Suzzanna: The Queen of Black Magic

Director - David Gregory (One-Way Ticket to the Other Side, Taste the Blood of Martin)

Starring - Clift Sangra (Suzzanna: Buried Alive, Suzzanna: Witchcraft), Joko Anwar (Reunion Z, Macabre), and Gope T. Samtani (Ghost in the Cell, Smothered)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The mysterious true story of Indonesia's iconic horror star"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I don't know why the set is packed in the order that it was but I'm too lazy to take the time to see what order the films in the Suzzanna: Empress of Darkness were released.  Instead, I'm just pulling then out one by one with the fourth film being the 2024 documentary Suzzanna: The Queen of Black Magic which should not be confused with the 1981 film The Queen of Black Magic starring Suzzanna herself.  Honestly, I was kind of excited to check out the doc so I could learn more about this Indonesian horror legend that I had never heard of before.

     The film explores the early works and extrordinary career of Indonesia's biggest horror star, Suzzanna.  

     The legend of Suzzanna is one that I find extremey underrated especially after watching this documentary.  I never realized just how prolific and incrimental her films were to not only the horror community in Indonesia, but also, the Indonesian movie industry in general.  The interviews in this one range from family friends, acquantices, fans, and those inspired by her work to pursue film.  We get a wide range of interviews with an even wider range of backgrounds and connections to the legend.  The topics discussed range from her life before her iconic career to her career, her hiatus from filming, and then her reemergence as on of the biggest horror icons in the country.  They are in chronoligical order and carry a lot of information.  Finally, the film is very well editing and pieced together.  The transitions are not overwhelming and work great for the type of documentary that they are going for.  Overall, Suzzanna: The Queen of Black Magic is the movie that I wish I had watched first when I started checking out this set.  It's very informative and really opened my eyes as to how important Suzzanna is to horror history.  I highly recommend it.  

Protanopia

Director - Matthew Mahler (What Jack Built, Vault)

Starring - Timothy J. Cox (Creatures of Habit, Friends Forever), Anthony Carey (The Scream of Silence), and Paula Mahler (Dark Romance)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Have you seen this girl?"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been fortunate enough to review some wild indie titles over the years here at Horror Society.  I get asked to review a lot of films and some are memorable while others are just not for me.  I hate to be negative but I can't like them all and I refuse to lie or be dishonest in my reviews.  A few weeks ago I was asked to review the indie horror film Protanopia.  I knew absolutely nothing about this one but the title did peak my interest.  I had no idea what it meant at the time which made my mind work overtime thinking about what I was about to see.  I want to thank actor Timothy J. Cox for sending this one over for review.  I truly appreciate it!

     The film follows a young man who suspects his step-sister is missing.  He files a missing person report but the police tell him that typically this sort of thing sorts itself out.  In the town over, a man has just inherited his father's home after his passing and took over as president on the council.  The other board members want to search his property and the surrounding area but he declines to let them out of fear something may happen.  That night he has a dream about his father and when he awakens he starts to suspect that something strange is going on with his home.  While he is becoming obsessed with his home, the step-brother is starting to receive visits from someone instructing him to write his next novel.  Eventually, everything is connected and revealed to the two.

     When I started writing this review for Protanopia I learned that it is the name for those that have red/green colorblindness.  Honestly, I have no idea how that really played into the story itself but it does somewhat fit considering how heaving on the colors the lighting was.  I went into this one kind of excited and was quickly ready for it to end.  It's not a bad movie per sei but it wasn't for me.  The acting in this one is solid with Timothy J. Cox doing most of the heavy lifting.  I'm not just saying that because he sent this one over for review.  I'm saying it because his performance is head and shoulders above the rest which is truly saying something considering everyone does a a solid job.  The characters are not all written equally with some having more time spent on their development.  This doesn't give everyone a lot to work with but the performances we do have are decent.  The story for this one is simple with an experimental/arthouse vibe to it.  A missing woman, a man seeing ghosts, and a stranger telling a writer to write is about the extent of this one.  We have a lot of bloated scenes that do very little to progress the story along and the beautiful lighting and cinematography is meant to enhance the film but is unable to truly do so due to the stale story.  Finally, the film doesn't have any memorable deaths and or practical effects.  It relies heavily on the on the lighting to do all the work which it is beautiful to look at but genre fans want to see the red stuff.  Overall, Protanopia is not for me.  The story didn't go anywhere and it didn't have anything to really hold the viewer's attention.  I did like the cast but that is the extent of it for me. 

The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee

Director - Jon Spira (Lexx, Dust)

Starring - Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy, John Wick: Chapter 2), Harriet Walter (The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns, Doctor Who), and Juan Aneiros 

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Documentary

Tagline - "Every actor has to make terrible films from time to time... the trick is never be terrible in them"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love the documentaries that many of the Severin box sets contain.  They are often insightful, very well put together, and really bring a new layer to these sets that Severin puts a lot of time and energy into.  I recently worked through the Exorcismo set and the documentary that accompanied that release really set the stage for what I was about to see.  I was really looking forward to the Christopher Lee documentary that was included in the Eurocrypt of Christopher Lee Volume 3.  I'm a huge fan of Lee's and was really looking forward to learning more about his life and legendary career.  

