Human Hibachi 3: The Last Supper

Director - Mario Cerrito (Wall of Souls, Human Hibachi)

Starring - Lloyd Kaufman (#Shakespeare's Shitstorm, Superman), Debbie Rochon (Special Needs Revolt!, Side Effects May Vary), and Dan Gregory (Happy's Horror Crypt, Blood and Lust)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Kill. Pray. Eat"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's not often you find a trilogy where all the films work.  Hell, it's even more difficult to find an indie trilogy with all three are enjoyable.  What makes this franchise so impressive is that it has a prequel short as well that is a lot of fun.  Like with any indie horror release, I was excited when director Mario Cerrito announced a new movie but in the back of my mind I had a nagging little doubt that maybe this idea had ran it's course.  Regardless, I was excited to check it out and extremely grateful when he reached out to me to review it.  I want to thank Mario for sending this one over for review.

     The film follows a the leader of a cult who turns those that oppose him into a feast that is fittingly taken from the scripture.  However, the crime boss that helped him get in the trend of long pig starts to worry about his sudden rise to power and sends in two others to trim the fat so to speak.  

     As I look back at my intro I think some may get the wrong idea about what I meant.  I'm always excited to see a new indie horror film in production but with this one I was a little, just a little, worried that the cannibal charcuterie story had been milked enough.  While that was a minor doubt, this final film in the trilogy laid all doubt to rest about if it would be good or not.  However, it did raise another question and that is, is this still a trilogy if the franchise has a short prequel?  I don't know but in the words of the great Elvis Aaron Presley when he was in a retirement home in Texas, "what do I know, I have a growth on my pecker!"  The acting in this one is consistent with the previous films and fits the home video vibe that it's going for.  This is one my biggest problems with the franchise and I'm almost certain I've stated in reviews for the previous films which is that I dislike found footage flicks.  There is a few that I like, with these films being among those, and it's always the acting that rubs me the wrong way.    While everyone in the film does a fantastic job at getting into character, it's the small talk and lack of emotion that makes a lot of these scenes feel awkward to me.  It's not bad acting but it's the acting needed to make found footage like feels to feel authentic and it's not for me.  The story for this one really surprised me.  As I stated earlier, I was curious as to how far could they stretch this slab of meat before it snapped.  Well, the answer is clearly a lot further than I originally suspected.  Taking any story into a religious setting instantly gets my attention.  I've been a lifelong inhabitant of Appalachia which is a region steep in their religion.  Religious fanatics and closeminded zealots absolutely terrify me which is why I will always have a soft spot for religious horror.  Seeing the human hibachi story take religion down the path that I find frightening really had me hooked.  The cult angle really works for me and then when you think the movie is going the way you predicted, you get that twist that you wasn't expecting.  The movie makes great use of it's run time and doesn't stretch itself too thin was well.  While I would have liked to see the dialogue heavy scenes trimmed down, it doesn't really take away from the overall film.  Finally, the film doesn't shy away from the blood and we get a lot of fake body props.  While it's not the goriest film I've seen, it was able to use what little budget it had to add some of the red stuff to the film.  It fits the movie very well and works for the most part.  Overall, Human Hibachi 3: The Last Supper may not be the best film of the trilogy (or franchise, however you look at it) but it's probably my favorite of them all.  Religious horror, when done right, is very effective and this one did a great job with that.  It is a bit outlandish but it's fun and that's all we can ask for a movie to do.  

Eating Miss Campbell

Director - Liam Regan (My Bloody Banjo, Self Induced Nightmares)

Starring - Lyndsey Craine (How to Kill Monsters, Book of Monsters), Lala Barlow (Metro Sexual, Get Krack!n), and Vito Trigo (Pig Pen, Return to Return to Nuke 'Em High aka Vol. 2)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Nostalgia is cancer"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I get films in all the time for review.  Some are movies I request while others are sent my way to check out without my knowledge.  I'm always grateful for the films that I get in for review but sometimes I find a film I really want to see that isn't sent my way for review.  I typically watch them while I'm working on a review but every once in awhile I'll catch a flick that wasn't sent for review but I want to talk about it.  For a few years now I've followed Liam Regan and his film Eating Miss Campbell.  I donated to his campaign for the film and received a copy of it on blu along with his previous film My Bloody Banjo.  I put these up to watch at a later time and completely forgot about them until I was organizing some things.  As soon as I found the blu I quickly tossed it in  to check out.  

