved but there has been some that I just didn't care for.  After I watched the amazing Victor Goodview I decided to toss in another Troma release.  Several years back I picked up the 2014 zombie flick Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies from the Troma table at Cinema Wasteland.  I've wanted to check this one out for some time but never found the time to check it out.  That changed recently after I was riding the Vincent Goodview high.

     The film begins with professional wrestler The Franchise Shane Douglas performing a piledriver on another wrestler.  The other wrestler botches the moves which results in his death.  The slain wrestlers brother practices black magic and uses this to summon an evil horde of zombies to kill Shane and any other wrestlers that stands in his way.  

     I was extremely excited for this release.  I'm not a fan of current professional wrestling but I grew up during the Monday night wars and fucking loved it so it was cool seeing so many familiar faces in this low budget zombie flick.  However, this movie failed and failed hard.  In fact, I would compare it to the recent Death House film where the movie spent more time filming cameos than it did developing story.  The acting in this one is pretty rough.  I've seen hundreds of no budget backyard horror flicks over the years with casts that have no experience.  I've seen bad acting but this one is up there with some of the worst acting I've seen.  Even the late and highly entertaining Rowdy Roddy Piper felt underwhelming.  Maybe the director was intimidated by the cast or the cast, which consisted of mostly professional wrestlers, and allowed them to shoot their scenes in a shoot interview type manner rather than acting.  I don't know but I do know that most of the scenes are awkward to watch.  The story for this one is interesting enough but the movie is so choppy and inconsistent that you can't enjoy it.  I loved the hostile brother summoning zombies to kill ECW's Shane Douglas BUT it seems like the story takes the back seat while we get these scenes of the wrestlers fighting zombies randomly thrown at us.  It's almost as if these scenes are tossed together just to have something on film while the talent was available.  They somewhat fit the story but at the time time they really don't.  The movie feels rushed and the story doesn't reach it's full potential.  Finally, the film doesn't shy away from the blood and gore.  The practical effects are very inconsistent.  Some are extremely awesome and left me a little shocked while others were very underwhelming.  Overall, Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies was a big let down for me.  It was awesome seeing some of the wrestlers I grew up watching like Matt Hardy, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Rowdy Roddy Piper, and The Franchise Shane Douglas but the film fails to pull them all together in a coherent and entertaining story.  This is one of the few films to carry the Troma name that I cannot recommend.  Skip it.  

Pickaxe

Director - Jeremy Sumrall (Possum Walk, Stay With Me)
Starring - A. Michael Baldwin (Phantasm, Kenny & Company), Perry Batson (Round), and Tiffany Shepis (Terror Firmer, Scarecrow)
Release Date - 2014, 2019
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "An urban legend reborn"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     A week or so ago another writer here at Horror Society reviewed the new slasher from Wild Eye Releasing.  The slasher, Pickaxe, went into production in 2014 under the title of The Pickaxe Murders Part III: The Final Chapter.  The film was the center of attention in several of the numerous horror groups out there in Facebook land at that time but soon news of the film stopped popping up and the film was forgotten.  Fast forward to now and the film has just hit DVD through Wild Eye Releasing.  One of the writers here on the site got the film and checked it out.  He didn't care for the film but once the review was posted I was tagged by several social media friends.  That's what I like about Michael.  We both love horror but we view it so differently.  He enjoys the more well shot and thought out horror films while I go for the raunchy, trashy, and filthy no budget trashterpieces.  I stand by this author's opinion, however, I wanted to form my own after several people tagged me thinking the review was my own.    Wild Eye had sent me the film a few weeks back so I just went ahead and tossed it in.  

     The film begins with a young couple walking in the woods searching for famed slasher Alex Black's magical medalian so they can bring him back...or find fortune.  When he finds it he is promptly murdered by his very gorgeous and very nude girlfriend.  We then move to a group of teens driving through as they make their way to a concert.  They pick up some hitchhikers as they head to a cabin owned by the family of one of them.   While the sheriff searches for the missing couple we learn that Adrienne (Shepis) is the sole survivor of  the Alex Black massacre and suspects he is the one behind the disappearance.  No one believes her and soon one by one they go missing as Alex hacks his way through the small town.

