Director - Alexis Ramirez (Hybrid Hazards, Fury Blade)
Starring - Courtney Jacoby (Evil Lives Here, Canvas of Death)
Release Date - 2023
Genre - Horror
Format - Streaming (YouTube)
Rating (out of 5):
Honestly, I never know what is going to be sent my way for review but I'm always grateful for anything sent my way. Several weeks ago I was sent an email about checking out the short Confessions of a Lunar Werewolf. I love a werewolf flick and quickly agreed to check it out. I couldn't get to it right away and decided to add it to my annual October horror binge where I watch as many horror movies as possible. I want to thank Alexis Ramirez for reaching out!
The film follows a young woman who undergoes a self-inflicted werewolf transformation.
I went into this one expecting a little bit of werewolf mayhem and was not greeted with that at all. The film runs for around 3 minutes so there is not a lot of time to get anything established and, sadly, has no real meat on the bone so to speak. I seriously wanted to like it but it's over before anything happens. The acting in this one is a bit stiff. It's a one woman show with Courtney Jacoby looking extremely comfortable in front of the camera but her performance as a young woman undergoing a transformation is a but underwhelming. The story for this one is very straight to the point and done effectively would have made great use of the 3 minute run time. However, just watching a woman snarl with yellow eyes and fangs for 2 minutes is not that enjoyable. Finally, the short doesn't have the best effects. As I stated earlier, we get some yellow contacts and plastic teeth and that is the extent of it. Anyone looking for a fun transformation will be a bit disappointed. Overall, Confessions of a Lunar Werewolf is not something I could recommend. It's not much of a confession and the werewolf doesn't show itself. It's a cool idea but budget and ingenuity keep it from reaching it's potential. Skip it.
Starring - Man Fei (Born a Ninja), Patrick Largent (Power Kids, Team of Prodigies), and Hung Kuan (One-Armed Boxer, The Deadly Island)
Release Date - 1988
Genre - Action
Tagline - "One man's battle to save the world from an evil bacteriological nightmare"
Format - Blu (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
I'm going to be completely honest here. I went into this second film in the double feature confused. I watched them in the order they were on the cover and in the set but it seems that maybe Commando was the first film while imdb lists both films as releasing in 1988. Honestly, I have no idea what the order is here but it looks like there is several other films in this series. Regardless, I still gave this one a chance because of how much I respect and love Visual Vengeance and what they are doing for long forgotten S.O.V. films regardless of their genre. Like always, I want to thank Visual Vengeance and MVD for sending this one over.
The film, I believe, is about a ninja trying to find a bioweapon from WWII but Russians are on the hunt for it as well.
I really did try when I hit play on this. It's cool that I have this one in my collection and dig that VV is looking outside of horror for releases but these two films are difficult to watch alone...and sober. It was edited poorly and the story is damn near impossible to follow. I hate being this negative but it's a rough movie for sure. The acting in this one is very amateurish. The cast gets into their roles but inexperience and lack of direction makes the scenes very awkward to watch. I was hoping the movie would have that unintentional humor that I found in Born a Ninja but I think it had ran it's course by the time I tossed this one in. The story for this one is so fucking confusing and that is a big part in the way the film was edited. I read on letterboxd that the movie was pieced together from an unused episode of a television show. While I don't know how true this is but it answers a lot of my questions if it is. Finally, we get some solid fights scenes that don't really go anywhere and that is about the extent of it. Genre fans looking for memorable deaths and gore will be very disappointed. Overall, Commando the Ninja is a rough one to watch. I'm still convinced that it would be fun to watch with like minded movie fans while high but it's difficult to finish while sober and alone. I cannot recommend this one.
Starring - Dani Filth (Baphomet, Dominator), Emily Booth (Doghouse, Evil Aliens), and Stuart Laing (Halo, Silent Witness)
Release Date - 2001
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "It's not if they die, it's how..."
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
When I was in high school I had a friend that was really into Cradle of Filth. I couldn't get into their music but it wasn't without giving them several tries. Anyway, that same friend was a huge genre fan and was telling me about a British horror film that starred Dani Filth. I found that pretty interesting at the time and was able to snag a copy of the DVD super fucking cheap from eBay. Sadly, I didn't care for the film at the time and over the years I completely forgot about it. A few weeks ago I was sent a copy of Unearthed Film's release of the film on blu for review. Honestly, I don't remember a damn thing about the film aside from Dani Filth starring in it. I decided to revisit it with this release and I would like to thank Unearthed for sending this one over for review.
The film follows the unexpected spirals of several people with one unknown connection. We follow a detective investigating a string of brutal murders. A young woman hooks up with a goth guy at a club and soon discovers that she is carrying his child and can see visions of demons. The detective's son works for an internet company who finds himself becoming obsessed with snuff films. A amputee finds a leg and has it sewn back on with unexpected results. Two women break into a home to steal some cash where they are confronted by the owner resulting in a bloodbath.