     The film follows a vegan goth high school student who is often the butt of the popular kid's jokes while living in aa cliched horror film that only she can see. As the new school year ramps up, she becomes infatuated with the new teacher, Miss Campbell.  She also discovers that she has a taste for human flesh and uses that to her advantage to get rid of a date raping jock.  She then plans on enrolling in a contest where she can win a gun so she can use it to end it all.

     Eating Miss Campbell is a truly unique horror comedy that pokes fun at America while paying homage to counter-culture cinema.  Honestly, I was not expecting the film to have as many layers as it does but I really enjoyed it.  The acting in this one is amazing.  I absolutely love the energy and intensity that Vito Trigo brings to his films.  He's a phenomenal actor that steals every scene he's in and Eating Miss Campbell is no different.  His character is the embodiment of all the problems that many American's face.  Honestly, as I sit here looking through the imdb page for the film I'm realizing that I will be here all night if I was to acknowledge every amazing performance the film has to offer.  Lyndsey Craine does a fantastic as the film's lead.  She's a natural beauty and extremely talented in front of the camera.  The supporting cast is just as great as well.  They do phenomenal jobs and bring about some very memorable characters.  The story for this one has a lot going on.  We have a lot of fourth wall breaking, school shootings, cannibalism, teacher student relations, and so much more.  The movie almost has too much going on but I do like the way it all comes together.  Honestly, some of the side stories could have been cut to improve the pacing but it's still fun the way it is.  Finally, the film doesn't shy away from the blood.  We get some solid practical effects at times but some of the props are laughable.  With that being said, the death are not that memorable but they are violent and bloody.  Overall, Eating Miss Campbell is a beautifully shot indie film that throws so much at the viewer who is not prepared for it.  It has one hell of a cast, an out there story, lots of blood, and self aware.  I highly recommend this one.  

Yellow Dragon's Village

Director - Yugo Sakamoto (Green Bullet, Baby Assassins)

Starring - Yuni Akino (Stop the Bitch Campaign: Reboot, My Favorite Girl), Itsuki Fujii (Vampire Clay 2, Pan), and Wataru Ichinose (Antihero, Sacrifice)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been actively watching Asian horror films for around 15 years now and while my knowledge of Asian cinema is fairly small, I know that some of my favorite horror films I've seen have been Japanese.  Movies like House, Tokyo Gore Police, Meatball Machine, Ichi the Killer, Versus, and Helldriver just to name a few.  Several weeks back I bought a Japanese double feature from Terror Vision and added it to my watch pile to check out when I had the time.  I bought the set for the second film, Visitors, which is why my review appears out of order.  I had to watch the second film first but once I finished with it I quickly tossed in Yellow Dragon's Village.

    The film follows a group of college students who are making a trip out into the country for some camping when they run into car troubles.  They just happen to break down near an old village steeped in tradition with promises of getting their car repaired the following day.  However, the next day they awaken to one of their own missing and at breakfast they learn that the village has a strange ritual that involves butchering outsiders that stumbles upon them.  The town descends on them to slaughter when they flee but several in the group are actually trained in hand to hand combat for just this occasion after losing a family member to their sick game some years before.