     The documentary follows the early life and career of Lee from his noble bloodline to struggling finding work on the stage.  We see all this through film historians, relatives, and those that were lucky enough to work with him during his lengthy and legendary career.  

     I went into this one very excited to check it out but found myself really struggling with the way it was shot.  Documentaries are a powerful form of cinema when done correctly but some filmmakers want to experiment in ways that makes their documentaries stand out while still delivering on the topic at hand.  The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee is a unique documentary that had some things I liked but a lot that I didn't.  The interviews in this one features a wide range of people from different backgrounds.  We have legendary filmmakers, actors, producers, long time friends, relatives, and so on that give a great deal of insight into his life and career.  The topics discussed was very informative and enlightening at first but as the film progressed we started getting into the more common knowledge about Lee.  Finally, the documentary is very well put together but I absolutely hated the narration.  The voice actor did not sound anything like Christopher Lee and the puppet randomly cutting into each scene was extremely nerve wracking.  I have no idea why this was added but it absolutely ruined what could have been a fantastic doc about a true icon.  Overall, The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee is a documentary that has great interviews and discuses a great deal of Lee's personal and professional life.  Sadly, the narration and puppet/animation was a scene killer in my opinion.  It took away from what would have been a fantastic documentary.  Skip it.  

Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada "S"

Director - Alberto Sedano (The Land of All Demons)

Starring - Jose Luis Alcaine (Twisted Obsession, Star Knight), Mery Cuesta (Spanish Noir), and Jose Maria Cunilles (Hell of the Living Dead, Scalps)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Documentary

Tagline - "Narrated by Iggy Pop"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I rarely get to review documentaries anymore but this year I've been fortunate enough to review two.  Just a few days ago I was asked to review The Last Sacrifice by my friends over at Shudder.  It was a fun documentary that explored the connection between an infamous murder in the 1940s that many suspected to be a ritualistic killing to the pagan horror films that followed in the coming decades.  The next documentary is from my friends over at Severin Films.  They recently sent over the Exorcismo box set for review which consists of several Spanish titles from the mid to late 70s.  However, the first film in the set is the 2024 documentary Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada "S."  I decided to start the set with this before I took the dive into the films.

     The documentary explores cinema that followed in the wake of the death of Spain's Franco who was the dictator at the time.  Cinema, like many other aspects of life, was heavily censored.  However, following his death, there was a surge of boundary pushing films, at least for the time, that earned them the newly formed "S' classification.  

     I know absolutely nothing about the Spanish censorship under the rule of Franco nor do I know anything about the "S" rated films.  However, this documentary does a solid job at explaining all this to cinema fans who are curious.  This documentary gives the viewer a lot of information but the subject is something many may not be interested in.  The interviews in this one consists of many filmmakers, actors, actresses, producers, and historians who either lived through the events discussed or done a tremendous amount of research into the matter.  The filmmakers did a wonderful job at researching these individuals.  The topics discussed in this documentary are very informative and the film does a great job at approaching the from a chronological standpoint.  We go from just before the passing of Franco and how the films of the time were censored by the government to his death and the eventual laxing of the censors.  I would have liked to see a little insight on how other countries were dealing with their films internationally with these rules in place from Spain but I understand what the point of the doc was.  Finally, the film has some great editing and transitions that makes it flow very nicely.  It doesn't bring out anything memorable or noteworthy.  Instead, opting to give viewers a well rounded doc with no flair.  Overall, Exorcismo: The Transgressive Legacy of Clasificada "S" is a documentary that not many film fans are going to go out of their way to watch which is a shame.  It offers up a lot of insight to the films of the era and why Spain wasn't really known for ground breaking cinema at that time.  However, adding it to this collection is a great way to educate fans on the matter.  Check it out.  

The Last Sacrifice

Director - Rupert Russell (Freedom of the Wolf, How the World Went Mad)

Starring - Geraldine Beskin (The Death and Resurrection Show, Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror), Gavin Bone (Forbidden History, Wicca Reincarnate), and Janet Farrar (Ancient Mysteries, The Occult Experience)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Documentary/Crime

Tagline - "Valentine's Day 1945.  A ritual murder in rural Britain.  A new horror is born"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've reviewed a lot of documentaries over the years and while I did enjoy a good portion of them, none of them really wow'd me.  With that being said, I've seen some really good documentaries over the years covering a variety of topics ranging from unsolved murders, serial killers, cryptids, aliens and UFOs, and horror legends.  I'm a sucker for documentaries and jumped at the opportunity to check out The Last Sacrifice when Shudder sent me a link to check it out.  I want to thank them for allowing Horror Society and myself the opportunity to check this one out!