I went into this viewing with an open mind because I absolutely hate giving a movie sent my way for a review a negative score. I didn't remember a lot about my initial viewing of the film except I wasn't really a fan at the time but I had hoped that the film would sit with me a second time. Sadly, that wasn't the case and I found myself not enjoying it the second time around. The acting in this one is extremely stiff and flat. Most of the cast delivers their dialogue with little to no conviction. We have no emotional range and most of the dialogue delivery is extremely awkward to watch. It's almost as if we are watching a high school play for most of the film. There is a few scenes where we get some decent enough performances but not enough to make up for the akward ones. The story for this one looks great on paper but wasn't executed that well. I like the idea of all these people and the suffering they encounter is connected to a serial killer. However, the film itself jumps from person to person which can be a bit confusing at times. I wish the film was shot like a typical anthology as to make it easier to watch. Finally, the film doesn't shy away from the blood and there is a few moments that try to be shocking but does not have the impact they wanted. While they effects look decent, they are not that memorable. Overall, Cradle of Fear has a fantastic idea but the way they went about it made it a bit difficult to finish. I seriously wanted to like this one but it's not for me.
Director - Steve Rudzinski (A Meowy Halloween, Amityville Christmas Vacation)
Starring - Steve Rimpici (Shingles: The Movie, Easter Casket), B. Barnabei (I: Scream - A Minty Musical, The Survivors), and Aleen Isley (Head Case, A Cheesy Christmas)
Release Date - 2026
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Tagline - "It has all led to this"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
About a decade or so ago I was asked to review the indie slasher CarousHELL by director Steve Rudzinski. It's not a by the numbers slasher but it still did thing very well and is one I often referenced when I would review other films of his. Since then he has released some seriously fantastic movies ranging from family friendly holiday films to several sequels to CarousHELL. While the sequels were solid entries, they just didn't scratch that itch like the first one did. Steve recently hit me up to review his latest installment in the CarousHELL franchise with part 4. I couldn't pass up this opportunity and agreed to check it out. I want to thank Steve for sending this one over for review.
The film once again follows Duke (Rimpici) and his son Robbie (Barnabei) who looking for a little getaway so the pair can bond. They rent a cabin but learn on the ride to it that it has a tragic history. They ignore the warnings and go anyway only for Robbie to read from the Nekkomeownicon in order to speak with his late mother unleashing waves of the undead with ties to Duke and his bloody rampage.
I knew absolutely nothing about CarousHELL 4 prior to reviewing it but I never expected it to be a damn near perfect tribute to Sam Raimi's masterpiece Evil Dead II. I had just returned home from watching Evil Dead II at my local theater as part of their Flashback Cinema series when I decided to check it out which is kind of a coincidence in a way. I was not prepared for what I was about to watch and while I've always said his film Captain Z and the Terror of Leviathan was my favorite film of his, this film has surpassed it. The acting in this one is great all around. The voice acting is top notch. I couldn't imagine anyone other than Rimpici voicing Duke and Barnabei will forever be Robbie. They brought these characters to life and made them iconic. The supporting cast is solid as well with some returning faces reprising roles from previous Silver Spotlight films. They do a great job getting back into character which makes this one so much fun. The story for this one does a great job at continuing the connection between several other Silver Spotlight films while furthering the story for Duke and Robbie. It's not a return to the slasher sub-genre that I enjoyed in the first one and was hoping for but it does everything it can to surpass my expectations. The occult angle and heavy influence of Raimi's classic really caught me off guard the first time I watched it. The second rewatch while I wrote this was just as fun. I loved seeing the returning characters and how they were incorporated perfectly into the story following their horrific deaths in previous films. With that being said, the movie does get a bit repetitive with the character reveals. We really only needed a few instances of this before moving on. Finally, the film makes great use of some practical effects and a lot off make-up effects. The effects are absolutely fantastic and easily the best I've seen from Steve's films. The undead deadite things look fantastic and the deaths we do get fit the film perfectly. While it's not the goriest film I've seen, it still looked fantastic by indie movie standards. Overall, CarousHELL 4 is not the slasher follow up to Steve Rudzinski's CarousHELL that I was hoping for but it was so much fucking fun. This is a loving tribute to Evil Dead II and easily my favorite indie horror release of the year. I cannot recommend this one enough.
Starring - Anthony Moscini (Seeds of Sin, Gutter Trash), Anne Linden (Hot Erotic Nights, The Vixens), and Candy Hammond (The Promiscuous Sex, Seeds of Sin)
Release Date - 1967
Genre - Drama
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
Many years ago I bought The Ghastly Ones and since then I've seen several of his horror titles. I have seen his more erotic and drama centered films like Vapors and Seeds of Sin when I think it was Vinegar Syndrome released them. I wasn't really a fan then but I'm really looking forward to checking out some of these other films after watching The Degenerate: The Life and Films of Andy Milligan. The next movie in the set is the 1967 film Compass Rose. This was one I had never heard of before and couldn't wait to check it out.
The film, the best I can tell, follows a group of drag queen performers in an NYC underground theater where they encounter drug addicts, perverts, and other degenerates that inhabit the scene.
Like all the films in this set, Compass Rose was never completed by Milligan so we have no idea what his final vision was for the film but as it sits currently it is damn near unwatchable. I went into this one really excited to see some of the things I had learned about him from the documentary but the movie is pieced together the best as possible but that doesn't give us a lot to go on. The acting in this one is a lot of fun but it is rough. The cast really gets into their roles and brings a lot of energy in some of the scenes but the dialogue delivery is rough. Their inexperience is evident but I still had fun with their energy in several of the scenes. The story for this one is extremely lacking. I'm sure Milligan had a story or idea in his head when he originally started the film but I have no idea what the end game was without it being finished. It's extremely difficult to follow and has very little direction as is. I seriously wanted to get into it but I was confused through most of it. Finally, don't go into this one expecting deaths. We do have some nudity and an incoherent story if that's more your speed. Overall, Compass Rose was a very difficult film to finish. While I liked the characters and the cast, it was a rough experience. I wanted to like it but it's not a fun watch as it is.