     I went into this one absolutely blind and found myself really enjoying it.  The movie, much like Visitors, is far from perfect with a lot of issues with the story but is still very entertaining.  In fact, I could see this one spawning a sequel or even a prequel due to it's rich story with endless possibilities.  The acting in this one is very consistent and very well done.  Much like Visitors, the characters are very one dimensional with very little personalities.  The cast does the best with what they were given but the characters are easily forgettable.  The story for this one is pretty fucking clever.  The film's artwork made me think I was getting into a slasher.  Instead, the film follows a small village that lives like a cannibalistic cult that slaughters anyone that walks into their domain.  This would have been good enough for a straight forward horror flick.  However, we get the additional storyline of several of the youths who have trained to seek revenge against the villagers for killing someone they loved sometime ago.  It feels a bit cheap and doesn't really improve the film.  In fact, it pulls the film down in my opinion.  The movie would have been much better if the film followed the campers as they fought off the villagers.  Finally, the film has plenty of blood and minimal effects.  The kills fit the film very well but if you are looking for memorable deaths and outstanding gore then you will be disappointed.  Yellow Dragon's Village is a pretty solid Japanese horror film with a decent enough story.  While some of it could be edited out to improve it, the film is just fine as is.  It's not going to be someone's favorite film but it is entertaining.  

Mexico Barbaro II

Director(s) - Diego Cohen (Honeymoon, Mark of the Devil), Christian Cueva (Voices, Vampiro), Ricardo Farias (Deliver, Vampiro), Michelle Garza Cervera (Abismal, The Original), Carlos Melendez (My Encounter with Evil, Clickbait), Lex Ortega (Atrocious, Mexico Barbaro), Abraham Sanchez (Devastcion, Sanguijuelas), Sergio Tello (T is for Tamales), and Fernando Urdapilleta (Consuelo, Atrapada)

Starring - Yeray Albelda (The Darkest Days of Us, Fear the Walking Dead), Alejandra Anaya, and Gabo Anguiano (Devil's Reflection, Control Z)

Release Date - 2017

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Nine tales of terror from south of the border"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

    I love having little movie marathons when I can. I know I'm not the fastest person to review a film and sometimes I will sit on a movie for weeks at a time before I can review it. This sometimes results in me having a couple releases from the same company that I need to check out. I recently found myself holding on to three different Unearthed Films' releases that I needed to review. After watching the wildly enjoyable Deadgirl, I tossed in the horror anthology Mexico Barbaro II. While I had never seen the first film, I was still very excited to check this one out. Like always, I want to thank MVD and Unearthed Films for sending this one over for review. 

      The film features 9 horror tales ranging from a solider meeting his end by a bullet only to come back as a vengeful demon, a family mutilating their abusive father, an addict taking her addiction too far, two young men wanting to make an adult film with two beautiful women who are hiding something, and more. 

      I went into Mexico Barbaro II hoping that the segments in this sequel did not connect to the ones from the first film where I had never seen it. Lucky for me, it looks like they are eight or nine original segments that call Mexico Barbaro II home are original stories or if they are sequels, they can be enjoyed without seeing the first film. Most of you know how much of an anthology fan I am, and Mexico Barbaro II did not disappoint. The acting in this one is a bit inconsistent. With nine different filmmakers contributing their own segment to the film bringing their own different styles, experience, and budgets it only makes sense that there would be inconsistencies. With that being said, there were no bad performances but some of the segments have more memorable performances than others. The same can be said for the stories in the film. I liked a good deal of the segments and found myself absolutely wanting more but I think that nine stories were just too many. Sure, removing some would have shortened the run time but an anthology doesn't need a damn near dozen stories to be enjoyable. Maybe set some aside for a third film and focus the remaining run time on a wraparound segment that tied everything together. My favorite part of an anthology is the wraparound segment and not having one is a huge disappointment. Finally, this film is extremely violent and full of fantastic make-up and gore effects. The practical effects look great, the blood is plenty, and these kills are very enjoyable. Overall, Mexico Barbaro II is a brutal anthology that crams in nine segments into it's feature length run time. While the segments are enjoyable, the lack of a story putting them all together does make it feel like a collection of shorts with no purpose. It's still a lot of fun and I highly recommend snagging the blu from Unearthed Films

Cannibal Campout

Director(s) - Tom Fisher and Jon McBride (Among Us, Woodchipper Massacre)

Starring - Jon McBride, Amy Chludzinski and Christopher A. Granger

Release Date - 1988

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Friends don't let friends eat friends"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I started taking my movie collecting seriously about ten years ago. I had always bought movies and took the time to organize them, but it wasn't until I was married that I started focusing on what I was adding to my collection. I would often spend a few hundred on Amazon getting DVDs for films I had never seen, which led me to Camp Motion Pictures and their S.O.V. releases. Under their Retro 80s series of releases, I was able to snag a bad ass DVD set made to look like a VHS big box along with a few other solo titles like Cannibal Campout. I love having it in my collection, but I never made the time to actually watch it. That changed when Terror Vision released the film on blu. While I love the Retro 80s release, I couldn't pass up the chance to upgrade to blu. Once it arrived, I had to make time to finally watch it. 