     The documentary covers a murder of a farm hand in Britain in the early 1940s that many locals believed to be part of a ritualistic sacrifice by a coven of witches.  A legendary detective was sent down from Scotland Yard but was unable to penetrate the locals who refused to cooperate.  This would inspire several pagan and folk horror tales over the years.  The documentary then takes a deeper look into witch cults and covens around Britain that popped up during the love and peace era.  

       The Last Sacrifice is a documentary that doesn't really look like any other documentary that I had seen before.  It didn't wow me like I had hoped for but it's one of the more unique documentaries that I've been fortunate enough to review.  The interviews in this one consists of mostly historians and those that have spent most of their time to investigate the folklore, history, and legends of the area ranging from the witch trials to present day.  They seem to know a lot about witches in the area, ritualistic murders over the years, and how this one in particular spawned a bevvy of folk horror films in the coming decades.  The topics discussed fit the film very well and work from one subject to another.  As an American, I knew Britain had their own witch trials but I had no idea that witches and magic was so steeped into their lore and legends.  It was very informative in that regard but I wasn't really a fan of all the old footage used.  I would have preferred to see the people being interviewed as they discussed each subject rather than the old Hammer footage and so forth.  While it did make the documentary feel unique and different, it made it a bit dull and sometimes confusing.  Finally, the film is put together very well.  The editing is damn near perfect and this doc is unlike any I had seen before.  It is visually pleasing and fantastic in that regard.  Overall, The Last Sacrifice is an interesting true crime documentary that explores a murder from over 80s years ago and the impact it would have on our beloved genres, as well as, the history the country has involving witches.  I highly recommend checking it out!

He's Watching You

Director - Jordon Foss (Knightmare: Man or Bat, Static + Cling)

Starring - Jan Luis Castellanos (Uglies, Saint Clare), Tiana Le (Big Shot, No Good Nick), and Elizabeth Yu (Womb, Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Slashers have always been my favorite sub-genre once I found myself fully embracing horror.  Zombies are damn near close but slashers has and always will have my heart.  I prefer the slasher of the early to mid 80s but I'm always open to any slasher regardless of when it was made or what it was about.  Several weeks back I started receiving press releases for the 2024 slasher He's Watching You which was making it's VOD debut.  I shared it on the site and the press release that followed.  I found myself really interested in the film after watching the trailer that accompanied the press release so I reached out to them for a screener link and they were kind enough to send one over!

     The story for this one follows a high school journalist who finds his sleepy small town the center of a murderer known as The Pill who is targeting other youths from the area.  While doing some investigating on his own he uncovers a collection of VHS which could lead him to uncovering the killer's identity.  

     He's Watching You looked like an interesting slasher that would fully embrace the modern tropes... and I was wrong.  Instead, it was a slasher that borrowed heavily from 80s slashers while keeping a modern look and feel.  I respect the hell out of it for that but the unlikable characters and weak slasher makes it one that I couldn't really get into.  The acting in this one is solid.  The characters are painfully generic and the dialogue is very campy but the cast does a decent enough job with what they were given.  I was hoping that some of the characters in the film would have memorable personalities or would offer up something unforgettable but they all blend into the background.  I get that everyone is written into the film to be murdered but having them all be one dimensional made the film a bit dull.  The story for this one had some things I liked and a lot of things that I didn't.  As I stated earlier, the characters are poorly written and offer up very little entertainment.  With that being said, I did like the VHS angle and how the film feels like a slasher on campus horror film that was popular in the late 80s.  Sadly, it doesn't really take hold like I would have liked resulting in a predictable experience that just doesn't have the suspense or tension that most modern slashers have. Finally, the film has several deaths that feature some solid practical effects but they were unimaginable and not that graphic.  I was expecting a lot from the kills with this one and was let down by them.  The effects work and the kills fit a slasher tale but they are easily forgettable.  Overall, He's Watching You is a slasher that is painfully the middle of the road.  It's easily forgettable and offers up very little for the viewer.  This type of generic slasher is what I like to call Walmart Horror.  It's not bad but it's not that great either.  Skip it.  

Infinite Summer

Director - Miquel Llanso (Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway, Here Come the Problems)

Starring - Teele Kaljuvee-O'Brock (Popcorn Prologue, Eyes that Stare Too Long), Johanna-Aurelia Rosin (Free Money), and Hannah Gross (Joker, Mindhunter)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Sci-Fi

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (Out of 5):

     I love weird movies.  I can remember watching odd sci-fi and horror titles when I was younger with my grandmother.  I would spend a lot of time with her while my dad was out of town and we would watch any thing we could find on local access, Sci-Fi Channel, and so on.  We watched a lot of MonsterVision, USA Up All Night, and the like.  She loved to experience a movie and I think I've grown into that same mentality when it comes to movies.  I may not like all the movies I watch but I always enjoy the experience especially if they are a bit weird.  A few weeks back I received a copy of Infinite Summer on DVD for review.  This was strange in itself as I had to pay for postage when I picked it up from the post office which I have never had to do before.  The movie looked interesting enough so I added it to my watch list.