Starring - Joan Dinco, David Rommel (Downer), and Anna Zizzo
Release Date - 1995
Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi
Tagline - "Don't be afraid of..."
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
Visual Vengeance quickly became one of my favorite boutique blu labels of recent years with their dedication to S.O.V. cinema. I'll be honest, a lot of their films do not benefit from being restored and put on blu but it's awesome having a lot of these in my collection with many of them being stuck in VHS hell. Some of these movies are proudly displayed in my collection. A lot of them are movies I had never seen before and it was thanks to VV that I was able to finally check them out. However, for every movie that I live, there is one that just didn't do it for me. A few weeks back Visual Vengeance sent me the 1995 sci-fi horror mashup Colony Mutation from Tom Berna. I had never seen this one before but I couldn't wait to dig into it.
The film follows a man who is sneaking out on his hot scientist wife with another woman. She learns of the affair when she gets his credit card bill and confronts him. She slaps him and then throws a chemical her colleague is working at him before he beats her to death. After hiding of her body, he tries to go about his life as if nothing happened but soon learns that the chemical he was hit with has altered his body. His limbs are now carnivorous creatures with a taste for human flesh.
I went into this one knowing very little about it. It looked like an attempt at the science gone too far films that many of us would watch on the Sci-Fi Channel before their rebranding. While it does feel like that at times, the story is just different enough to make it feel like something somewhat unique. It had some fun moments but loses itself during the last half of it's runtime. The acting in this one is rough at times but I appreciate their dedication to their roles. Most of the scenes feature dialogue spoken without conviction and a lot of their mannerisms are unnatural. They are really into their roles but their lack of experience shows in every scene. The story for this one is another science gone too far creating body horror. We've seen this type of films before with films like The Blob and The Fly remakes. I loved how the film started. We have a cheating husband and a scientist who catches him. In a fit of rage, she throws a chemical on him before he kills her before his body slowly changes into a flesh eating beast. I really love how the film is written but it's the second half of the film where it loses me. The whole body horror aspect is half-assed resulting in a poorly put together last act that has nothing enjoyable for the viewer to see. Honestly, I feel this part was changed during filming for unknown reasons. Finally, the film has several deaths but they are not as fun as they could have been. The effects are very limited which is why I suspect the second half of the film is difficult to finish. I love the idea behind his body/limbs being monsters but the way the films goes about it leaves a lot to be desired. Overall, Colony Mutation is a movie that I was really looking forward to and was actually liking until the film lost steam. The ending felt rather dull and out of place makes me think that it was changed on the fly. I wanted to like it but it just wasn't for me. Skip it.
Director - Jose Ulloa (Twenty Paces to Death, Juventud Sin Freno)
Starring - Craig Hill (Dark Justice, Deadly Deception), Patty Shepard (Rest in Pieces, My Dear Killer), and Teresa Gimpera (Perversion, Crypt of the Living Dead)
Release Date - 1974
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "The fight for survival has begun"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
I've been going into this Exorcismo set completely blind. I looked over the artwork but that is about the extent of my knowledge on any of these films. Some of these look dull as hell on the outside and turn out to be pretty wild by mid-70s standards. So far in this set I've seen two documentaries and a moody 70s horror film I had no idea what to expect with Creation of the Damned, or Refuge of Fear as it was known, but I really enjoyed this one.
The film follows a small group of people living in a bunker after the outside world suffers a catastrophic event. As the outside world becomes polluted and uninhabitable for humans, inside the bunker has become a powder keg as attitudes, sexual tension, and fear of death leaves the survivors at each other's throats forcing one of them to leave the safety of the bunker's walls to seek refuge away from the rest.
I'd be hard pressed to find another film in this set that I liked as much as this film. The movie makes great use of one location and a small cast while giving viewers a great sense of suspense and tension. Honestly, this is a movie that I could see myself revisiting again sometime in the future. It was a lot of fun and could have easily spawned a sequel or spin off if the team behind it truly wanted to. The acting in this one is consistent throughout. The characters are pretty generic but the cast does a solid enough job with their roles. They get into their characters and the energy they bring, especially in some of the later scenes, makes the film so much fun. The story for this one is so fucking simple and leaves so many possibilities for more films to follow. A group of people in a smallish bomb shelter trying to survive a nuclear attack only to be at each others throats over due to rationing food, sexual desires, and poor attitudes leaves the movie up to go so many different ways. It could be a drama, horror, sci-fi and even a comedy. However, what we get is a somewhat dark drama that is character driven and it works. It makes great use of the small cast and one, or just several, locations. Finally, this is not a bloody flick. The film doesn't really use effects and relies heavily on the characters and their development. Overall, Creation of the Damned is not a horror title in a traditional sense. In anything, it's a dark drama set against the apocalypse and I fucking loved it. I highly recommend snagging this set just for this film alone! Check it out.