     I didn't know what to expect when I tossed this one in.  I saw how negatively several of you took the other's writer's review so I assumed it had some decent moments but a part of me, the asshole gene is what my wife calls it, wanted me to hate it just so I could ruffle some feathers like his review did but I liked it.  It was far from perfect and I don't see myself revisiting it anytime soon but it was fun for what it was worth.  The movie has several laughs, some jokes that fall flat, plenty of nudity, and some solids kills.  Also, I'm so glad the title was changed.  We already have a Dude Bro Party Massacre III and we don't need another in our collections.  The acting in this one is decent at times but several of the scenes were a little awkward to watch.  The cast is committed to their roles but their delivery at times was forced which made the scene a little uncomfortable.  With that being said, the characters are not that likable.  I really wanted to see Alex Black just rip and tear through them all in true slasher fashion.  I don't know if I need therapy or what but these characters just really got under my skin.  Even the nerdy little brother that the viewer is supposed to rally behind (similar to Mark in Friday the 13th Part II) is difficult to like.  The story for this one channels everything you love about 80s slashers and throws it at you hoping it sticks.  We get boobs, blood, an unstoppable slasher, a small town sheriff trying to piece everything together, and shitty teenagers just asking to get a foot broke off in their ass.  The movie has a solid pacing but some of the scenes, as stated earlier, is full of boring dialogue and awkward acting which does make it a struggle at times to march on through.  Finally, those looking for a brutal slasher will find what they are looking for with this one.  We get some solid kills with great practical effects.  There films does a great job with the budget they have and offer up some very slasher inspired kills.  Overall, Pickaxe is the sleazy slasher you need in your life.  The acting may not be the best but the boobs, carnage, and drunken Tiffany Shepis is enough to make it worth a watch.  

Annabelle

 



Director - John R. Leonetti (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, The Butterfly Effect 2)
Starring - Annabelle Wallis (X-Men: First Class, The Mummy), Ward Horton (The Wolf of Wall Street, Fringe), and Tony Amendola (Castlevania, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights)
Release Date - 2014
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Before The Conjuring, there was Annabelle"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     Several years ago I remember seeing a trailer for The Conjuring and thought it looked cool.  My wife, not so much.  She's not a horror fan and it took a lot of begging and pleading but I was able to convince her to go see the movie in theaters.  We went one night and we both fucking loved the movie.  We were not alone.  Many horror pages and groups on social media talked about the film the following weeks and soon the possessed doll, Annabelle, became a horror icon.  It wasn't long before a spin off centered around the supernatural doll was announced.  Soon a trailer was released and I have to say I had no interest in checking it out.  I skipped it but didn't miss The Conjuring 2 when it was released.  With Annabelle Comes Home hitting shelves soon I thought I would finally check out this spin off series.

     The film follows a young married couple who is expecting their first born child.  One night they hear a scream next door and John (Horton) rushes to check on their neighbors while leaving the very pregnant Mia (Wallis) alone.  Mia is then attacked by her neighbors killers who was actually their estranged daughter and boyfriend who are part of a cult.  Her boyfriend stabs Mia while Annabelle, the neighbor's daughter, kills herself in the nursery.  The police kill the boyfriend and Mia is transported to the hospital where the doctor confirms that both her and the baby are doing fine.  Things take dark turn when Mia starts to suspect something sinister is in their home and it's centered around the doll Annabelle was holding when she died.  She removes the doll from the home and soon after the house catches fire forcing Mia to go into labor.  We jump forward sometime and Mia, John, and baby are doing fine but something dark has followed them to their new apartment and the Annabelle dolls reappears.  They seek help from their local church but he is unable to stop the evil forces that must now claim a soul before it will stop.

     The trailer for this one painted a very boring and drab supernatural horror film full of jump scares and a predictable story.  After watching the film I can safely say that is exactly what it is.  The acting in this one is surprisingly great.  The entire cast is awesome and I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed these characters. The film's leads, Wallis and Horton, are fantastic together and their chemistry is unmatched on screen.  The cast in this is one of the few redeeming qualities.  The story for this one has a few interesting things but the movie mostly falls apart when it gets going.  I really enjoyed the cult angle of this and how the doll becomes possessed.  This was very interesting and works for the time period the film takes place.  Sadly, this is underutilized and the movie focuses way too much time on the family being haunted.  This runs it's course fairly early in the film which makes it a chore to finish.  The movie is a painfully slow moving one with a predictable story and repetitive jump scares.  Finally, this one doesn't shy away from the blood.  We get plenty of it but the body count is not that high.  The practical effects are great for what we get but the CGI is extremely noticeable.  Overall, Annabelle had some big shoes to fill and it couldn't do the job.  The movie has some interesting ideas but fails to pull it all together for something fun.  Skip it.