     The film follows a young woman who tries a virtual dating app and meets a strange man who appears at her home, unwelcomed, in the middle of the night with a weird mask that is supposed to help her meditate.  Her friends warn her about trying it but she does anyway.  After using it she learns that her two friends tried it after her and are addicted to it.  As she further explores the meditation app and why her friends are so addicted, she learns from two federal agents that the man is sneaking drugs into his home made masks.

     I had received a press release for this one sometime back so I knew that it was going to be a mind trip type of story but it wasn't as trippy as I had expected.  In fact, it wasn't really that trippy.  It had an odd story but it was nowhere near as wild and strange as the artwork and trailer painted.  The acting in this one is very uneven.  The cast isn't bad but the characters are very unlikable.  We have some awkward scenes with stiff dialogue but I blame that on the writing.  The story for this one could have been a lot more enjoyable if it would have embraced the strange trippy aspects of the story.  Instead, what we have is a virtual reality inspired sci-fi flick that isn't very original.  I would have loved if the film focused more on the virtual reality around the meditation app rather than it does the drug aspect.  Finally, the film has a lot of visual effects that look surprisingly well done.  They do stand out but that is is the point of these visuals.  The film doesn't have any of the red stuff that we would like to see but we have a ton of visuals.  Overall, Infinite Summer was not what I was expecting.  Honestly, it was a bit dull for the most part that does not fully explore the part of the film that is the most interesting.  I wanted to like this one but it wasn't for me.  Skip it.  

The Geechee Witch: A Boo Hag Story

Director - Jeremiah Kipp (Slapface, The Mortuary Assistant)

Starring - Typhena Wade (Secrets of an Influencer, One Night Stand Murder), Nikelola Balogun (Disco Inferno, Time Stamp), and Stephen Cofield Jr. (Terrifier 3, Harlem)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Tubi)

Rating (out of 5):

     Social media is a valuable resource for genre fans.  I love indie productions and often look through Instagram tags and indie movie groups for movies that I've never seen before.  I've found several fantastic movies that way.  A few weeks ago I was looking through an indie horror group when I found a post for Jeremiah Kipp's folk horror film The Geechee Witch: A Boo Hag Story.  I grew up in southern Appalachia and had heard stories about boo hags but I wasn't too familiar with them so the film really peaked me interest.  It was shared in that same post that the film was now streaming on Tubi.  I absolutely love Tubi and how they give indie films such a big voice.  I added it to my watchlist and as soon as I could I hit play on it!

     The film follows a couple, Leah (Wade) and Asa (Cofield), who return to Asa's childhood home after the unexpected death of his mother.  Asa's father is leaving his family land with plans of leaving it to Asa and his wife.  However, a fresh start for the couple isn't exactly how it seems.  Leah becomes haunted by visions, fainting spells, and night terrors.  She soon learns about a local hoodoo legend and suspects that Asa's mom was cursed which was why she died unexpectedly and now she is cursed as well.  Asa, who grew up in the area and knows almost all of the locals, doesn't believe her which caused a strain on the two until tensions come to a boil.

     As I stated earlier, I went into this one with a vague idea of what a boo hag is and this movie didn't really deliver on the preconceived notions as to what I thought a boo hag was.  I always thought a boo hag was a cross between a witch and a vampire that would crawl out of their skin at night and slowly drain the life/steal the breath of people as they slept.  The area where I grew up in Appalachia called them haints or blue ghosts.  The Geechee Witch doesn't really follow the idea of what I thought a boo hag was but still delivered a solid hoodoo/voodoo story with steep southern lore.  The acting in this one is the film highlight.  The characters are fairly generic and flat but the cast does the best with what they had.  Their performances are very grounded and show a wide range of emotions.  Honestly, I feel like this story wouldn't have been as enjoyable if anyone else took over these roles.  The story for this one starts out fine and turns into a slow burn with a lot of great hoodoo and southern lore scattered throughout but the last leg of the film falls apart.  I loved the long burn the film tries to establish with the wife being cursed and how it tied to the late mother.  However, the story becomes painfully dull before the big reveal.  The last leg is very uneventful for the most part and the viewer finds themselves tuned out by the hour mark.  The movie has some serious writing and editing issues.  Finally, the film is not a bloody or gory flick.  I liked the look of the "witch" and we get some light make-up effects but that is the extent of the red stuff.  Overall, The Geechee Witch: A Boo Hag Story is not a bad movie.  Hell, I even enjoyed it but it's not without it's faults.  It is a bit tough to finish once you hit the hour mark but if you stick with it you will enjoy it.  Check it out.  