Director(s) - Claudio Guerin (Estudio 1, Luciano) and Juan Antonio Bardem (The Corruption of Chris Miller, The Mysterious Island of Captain Nemo)
Starring - Renaud Verley (Summer of Love, The Suspects), Viveca Lindfors (Stargate, Creepshow), and Alfred Mayo (The Hunt, Voodoo Black Exorcists)
Release Date - 1973
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Who will escape the terror?"
Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
I grew up on on 80s and 90s horror and felt that films from these two decades were superior to all others. However, that has started to change in recent years after watching and reviewing several horror titles from the 70s. I've always liked the 70s Hammer horror releases but it wasn't until I started reviewing some of these gothic horror titles from boutique labels like Vinegar Syndrome and Severin that I truly appreciated these genre films from that decade. Some of my favorite films in recent years are from the 70s and I'm damn sure I will find more! A few weeks ago my friends over at Severin Films sent me the Exorcismo set featuring several films from the 70s and early 80s Spain for review. The set starts with two documentaries before getting to the 1973 horror title Bell from Hell.
The film follows a young man who is released from an asylum. He was falsely put there by so she could have control of his family's wealth. Now, he is a free and immediately uses his time to deflower his female cousins before turning his sights on his disabled aunt.
I went into Bell from Hell like I will most of the films in this set and that is completely blind. I know absolutely nothing about these films aside from what little bit of information can be obtained from the releases' box art. I'm glad I went into this one blind because the story is paper thin while still delivering some great atmosphere. Honestly, while the story is predictable, the atmosphere and locations made the film worth it in my opinion. The acting in this not the best I've seen but it's far from the worst. What we have is inconsistent acting from scene to scene. I don't know the story behind the film but it's almost as if the actors didn't care of the direction was more laid back during some of these scenes. As I Said, it's not bad but the cast just doesn't seem to care in some of the scenes. The story for this one is very reminiscent of the gothic horror tales from the 60s. We follow a wealthy individual who has a "loved" one conspire against them because their is a large fortune involved. I've seen a few films with similar stories and I'm almost certain two of them starred Barbara Steele in on both sides of the ruse. It's not that original but it does come with a Tales from the Crypt style twist ending that I really enjoyed. Finally, it's not a gruesome or gory flick. However, it has some great tension and atmosphere that has made me really appreciate these horror tales from the 70s. Their focus on on sets, locations, and tension really makes these films so enjoyable. Overall, Bell from Hell isn't a bloody genre title with amazing effects and memorable deaths. Instead, it's a rather slow burn that relies heavily on atmosphere and suspense to get to the viewer. It's another film worth your time from the Exorcismo set from Severin Films. Check it out.
Director - Eli Roth (The Green Inferno, Thanksgiving)
Starring - Jordan Ladd (Death Proof, Club Dread), Rider Strong (Darkening Sky, Critical Role: One Shots), and James DeBello (Detroit Rock City, Scary Movie 2)
Release Date - 2002
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Catch it!"
Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
Genre fans love to find filmmakers to shit on. They are easily the most opinionated fanbase there only second to the metal community. I've been writing for Horror Society for over a decade and I've been a genre fan since the mid-90s so I've seen how rabid and spiteful the horror community can be. One filmmaker that has always drawn criticism from fans is Eli Roth who has given the genre some fantastic films in my opinion. While Roth and Rob Zombie are quick to catch hell online, I would much rather watch their body of work over the Terrifier trilogy and the Scream franchise. Honestly, I'm a fan of Roth's and can remember watching Cabin Fever on VHS when I was in high school. I know a lot of genre fans refused to watch it because "modern" horror sucked but I've always been open to all horror. Since then I've watched all of Roth's work but I never revisited the first Cabin Fever after I left for college and lost my tape collection. That recently changed when Lionsgate sent over their new UHD steelbook release for review. It had been damn near 20 years since my last viewing and couldn't wait to revisit it.
The film follows a group of twenty-somethings who venture deep into the woods for a little drinking and hunting. However, their idyllic trip is anything when they encounter a man who is extremely sick. He has open sores all over his body with puss oozing from them. Things then take an even deadlier turn when their vehicle becomes damaged after one of the sick tries to steal it. Stuck deep in the woods with no phone, they try find a way to get into town for help but when one of their own becomes infected they are forced to find their own way to survive.
Cabin Fever is not a film that anyone will say is their favorite film. It might be someone's favorite Eli Roth film but they would be wrong. I like Cabin Fever and I think it's a solid, well rounded film but it's not the best of anything if I'm being honest. It's a fun flick that anyone can enjoy regardless if you are a genre fan or just someone that appreciates good movies. The acting in this one is very uneven but not bad. Honestly, I like the cast in this one. James DeBello and Jordan Ladd make the film for me. Their characters are so different and so memorable. I also enjoyed the supporting cast. While they are unintentionally funny, they deliver solid performances as well. In fact, they are probably just as memorable as DeBello and Ladd's. With that being said, Ryder Strong, Cerina Vincent, and Joey Kern's performances were a bit underwhelming. While Vincent was nice to look at from a misogynistic standpoint, her character was very cliched and forgettable. The story for this one is unique and not like your standard cabin in the woods type film. A group of young adults in a cabin deep in the woods with plans of fucking and getting high/drunk is nothing knew. Hell, it's damn near essential for most slashers. However, this one differs from others and plays into the fear many have of us of unknown infections. I'm not a germaphobe but I would do everything possible to avoid a skin eating disease. The movie does a great job at creating tensions between those in the small cabin when the disease is introduced. The film has great pacing, some humor that works, and some clever deaths. Finally, the film has some pretty gruesome scenes with some fun gore. It's not the bloodiest film I've seen but I loved the effects for this one. The gore, though limited, looks great and the make-up effects are top next. Here we are 20 some years later and still talking about the gooey effects for this one. Overall. Cabin Fever is not the film people will use to describe Eli Roth's career but it is a solid flick. It's crazy to revisit this one and see how far he has grown as a filmmaker when you compare it to something like Thanksgiving. It's still worth a watch especially this new UHD unrated release. Check it out!