      The film follows two couples who head out camping in the woods. On their way to their campsite, they encounter some hostile locals but are able to get away from them...but not for long. These hillbillies are cannibals and just happen to come across their campsite. 

      Cannibal Campout is far from perfect but holy fuck was it a lot of fun. That is a bit of a bummer considering how long I've owned the DVD release but never took the time to watch it. Regardless, I'm glad I finally checked it out and the first time seeing it was this release from Terror Vision. The acting in this one was very well done. A lot of S.O.V. horror flicks that I've reviewed had performances that were forced and overdramatic at times. However, Cannibal Campout had a great cast and some memorable characters for them to bring to life. The story for this one is a pre-Wrong Turn backwoods cannibal slasher that would become even more popular in the 2000s. We follow a group of innocents who happen to be camping in a cannibal family's hunting grounds. It's nothing overly complicated but it works for a cheap horror flick. Finally, the film has some blood, fake body parts, and a lot of creativity. While the effects are not the best I had seen, they still work for the film and find their marks with the viewer. Overall, Cannibal Campout is a great no budget schlocky cannibal flick that fans of films like Dead Next Door and Skinned Alive will enjoy. Grab it on blu now from Terror Vision.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Director - Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist, Lifeforce)

Starring - Marilyn Burns (Helter Skelter, Eaten Alive), Edwin Neal (My Boyfriend's Back, Zombiegeddon), and Allen Danzinger (Storage Locker, Eggshells)

Release Date - 1974

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Who will survive and what will be left of them?"
Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I’ve been asked to review some of the world’s most memorable horror films over the years ranging from the classic Universal monster movies to modern films that became instant classics like X and Barbarian. When I started writing reviews 13 years ago I never expected to be asked to review some of the films that has been sent my way. It’s an exciting feeling getting to review some of the movies I grew up with as they find releases on new formats. A few weeks ago I was sent the original 1974 Tobe Hooper classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre on UHD for review. This steelbook release gave me the opportunity to revisit this one. While it’s not my favorite film in the franchise I still respect the hell out of it and it is still a fun watch. 

      The film follows a group of twenty-somethings as they travel through Texas after news broke about a series of graverobbers has plagued several southern towns. After they pick up an unhinged hitchhiker, they find themselves at a home isolated from others and inside that home is a family of cannibals with a knack for killing. 

      The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre gave the world the iconic slasher Leatherface along with being one of the most effective horror films of it’s time. I give credit where credit is due and TCM has everything going for it. With that being said, it’s not even in my top three favorite TCM films. It’s an amazing film and a still enjoy watching it from time to time. The acting in this one is one of my favorite parts of the film. The entire cast is firing on every cylinder but my favorite performances will always be Ed Neal’s and Gunnar Hansen. The characters they both portrayed still stand out regardless of how many times you’ve seen the film. The story for this one was shocking for the early 70s but doesn’t really have the impact on viewers discovering the film for the first time now. However, the premise and set up still works regardless of when it was made. It’s a straight forward story that has endless possibilities for sequels which has been tested over the years. Finally, the film is not as bloody and gory as you would expect. Leatherface’s iconic mask looks amazing and we get a few scenes with blood and a few cheap gags but the lack of gore has always disappointed me. Overall, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a huge part of horror history and this steelbook is a must own for fans of the film and genre collectors. While it’s not my favorite film in the franchise I still respect the hell out of it and this release is a must own. Check it out

Human Hibachi 2: Feast in the Forest

Director - Mario Cerrito (Deadly Gamble, Human Hibachi)

Starring - Frank Volpe (Evil Lives Here, Joker), Giavonna Banner (Broken Trust), and Julie Chapin (Ghost Goggles, American Ripper)