Phil Herman's Unearthed

Director(s) - Derek Braasch (Torture the Flesh, The Ties that Bind), Will Devokees (Morbid Stories, Macabre Medicine), Marcelo Fabani (I Slay on Christmas, Doomsday Stories), Phil Herman (Burglar from Hell, Jacker), Christopher Kahler (Around Midnight, Hobo with a Trash Can), and James Panetta (Death From Beyond, Death in the Dark)

Starring - Butch Patrick (The Munsters, Bite School), Tina Krause (Bloodletting, Side Effects May Vary), and Tiffany Helm (Friday the 13th: A New Beginning, 13 Fanboy)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I find myself bitching and moaning with every horror anthology that I review about how almost every indie anthology lacks a wraparound segment that ties everything together.  Most of these anthologies are just shorts that role from one segment to the next with no reasoning behind it.  I know it's no easy task to make a movie especially when you have zero budget and using the bare essentials in regards to equipment but an anthology without a segment to bookend everything is not an anthology in my eyes.  A few weeks ago I was speaking with director and producer Phil Herman about a few of his projects that I was sharing on the site when he offered me two of his most recent films to review.  One of them just happened to be an anthology film simply titles Phil Herman's Unearthed.  The title intrigued me some but it the was film's poster that really made me curious about the film.  I want to thank Phil for sending this one over for review!

     The film follows an unfortunate character named Doom (Christopher Kahler) who is doing a bit of graverobbing when he finds an old book.  He takes us back to his humble abode where he begins reading us tales from inside which range from a detective who may have locked up an innocent man, a young bride and her father in law searching for her missing husband, and a woman who suspects her home might be haunted.

     Phil Herman's Unearthed is a movie that I couldn't get behind but it does do a few things right.  I went into this one a bit excited but the overall movie did nothing for me but I there was a few things that really impressed me.  The acting in this one is very uneven.  Some of the segments features some solid performances while others are inconsistent.  I don't know if this is a reflection of the direction or inexperience but each scene within each segment does vary.  I would like to add that it was awesome seeing Tiffany Helm from A New Beginning with a small role.  I would have loved to see her utilized more but it was still cool to see her even if the role was small.  The stories for this one is not what I was expecting.  The segment used as the wraparound segment was my favorite part of the film.  The character that is reading from the old book, similar to From a Whisper to a Scream, was a lot of fun.  It was a solid segment that pulled everything together very nicely.  The other segments were very hit or miss with me.  The one with the husband who was abducted by aliens was probably my favorite of the film but it was far from perfect.  This story had a lot of promise and I'm a huge fan of Kristina Santiago but it failed to really go somewhere worth noting.  The other three segments were very predictable and not that interesting.  I thought the short with the woman seeking help with her home was going to be a lot more fun than it actually was but it was extremely dull and slow paced.  Finally, the film features a wide array of effects.  We have some make-up effects that look fairly decent to some visual effects that do look cheap.  While the film was not as bloody as gory as I would have liked, the make-up effects were impressive.  Overall, Phil Herman's Unearthed had a solid premise with the horribly disfigured grave robber reading stories from an old book.  Sadly, the segments that made up the bulk of the film was not as enjoyable.  This is one that I really wanted to like but it wasn't for me.  Skip it.  

She Loved Blossoms More

Director - Yannis Veslemes (The Field Guide to Evil, Light Well)

Starring - Sandra Abuelghanam (When I Smile My Eyes Close, Rapsodos), Aris Balis (Whack, Reflections), and Alexia Kaltsiki (Delivery, Dead Europe)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Sci-Fi/Comedy/Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Sometimes I get a press release in and the movie really peaks my interest.  I have to be selective with my time when I want to review a movie but sometimes a movie comes through my email and I have to see it.  That happened recently when I received the press release for the Greek erotic body horror film She Loved Blossoms More.  The artwork fucking sold me on the movie and I had to reach out for a review link.  As soon as they replied I quickly added it to my October horror binge and jumped on it after I watching the two horror shorts Stalker and The Only Way.  

     The film follows three brothers who enjoy sex with a pretty young blonde and time travel.  After indulging in narcotics and some raw sex, the brothers decide to travel to another plane of existence in order to see their mother but something strange happens when they test it on their female companion.  

    I went into this one extremely excited only to find myself greatly disappointed.  The movie is one of the most beautifully shot films I have ever seen especially for the budget the film has.  The cinematography, locations, sets, and effects are all breathtaking but the movie is a difficult one to finish.  While checking out Letterboxd and IMDB I see that I was with the majority on this.  I seriously wanted to like this one but it's a hard pass for me.  The acting in this one is decent for what it is.  Most of the film is nude dry humping and sitting around getting stoned with dialogue extensive scenes.  While it's not the worst acting I've seen, the film itself doesn't give the cast a chance to truly act.  The story for this one has so much fucking promise but is unable to find any traction.  The outline for the film is something that looks great on paper following three brothers who build the extraordinary to see their deceased mother one more time.  However, the film falls apart somewhere between the paper and filming.  The beautifully filmed scenes and nudity doesn't do enough to hold what little bit of story we have together.  In fact, if you trimmed down a lot of the bloated scenes you would be left with a movie that ran maybe 20 minutes and even then it would be difficult to follow.  Finally, this film has some seriously impressive visual and practical effects.  The visuals look great but the practical effects are gorgeous.  It's not a gory film but some of the scenes will stick with you for years to come.  Overall, She Loved Blossoms More is a movie I was so excited to see and was very disappointed with it.  While I did like some aspects of the film, most if it was a chore to sit through.  I hate to say it but this is one I would recommend skipping.  