Director(s) - Ceus Rob (Zombies from Sector 9, The VHS Strangler - The Giallo Tapes) and Inge Vanleene (Death Files, Slime)
Starring - Ceus Rob, Inge Vanleene, and Steven Daemers (The Salesman, Paranoia Tapes 2: Press Play)
Release Date - 2025
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "A decent into madness"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
I love reviewing indie movies. It's always an experience to sit down and watch someone's hard work and aspirations on my screen. It's a lot of hard work to make a movie even if I don't like the movie in question. It happens from time to time. I can't like everything even if it's from a filmmaker that released a film that I enjoyed previously. Several years ago I was asked to review Zombies from Sector 9 and loved it. It was a great zombie flick that almost brought me back to the sub-genre after the years of Walking Dead clones and unimaginative zombie flicks that followed in the shows success. A few weeks back the director Ceus Rob, or Rob Ceus, sent me a link to check out his newest film Cement: The Final Brick in the Wall. I greedily accepted the chance to check it out. I want to thank Rob for sending this one over for review!
The film follows a couple with an eye for drugs and murder who find themselves out of both. In a plea to get fucked up, they work with some friends to rob, kill, fuck, and get fucked up.
I went into this one completely blind. I knew nothing about this film but I remember reviewing Zombies from Sector 9 and how much I enjoyed it. Sadly, Cement was not for me. I liked the premise but the film just didn't work for me as a feature length film. Maybe if it was a short with a runtime of around 30 minutes then it would have been more enjoyable. However, the movie the was way too long for me. I seriously wanted to like it, and I did like a few things with this one, but the overall film just wasn't for me. The acting in this one is a lot of fun. I loved the characters in the movie but the dialogue and delivery is very awkward. A few scenes are unintentionally funny due to the dialogue and how stiff it was delivered. It doesn't really take away from some of the scenes but it does make a lot of the scenes that are dialogue heavy feel a lot longer than they really are. The story for this one is interesting enough but is stretched too thin for the run time we do have. I liked the idea of the film's protagonists being possible siblings and lovers who will easily kill if needed. Honestly, I could find myself following these two anywhere if there was more to the story than just killing, getting fucked up, partying, and more getting fucked up. The film really needed something more than dialogue heavy scenes that lead to nothing. Finally, the film doesn't shy away from violence. We have some rape, murder, disfigurement with some minimal effects. The film is on a tight budget and the effects reflect that. Overall, Cement has the makings of an unforgettable underground horror film but the lack of a coherent story and heavy dialogue scenes that go nowhere makes it difficult to finish. I wanted to love this one but couldn't.
Director(s) - Neil Chase (Where Did I Go, Spin the Wheel) and David Heacock (Boneyard Racers, Babageddon)
Starring - Neil Chase, Brandon Horth (Spin the Wheel), and S-Raj Kumar (The Zombie Apocalypse in Room 14F, Smile: It's Only the End of the World)
Release Date - 2025
Genre - Action/Thriller
Tagline - "The danger is within"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
My October horror binge is in full swing. I've seen some awesome horror titles so far this month and I don't plan on slowing down anytime soon. As I was looking at my planned list of movies to watch this month I realized that I had an action thriller I needed to review. While it was not a horror film in a traditional sense, it still looked enjoyable with just enough suspense to get me in the holiday spirit. The film, Containment, was directed by Neil Chase and David Heacock. I want to thank Neil for reaching out and allowing Horror Society and myself the opportunity to check it out.
The film follows a group of soldiers who are tasked with recovering sensitive information from a secret lab thought to be compromised. What they don't know is that the facility is ground zero for a virus from out of this world that can infect those that come in contact with it.
I went into this one knowing very little about it besides some of the info Neil sent over when he asked me to check it out. While I wish it was a bit more horror-centric, I still enjoyed it for the most part. It's a military centered thriller with some sci-fi elements that works. It may not be making it's way to everyone's October watchlist but it still needs to be seen some other time during the year. The acting in this one is pretty well done. The characters are very generic and exactly what you would expect from a film centered around career soldiers sent on a special forces operation. The cast does a decent enough job portraying them in front of the camera. I would have liked them to have a bit more personality about them but it fits the film and they do a solid job. The story for this one is I had seen a few times before but with some minor changes. The basic premise is a group of soldiers go to a secret facility, in Alaska I believe, to retrieve the data from their research. The people there are infected by an extraterrestrial virus that can jump from host to host just by contact. I've seen similar stories like this, especially from the SyFy original age, that followed parasites, alien spores, zombie virus, and even a vampire like disease. Hell, I think the plot is almost identical to a Dean Cain flick about zombies. With that being said, it is enjoyable but way too long for the story we do have. A good 20 minutes or so could be trimmed while keeping the story intact. Finally, the film has way more visual effects than I was expecting. These do stand out and are not necessary for the progression of the story. Also, the film doesn't really showcase on screen deaths like I would have liked. We get a lot of gun shots and deaths associated with that but the effects are minimal or non-existent for most of them. Overall, Contamination is a enjoyable action thriller that works for the most part. I would like to several things changed to improve the quality but it's fun as is. Check it out.