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror

Tagline - It's hunting season"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Last year, or the year before, I reviewed the found footage horror film Human Hibachi. I’m not a fan of found footage films but I actually enjoyed this one. It’s not the best ff flick I’ve seen but it was a lot of fun and I loved the plot behind it. The movie went on to gain a little bit of a following among indie horror fans so I knew a sequel would be in the works. I was right. I started receiving press releases from the follow up films earlier in the year and the posts went over very well on the site. I was looking forward to checking it out and then a few days before Halloween I received a message from the Human Hibachi Instagram page to review the sequel Human Hibachi 2: Feast in the Forest. I wanted to add it to my October horror binge but I wasn’t able to work it in but I still had time for it this month. 

      The film follows a clan that live deep in the woods who have a taste for flesh. Through different tactics they find ways to lure unsuspecting campers or those that trespass on their land to their camp where they party and then butcher them for a good home cooked meal. 

      Human Hibachi 2: Feast in the Forest didn’t really have the same tone as the first film and does go a different route but it still finds a way to be fun. I don’t see this one being as rewatchable as the first but it is entertaining as a first time watch. I wanted to like it more than I did but I couldn’t help but compare it to Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) and Wrong Turn. Regardless, it was enjoyable and one I could see other genre fans digging as well. The acting in this one is pretty decent. There is room for improvement but they are fully dedicated to their roles which does bring some fun to several scenes. With that being said, their inexperience does bring about some awkward scenes. It’s not the worst I’ve seen but some experience would have went a long way. The story for this one reminds me a lot of the back-woods cannibal flicks that flocked to video store shelves in the wake of Wrong Turn. It still have that Human Hibachi like storyline by way of films like Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) where the first film is depicted as a movie that inspires a sequel. I liked it and how it was implemented into the film but the movie was too long in my opinion. The dialogue heavy scenes and light action made the film feel like it was 30 minutes too long. Some fat could be trimmed on this one without compromising the film’s integrity. Finally, the films effects had me laughing my ass off. The mannequin roasting over the fire is peak humor in indie horror. This Ed Wood like gag made it onto the film’s artwork and promo material and while it’s far from perfect it still looks pretty cool while retaining the sense of humor. The remainder of the effects are minimal with some blood splatter here and there with some make-up effects. Overall, Human Hibachi 2: Feast in the Forest is something I would highly recommend to watch with a group of friends and plenty of beer. It’s not perfect but it’s fun which is all you can ask for with a movie that has no budget. Check this one out.

Hi-Fear

Director(s) - Anthony Catanese (Sodomaniac, Girls Just Wanna Have Blood), Tim Ritter (Truth or Dare, Sharks of the Corn), Todd Sheets (Bonehill Road, Dreaming Purple Neon), Brad Sykes (Camp Blood, Plaguers), and Josephine Sykes (Hi-8, Hi-Death)

Starring - Geoff Allen, Sheila Brandon Allen (Hollywood Werewolf, Clownado), and Raven Black 

Release Date - 2022

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "What are you afraid of?"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several years ago, almost a decade now, I was contacted by indie filmmaker and producer Bob Sykes to review his anthology film Hi-8 (Horror Independent 8).  Honestly, it was a lot of fun.  The set up and concept behind the film really worked for an anthology film and the segments were indie horror gold.  I enjoyed it a lot and I still recommend it to this day when people ask me for movie recommendations.  A few years after the success of Hi-8 Sykes and other filmmakers gave fans a worthy follow-up in Hi-Death.  Hi-Death was another great horror anthology that lived up to it's namesake but just not quite as good as the original.  It's a lot of fun especially if you enjoyed the first film.  I knew the popularity of the two films would inspire another sequel and it did.  A few days back Brad reached out to me again to review the third installment Hi-Fear.  Like always I want to thank Brad for allowing Horror Society and myself the opportunity to check out your hard work!