Stalker

Director - David Cholewa (Dead Shadows)

Starring - Sandra Hohenadel (Nos Tempetes Bipolaires, La Meilleure Moi)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Evil has many faces"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I go through phases where I get to review several short horror films back to back before going months without seeing another one.  It has been sometime since my last review of a horror short so I was due for a little double feature.  A few weeks back I was asked to review the short Stalker from director David Cholewa and starring Sandra Hohenadel.  It looked very interesting and the artwork pulled me in so I agreed to check it out.  I'm glad I did!

     The film follows a young woman who finds herself walking through what looks like a parking garage late at night.  However, she soon finds herself being followed by something sinister and it's not just a man with ill intentions.  

     Stalker is not the film I thought it was going to be and I think that is what made it so much fun.  The title is a little deceiving but the artwork itself does point you in the right direction.  The acting in this one is good but the film is essentially a one woman show.  The film's lead, Sandra Hohenadel, goes through the entire short without any dialogue but is still able to bring out several emotions through her mannerisms and facial expressions.  The story for this one is super short and simple.  It makes you think she is dealing with a sleazy stalker with ill intent but you find out near the end that it is something much more.  I uses it's short run time wisely and doesn't drag the story out longer than it has to be.  This works out but if it was much longer then it would have overstayed it's welcome and took away to impact of the ending.  Finally, the film is not a gory one.  We do have an interesting creature and some visual effects.  While they are not the best I've seen, they are far from the worst.  Overall, Stalker may not be among the best horror shorts I've seen, it was still very enjoyable.  I know a lot of genre fans will appreciate this one so check it out!

Dirty Boy

Director - Doug Rao (War Hero, Jubilee)

Starring - Stan Steinbichler (Vienna Blood, Zero Chill), Susie Porter (The Monkey's Mask, Cargo), and Graham McTavish (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Highlander)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "What's done in the dark... will be brought into the light"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I grew up in Appalachia in one of the poorest counties in the U.S.  The average income, when I was in elementary school, was $11,000 a year.  People struggled to feed their families and had long term place for employment to turn to.  Most of the population in this county turned to religion as a way to cope with their financial struggles and hardships of living so far from amenities.  I think that my interest in cults is due to my unique upbringing in these hollows in West Virginia.  Seeing how fanatic many of these people were and how far they would go in the name of their religion really scared me.  I strongly believe that religion is the scariest thing on the planet, so I jump on any movie I see that is centered around a religious cult.  A few weeks back I was sent a few press releases for the religious cult thriller Dirty Boy.  The trailer really peaked my interest so I reached out to them for a review link.  With Halloween rapidly approaching, I went ahead and worked it into my annual October horror binge.

     The film follows a young schizophrenic in a cult deep in the woods.  The cult keeps him heavily medicated and isolated from the others.  However, as he slips between paranoia, hallucinations, and lucidity, he discovers that the cult has been killing those in their ranks that disagrees with them and plan on using his mental illness to finger him for the murders.  With the help from one of the female cultists, he tries to escape but is caught.  As they try to enforce a more strict regime for him, he is able to once again free himself and fight his way out of there.

     Dirty Boy is a flick that I knew absolutely nothing about until I received the press release.  The trailer really intrigued me and I was really looking forward to checking it out.  We don't get a lot of titles centered around cults and I was hoping that this one brought that sense of dread and real life terror that they are known for.  This one was unable to duplicate that feeling of dread but it was still a solid watch.  The acting in this one is very consistent and very well done.  The film doesn't have any one cast member shining above the other.  We have every one feeding off each other and contributing beautifully to the scene.  While some of the characters are a bit flat, the cast does the best with what they were given.  The story for this one has it's moments but not what I was expecting.  The film focuses more on the schizophrenic character and his struggles mentally with his health along with the way the cult ostracizes him.  While the cult aspect does play a huge part in the character's development, it's not explored as much as I would have liked.  I wasn't expecting the mental health aspect when I agreed to review and I really did enjoy that original spin on the cult sub-genre but I want more history on the cult itself.  Finally, the film is not a bloody or violent one.  While people do die, it's not the deaths that the film focuses on.  Instead, the film is very character driven instead of focusing on the deaths.  Overall, Dirty Boy was not a bad film.  In fact, I liked it for the most part.  However, it was not what I was expecting.  I was expecting a bit more atmosphere and a focus on the unhealthy obsession with religion.  While it did not deliver on that, it did give us a decent film.  Check it out.  