Starring - Derek Woodrow Johnson (Deadly Dealings, Shakespeare's Shitstorm), Nadia White (Harvest of Horrors, Daisy Derkins and the Dinosaur Apocalypse), and Babette Bombshell (CockHammer, Return to Nuke 'Em High Volume 1)
Release Date - 2023/2025
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Tagline - "Welcome to Tromaville. Deer killin' capital of the world"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
I follow several hashtags on Instagram so I can what some of the indie filmmakers are working on. I've found several amazing films this one and often browse through the photos looking for my new favorite film. Several years ago I found posts for the indie horror comedy Curse of the Werewolf featuring scream queen, adult star, and professional wrestler Nadia White. I was already interested in this one but it really peaked my curiosity when I saw that Troma was affiliated with the film. I reached out to them and they informed me that they were currently editing the film but would hit me up when it was available for review. Since then I've ran news of several other Weredeer horror films with one being centered around Christmas. I know this is a complete coincident but it's worth mentioning. We jumped forward a few years and my friend Dixie Geers hit me up to check it out. I was really excited to check it out and want to thank Dixie for sending this one over!
This one follows Randy (Johnson) who heads out into the woods with his closest friends for a little deer hunting, beer drinking, and wiener tugging. A night of debauchery and mutual masturbation turns deadly when a rogue weredeer breaks into his camp killing his friends and biting him. He finds himself starting to change over the next few days and learns that he has a short amount of time to stop it before he is stuck with the curse forever.
Curse of the Weredeer is one of those indie horror comedies that I see a lot of genre fans are going to love. I've reviewed a lot of horror comedies over the years, many of which were associated with Troma, and very few made me laugh like this one did. It's not perfect and some of the humor is beating a dead horse when you reach the hour mark but I still had fun with it. The acting in this is inconsistent but nothing I would consider bad. I noticed that some of the cast does lack experience which may be one of the reasons the acting was inconsistent. Some of the characters had more personality than others which gave the actor something to work with while others were extremely flat. The story for this blends the premise from the classic Wolfman film with hixploitation which is something I didn't realized I needed. We once again follow a man who was bitten by a creature and has a short time to cure himself or he will be cursed for all time. You then toss in the redneck/hixploitation angle with nudity and you have yourself that you can easily pair with the likes of Poultrygeist or Smokey and the Bandit. With that being said, the dipshit redneck inspired dialogue does run it's course fairly early in the film which makes some of the later scenes feel a lot longer than they actually were. Finally, the film has a lot of fun and campy effects. The weredeer, which doesn't appear as much as I would like, was extremely campy looking. It reminded me a lot of the giant monster movies of the 50s. It's funny when you see it but fits in perfectly with the film. We also get a lot of blood and light gore. Troma fans already know what to expect in regards to this. Overall, Curse of the Weredeer is one for the ages. It's a sleazy hixploitation horror comedy that has a lot of laughs and just as much blood. I highly recommend checking it out when you can.
Starring - Tim Hale (Meat, Killer Campout Part II), Chanda Rawlings (Go Away, The Slasher Nurse), and Chris Rhydings (A Cheesy Christmas, Trivial)
Release Date -2025
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Tagline - "He wants to smoke your blood"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
I've been a fan of Brad Twigg for sometime now since his release of Milf vs. Zombies. I know I often reference this in my reviews but I like to throw it out there to piss off one random reader who didn't like the fact that I was included in the special thanks in the credits and still took the time to give it an honest review. In reality, I'm a fan of his films and always look forward to his projects. With that being said, not all of the Fuzzy Monkey Films' releases are the same. I enjoy some more than others with Crackcoon being one of my new favorites. Sometime back, Twigg announced a few films continuing the drug fueled puns that became popular after the release of Cocaine Bear and his film Crackcoon. One of those films was Cracula starring Tim Hale. A few days back, Brad reached out to me to review the film. I graciously accepted the offer and would like to thank Brad for sending this one my way for review.
The film follows Rick (Rhydings) who just inherited a storage locker after the death of his parents. However, two drug addicts break into it before they can inspect it's contents. They uncover an ancient coffin which has been a prison to the vampire Dracula (Hale). Dracula awakens and drains the blood of one of them where he gets a taste of drugs for the first time. He turns the other into his familiar and sends him out into the wilds of West Virginia to find others with blood as special as his friend.