Pumpkin Guts

Director - Bryan M. Ferguson (Bloody Bites, Earworm)

Starring - Scott Abel, Vari Ferguson (Ladytron: The Island, Insecticide), and Isabelle McIver 

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Don't get pinched"

Format - Streaming (YouTube)

Rating (out of 5):

    It's the beginning of September and I'm already in the mood for Halloween.  Most assume that Halloween is my favorite holiday because of my obsession with horror and they would be wrong.  Christmas will forever by my favorite holiday but god damn do I love Halloween.  Every year around this time I start looking for as many Halloween-centric horror titles I can find for my annual October horror binge.  While on my search I found a horror short from last year titled Pumpkin Guts.  I reviewed a short last year with the same title and was curious how this Pumpkin Guts would play out.  I went ahead and hit play on it instead of waiting an entire month.  

     The film follows a young woman on Halloween when she finds a pumpkin randomly in her home while she is on the phone with a friend.  A friend reminds her of a Halloween tradition where she has to appease the Halloween spirits in an hour or she will get "pinched."

     Pumpkin Guts is a short in a long line of shorts that perfectly captures the nostalgic Halloween vibe of the late 80s that many of us genre fans grew up on.  It was a solid short and made great use of it's short run time.  The acting in this one is solid.  The cast is extremely small but everyone is fully dedicated to their rolls.  I really liked the cast and was very surprised how most of them had no other credits on their IMDB.  They did a phenomenal job with no prior experience.  The story for this one is short, sweet, and to the point.  It focuses on a Halloween tradition that I'm not familiar with.  I don't know if it's something created just for this short or a regional tradition.  I liked it but I would like to more about it or what inspired it.  With that being said, the film makes great use of the film's run time and does a great job at holding the viewer's attention. Finally, the film has some simple effects along with solid visual effects.  The visuals do stand out but they look great.  I would have loved some gore but this one doesn't necessarily need it.  Overall, Pumpkin Guts is a great throwback to 80s Halloween horror in the same vain as Stranger Things and any of the films from Witching Season Films.  I highly enjoyed it so check it out.  

Bring on the Damned

Director - Brandon Bassham (Feartown USA, The Slashening)

Starring - Sydney Hirsch (The Secret of Cuck Island, Blood Stab), Zac Amico (Shakespeare's Shitstorm, Curse of the Weredeer), and Ian Fidance (Crank Yankers, The Last O.G.)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "An anthology from Hell!"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Horror anthologies were such a huge part of my childhood.  I never claimed to be a genre fan until my later teenage years.  I grew up as a fan of cinema in general.  I didn't care what genre a movie or television show was apart of.  If something caught my eye, regardless if it was horror or not, I would watch it.  With that being said, I always loved watching horror anthologies.  Films like Creepshow, Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, Twilight Zone The Movie, From a Whisper to a Scream, and so on.  My favorite part about these films was how they were all held together by one wraparound segment with Tales from the Darkside: The Movie being my favorite.  I still love anthologies and will go out of my way to watch them now.  A few weeks back I was sent a press release with a review link for the horror anthology Bring on the Damned from The Slashening and Feartown USA director Brandon Bassham.  

     The film features five segments ranging from a psychologist studying a woman who may be possessed, two killers who find themselves fighting over a woman, and a woman who can only nut when she kills a man.

     I was really looking forward to Bring on the Damned.  As I stated earlier, I'm a huge fan of horror anthologies and Bassham's Feartown USA and The Slashening are very enjoyable films.  However, I didn't necessarily care for Bring on the Damned.  It had a few fun moments but the overall film failed to gain any momentum with me.  The acting in this one is very well done.  The film has a lot of memorable performances and likable characters which made it a as enjoyable as it is.  The stories for the segments are clever, especially for those of you that like horror comedies or low brow humor like that found in South Park or many Troma releases.  I really enjoyed the giallo inspired disco segment along with the segment featuring two killers who quarrel over the woman.  They were clever stories but somewhere between the paper and filming, something was lost.  Most of the segments have moments that are funny but they do very little to hold my attention.  Also, the lack of a wraparound segment that held everything together really disappointed me.  Finally, the film does have some bloody moments.  We get a lot of blood, solid practical effects, and beautifully shot scenes.  It's not a gory flick so those looking for a lot of carnage may not be satisfied.  However, those of you looking for a beautifully shot flick with some solid effects and a decent amount of blood will appreciate what Bassham and company has brought us.  Overall, Bring on the Damned has some cool ideas that I really liked but the overall fil just fell short.  I wanted to love it but the few laughs and amazing cast that the film has wasn't enough to win me over.  

Graveyard Shark

Director - Matthew A. Peters (Big Brood, Axegrinder 666)

Starring - Stephanie Ward (Stranded, Radiant Dark), Michael John Gilbert (The Man with No Pants, Barely Coping), and Berndele March (Slade Collins and the Tree of Life, Romeo 3000)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been a fan of indie horror for as long as I can remember.  This deep seeded love started with Evil Dead II and spiraled out from there.  I love horror, regardless of the budget, sub-genre, nationality, and so on, but the creativity found in indie horror flicks is unmatched.  Over the years I've crossed paths with some wild flicks that I knew I had to see and several of them spun in my head for days until I could write about them.  One of those films is the 2024 horror comedy Graveyard Shark from director Matthew A. Peters.  I snagged the blu from Makeflix sometime ago and forgot all about it until I came across my copy while sorting my review stack.  I immediately tossed it in to check out.

     The film follows a paranormal/cryptid investigator who visits a graveyard where several people were ravaged by a shark.  She soon learns that the stories are true and a local fisherman, who claims to have fucked a mermaid, is responsible for the beast's bloody rampage after killing his mother when asked for child support.  

     I went into this one expecting a lot of cheese and was a bit surprised by the film itself.  The title made me think I was getting a Chris Seaver style flick with a campy creature and a lot of shark themed puns.  Sadly, the film struggled with it's own identity.  The acting in this one is pretty solid and consistent.  The characters are not that memorable, with the exception of a few, but the cast does a great job with their roles.  Everyone really dedicated themselves to their roles which made the scenes go by so much better.  The story for this one has so much potential but struggles with it's own self-identity.  The film has the perfect premise for horror flick overflowing with humor.  Instead, the film flows like a serious slasher with the killer being a shark...in a graveyard.  Aside from the creature's backstory, the film doesn't really embrace the comedic side.  The serious tone it takes feels out of place.  Honestly, the film would have been so much more fun if it followed the tone we see during the fisherman's tale of what the shark is.  Finally, the film has a lot of fun practical effects that fit the film.  I liked the look of the creature and the way the deaths flowed like a slasher but the kills are not that memorable.  Overall, Graveyard Shark has a few enjoyable moments but wasn't for me.  The movie flirted with comedy but never crossed the line which made a few scenes really stand out.  I wanted to like it but it wasn't for me.   

Death O' Lantern 3: Corn on the Mac-Cob

Director - Chris Seaver (Die-B-Que, Moist Fury)

Starring - Desiree Saetia (Phantom of the Grindhouse, The Weirdsies), Nichole LaRoche (Terror at Blood Fart Lake, Evil Dead Inbred Rednecks), and David Autovino (Filthy McNastier: Maximum Dousche, Resident Horror)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Human pie isn't the only desert on the menu.  Stingy Jack is hungry for a bride!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Many of you know how much I enjoy the films of Chris Seaver and his production companies Low Budget Pictures and Warlock Home Video.  I had collected his films for damn near 20 years now when I bought Ghoul School with two Chris Seaver flicks in it.  I fell in love with them and sought out more of his films immediately.  Sometime later I found a website for Warlock Home Video with obvious fake names attached.  It wasn't until years later that I discovered this was another gimmick from Seaver.  These became some of my favorite releases in my collection and movies I often hope Seaver would revisit with sequels or spinoffs.  Over the years we've been luck enough to get a few sequels and a "remake" to his Halloween classic Death O'Lantern and at the end of last year he gave us Death O'Lantern 3: Corn on the Mac-Cob.  I thought I had ordered a copy but I completely forgot to and missed watching it on Halloween.  I rectified that as soon as I realized and added it to my viewing list.  

     The film follows a young woman who finds herself spilling blood on a pumpkin plant.  This awakens the monstrous Stingy Jack yet again who sets out this time to find himself a bride using the very woman who raised him with her blood.  

      The Death O'Lantern series has some ups and downs but this one is pure Chris Seaver carnage.  It's full of horny dialogue, fun one liners, and kills that fit the film perfectly.  This one was meant to be a lot more absurd than the previous films and it succeeds.  The acting in this one is exactly what  you would expect from a Seavage flick.  The cast is just having fun in front of the camera but it translates very well with the humor the film is looking for.  They have bigger than life personalities and they give the film everything they got to make it entertaining.  The story for this one continues with the saga of Stingy Jack without overstaying it's welcome.  The film itself is not that long and the story fits in the run time very well.  We have a lot of humor and a story straight out of a direct to video horror flick of the 90s.  Stingy is resurrected by accident when a woman cuts herself on a pumpkin plant. She then becomes connected with the monster who wants her to carry his children.  It's fun, straight forward, and extremely funny.  Finally, the film, like a lot of Chris Seaver's flicks, have minimal effects.  We get some fake blood and some effects that fits the theme of the film but they are nothing memorable or that stands out.  Overall, Death O' Lantern 3: Corn on the Mac-Cob is a fantastic installment in the already must see Death O' Lantern series.  It's the type of no budget fun that I'm always on the look out for.  I highly recommend it.