Cracula is another hit in a long line of hits from filmmaker Brad Twigg and his Fuzzy Monkey Films label. The film is nowhere near as fun as Crackcoon and Killer Campout in my opinions but it was still a solid modern day vampire tale that borrows heavily from the Bram Stoker classic tale...with drugs. The acting in this one is a lot of fun. Tim Hale has appeared in several genre titles over the years and has always done a solid job with his roles. With that being said, he did a phenomenal job tackling the starring role. He's extremely comfortable in front of the camera and brought about some laughs that I was not expecting. I look forward to watching him lead other horror comedies in the future. We also see more Fuzzy Monkey regulars like Melissa Sapienza, Rick Jermaine, and Chris Rhydings among a few others. They deliver some solid performances as well. The cast is very well rounded here. However, I would be doing the film great injustice if I don't mention how much I enjoyed the performances from Chanda Rawlings, Chad Critelli, and Kristina Santiago. I had a lot of fun with their roles, especially Critelli. His modern day junkie spin on Renfield was a lot of fun. The story for this one is exactly what you would think if you took the classic Dracula tale and set it in the middle of rural West Virginia. We have Dracula, bikers, prostitutes, drugs, and a stripper named Cinnamon just like the original story penned by Stoker. Or not, I can't remember. Anyway, the film gives it a modern spin with some of the stereotypes facing the mountainous regions of West Virginia. Honestly, it's funny at times but a lot of the jokes and scenes miss their marks. While I did enjoy the movie, several scenes could have been trimmed down to improve the pacing. Also, the movie doesn't feature THAT much drug use. I was expecting a lot more for a film titled Cracula. Finally, the film has some blood and some nudity. The effects are very limited considering it's a vampire flick. We get some blood, some fake teeth "biting" people, and that is about the extent of it. What the film lacks in effects, it more than makes up for in nudity. Overall, Cracula is a fun and sleazy take on the classic Dracula story...if it was set in the mountain state. I would definitely recommend checking this out and pairing it with Twigg's Crackcoon. Check it out.
Director - Eli Craig (Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Zombieland)
Starring - Katie Douglas (Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey, What Would Jesus Do?), Aaron Abrams (Hannibal, The Watchful Eye), Carson MacCormac (Shazam!, Zombie at 17)
Release Date - 2025
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Are you afraid of Frendo?"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
One of the last few years I was in college, which doesn't seem THAT long ago, I rushed out to my local WalMart at midnight to snag a copy of Tucker and Dale vs Evil. I was going to snag a copy at FYE when they opened but I was too impatient at the time and decided to hit up WalMart instead knowing that they stocked new releases at midnight. I fell in love with the film and since then I've collected shirts, posters, and a few random things like hats, beanies, and so forth for the film. It's one of my favorite horror comedies and one of the best parodies of the cabin in the woods sub-genre to exist. With that being said, director Eli Craig hasn't really contributed much to the genre since then aside from what looks like a made for television movie, or television show pilot, spinoff of Zombieland that I need to track down. That was until now when he helmed the Clown in a Cornfield adaptation. I'm not one to go out of my way to see a killer clown flick but I'm always open to them. Killer Klowns from Outer Space and Stephen King's It are among my favorite movies, so I always give the sub-genre a chance especially when I saw that it was Craig behind the camera on this one. I want to thank Shudder for sending over the review link for me to check out!
The film follows a teenager girl and her windowed father who move to a small town. The town is known for it's corn syrup factory and it's mascot Frendo. However, the times are tough for everyone and the town is starting to fade. Some of the local youths have turned Frendo into an urban legend with their found footage style YouTube series depicting Frendo as a serial killer. However, their lucrative hobby turns deadly when they start going missing one by one as they are stalked by someone dressed up as Frendo. It's up to those left alive to find out who is behind the killing and why.
I went into this one knowing very little about it. I knew it was based on a young adult novel by Adam Cesare but that was the extent of it. However, as I prepare for the review I discovered that Cesare wrote Last Night at Terrace Lanes which I recently watched. I was not a fan of that film and that would explain why I didn't really care for Clown in a Cornfield. The film has a few moments I liked and loved seeing Will Saso and Kevin Durand but the movie just wasn't for me. The acting in this one is great. Honestly, this probably has the best acting I've seen this year. The cast is great and it was awesome seeing Saso and Durand taking over the role of the villains. Honestly, I would have loved the film if it was focused more on them and their secret Frendo cult instead of the teenagers. The story for this one has some things that I enjoyed and a lot that I didn't. I'm going to blame it on my age, but a lot of the characters are not likable. It's not a problem of the cast, but how they were written. They have shitty personalities and extremely difficult to connect with. The teens are meant to be a bit unlikable and their past actions have caused a lot of issues in the small community but with that aside, it's difficult not to want to watch them all die. Also, the film doesn't do a good job at hiding the twist as to who the killer is. We have some foreshadowing that gives away more than it should which ruins the big twist near the end. There was a few things that I did like. I really enjoyed the idea of teens turning a local mascot into a serial killer in a found footage YouTube series. I also liked that local cult of adults who despise the youths. Finally, the film has some solid practical effects and gnarly deaths. The deaths are not the wildest I've seen but they are enjoyable enough for me to recommend the film on just that alone. I don't see myself revisiting the movie again but I may toss it in and fast forward to these bloody bits. The effects are fantastic and the kills fit the film but they are not that imaginative. Overall, Clown in the Cornfield is a film with a story meant for young adults turned turned horror with unlikable characters and a predictable story. It does have some great looking deaths but nothing that will stick with you especially if you are an everyday horror fan. I recommend the film for the deaths but that is it.
Director(s) - Stephen Sayadian (Dr. Caligula, Nightdreams 3) and Mark S. Esposito (Treasure of the Haunted House, TerrorVision)
Starring - Andy Nichols (Doctor Penetration, Student Affairs), Paul McGibboney, and Michelle Bauer (Demonwarp, Virgin High)
Release Date - 1982
Genre - Sci-Fi
Tagline - "THE TIME... Five years after the nuclear war. The survivors...post-nuke thrill freaks lookin' for a kick"
Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
I started watching and collecting sexploitation flicks about 10 years ago when companies like Vinegar Syndrome, Severin Films, and Mondo Macabro started sending them my way for review. These were films that I never had an interest in watching until I was sent some for review where I fell in love with them. Since those days I've heard about the popular sexploitation flicks that many fans of the sub-genre would consider essential viewing. Films like Waterworks, Sexworld, and the infamous Cafe Flesh. I had never seen Cafe Flesh previously but when Mondo Macabro sent me the UHD for review, you bet your sweet ass I made time to finally check it out. I, once again, would like to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over.
The film takes place in a post-nuclear world where most of the people are called "negatives." These people are unable to have sex and visit clubs where those that can, called "positives," perform various shows for them. One night during the show, the host spots a couple and continuously mocks them between the various acts. As the film progresses, we learn that one of them is secretly a positive who hides her secret from her negative spouse until her sexual desires overtake her.
I was seriously excited to finally see Cafe Flesh. I had heard so many great things about this one but could only find extremely edited or cut versions of the film online. I decided to hold on until I could find a complete cut of the film. Sadly, I found myself not enjoying the film after all this time of waiting. I wanted to love it, especially for it's amazing story, but I found myself bored to tears. The acting in this one is extremely entertaining. In fact, it is one of the high points of the film for me. The characters are all colorful and full of energy for the most part. In the world of sexploitation and erotica, this is one of the most energetic casts I've seen. The film has to be seen just for the acting alone. The story for the this one is one of those films that I feel was amazing on paper but didn't translate that well to screen. A sexploitation flick set in a post-nuclear wasteland where only a small group of people can screw around while the majority is forced to watch their shows is very unique. You throw in a little character development and you have something truly unforgettable. However, the film's unique style and semi-arthouse approach might be iconic among genre fans, it did make for a slow moving film that really did nothing to hold my attention. The film, without the sex, could have been cut drastically to make the story a bit more fun. Instead, it's a long and drawn out skin flick that bored me to tears. Finally, the film has plenty of skin but if you want some blood or memorable effects then you are out of luck. Overall, Cafe Flesh has a look and style all it's own with one hell of a story but the scenes are painfully too long and the story doesn't go anywhere. I seriously wanted to like this one but it wasn't for me.
Director - Brock Eisner (The Last Witch Hunter, Fear Itself)
Starring - Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill, Pitch Black), Timothy Olyphant (Scream 2, Deadwood), and Joe Anderson (Doctor Who, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2)
Release Date - 2010
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Fear thy neighbor"
Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
Many of you have heard the story about my grandmother watching Savini's Night of the Living Dead while I was with her one night. She wasn't expecting me to sit still long enough to watch it with her but I did. I watched the whole thing with her and fucking loved it. Right after this she left me watch the original from my favorite filmmaker, George A. Romero. I was just a kid at this time and over the next few years I was lucky enough to watch others from him where I fell in love with them all. Sadly, it wasn't until I was in high school that I was lucky enough to watch his underrated classic The Crazies. I scored a VHS of this from the local video store that was closing and quickly tossed it in. I absolutely loved it and when news several years later broke about a remake, I was excited to see it. I went to the theater to check it out and loved it. Eventually snagging a copy of the blu when it was released. However, I never revisited it until now. I recently received the new UHD steelbook for review and used this opportunity to rewatch it. I want to thank Lionsgate for sending this one over for review.
The film follows a small town sheriff (Olyphant) who finds himself in the middle of the outbreak when a plane carrying a virus to be destroyed crashes in the swamp that feeds into the waterway that supplies the town with their drinking water. The infested become mad with some turning to homicide. The military comes in to cover up the accident by killing everyone in the small town but the sheriff, his pregnant wife, and other escape and try to find safety before the soldiers track them down.
The Crazies 2010 does borrow a lot of the story from the original with a more modern spin. There is a lot to like about the film, especially if you've seen the first movie, but there is some things that I never cared for with this remake. The acting in this one is top notch but the characters themselves are not very likable. Olyphant delivers a great performance and what I assume was the role that lead to him landing the role of Rayan Givens in Justified. The characters personalities are damn near identical. I'm also a huge fan of Radha Mitchell and love seeing her in genre films. She's an amazing actress and this is one of my favorite performances from her aside from her iconic role in Silent Hill. We also have a great supporting cast who, one again, bring very unlikable characters to life. The story for this one does borrow heavily from the original while making changes to make it more appealing to modern audiences. We have the story where a small town becomes ground zero for a virus that turns everyone in contact with it into a homicidal maniac. We then have a government cover up, the wiping out of an entire town's population by the military, and a group of uninfected fighting soldiers and their own infected neighbors. However, the characters don't have a lot of personality written into them and they are not very likable. I knew how the film plays out but I couldn't help but want one of the infected to get ahold of them. Finally, the film has a lot of blood and fantastic practical effects. There is some visual effects but they are used wisely to make the scene have more depth. The practical effects are great and steal the show. Overall, The Crazies doesn't surpass the original but it does bring the story into the modern era. It has a great cast and amazing practical effects. I highly recommend checking out this release from Lionsgate.
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