     The film follows an aspiring author and illustrator who receives a mysterious call where she is forced to tell four gruesome tales to the caller.  The first story follows a group of young men looking for a good time in a whorehouse but soon discover that this particular one has a dark secret.  The second tale follows a preacher who suspects his wife is sleeping around on him.  In a fit of rage, he strangles her and tries to hide the body.  However, an officer that is part of his congregation "helps" him hide the body with disastrous results.  The third tale follows a homeless teen who finds herself stalked by a demented man who thinks he is saving her soul.  The fourth and final tale follows a group staying in a cabin that was meant to be the base of operations for a film.  However, when no one shows they try to contact the outside world and quickly realize something catastrophic has happened.  

     Hi-Fear is not a bad film but it is the low point in the Hi-8 trilogy.  I loved the aesthetics and stories in the original which was loosely carried over into the film's first sequel.  However, Hi-Fear just doesn't feel like a Hi-8 follow up.  It's a decent indie anthology but it doesn't have that look and feel that made the first film so much fun.  Honestly, I'm not a fan of the title or the wrap around segment but the rest of the film was just what I was looking for.  The acting in this one is very inconsistent.  Some segments were a little better done than others.  The wraparound segment for the film feels a little forced and her reactions were underwhelming but not bad.  Just one of the many reasons this segment doesn't work for me.  The first story has some decent acting along with the second segment but my favorite acting can be found in the third and fourth segments.  The characters are a little better written and the cast in these two do a fantastic job in their roles.  The stories for these varies and progressively gets better as the film goes on.  The segment doesn't work for me.  It feels a little cheap and just tossed together last minutes as a way to book end the segments together.  I love a good anthology and what makes Hi-8 so fun to me was the way everything was connected.  Hi-Fear doesn't have that.  The first segment feels like two different stories that were forced together.  If you separated the first portion with the preacher, his wife, and the officer you would have a pretty straight forward horror tale that could be pretty grounded and brutal.  Sadly, it's not explored fully and the addition of the cannibal family at the end feels like another segment that could stand out on it's own.  I would have loved to see this family explored further and be the center of their own segment.  The third segment following the homeless teen living on the street is one that took a few minutes to get the wheels rolling but once it gets going it delivers.  The same can be said about the fourth tale.  It's a slow burn but once the story starts picking up you find yourself glued to the screen.  Finally, the film has some visual and practical effects.  Some of the segments have some decent looking effects with some blood and light make-up effects while others have some very noticeable visual effects that don't work like they were intended for.  Overall, Hi-Fear is a decent follow up to Hi-8 and Hi-Death but it's the weakest link in the trilogy.  I had fun with it but it's inconsistent humor, acting, and wraparound segment does make it one that I can't love but I did enjoy it.  Check it out especially if you are a fan of the other films.  

Female Mercenaries on Zombie Island

Director - Gary Whitson (Abducted!, Sleepover Massacre)

Starring - Tina Krause (Bloodletting, Camp Blood 666), Pamela Sutch (Paranormal Captivity, Day of the Ax), and Laura Giglio (Deep Undead, Cannibal Sacrifice)

Release Date - 1995

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "In the year 2008 women control the zombie force..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     W.A.V.E. Productions is iconic among indie horror fans especially those that lived through the 90s and early 00s.  However, I was fairly unfamiliar with them until I watched the documentary Mail Order Murder: The Story of W.A.V.E. Productions.  Since then Saturn's Core and a handful of other boutique labels has released some of their films on blu.  One such company, Camp Motion Pictures, recently released the Female Mercenaries on Zombie Island Collection on blu which included the 1995 film Female Mercenaries on Zombie Island along with it's sequel Female Mercenaries 2: The Mad Doctor of Zombie Island.  This release also included a couple shorts.  I was very interested in this release so I reached out to my friends at MVD and they were kind enough to send a review copy my way.  I had never seen any of these films so I started with title flick.  Thanks MVD for hooking me up with this!

     The film follows an evil female doctor who has been experimenting with brain transplants.  She is working with the older male leaders of the world and is going to transplant their brains into younger bodies.  However, she is manipulating them and is including a brain control device so she will have total control of them.  She has also created a drug that turns the other men into cannibalistic mutants.  The only thing standing in her way is two women who refuse to let her control what is left of the world.  

     I don't expect to find a film that will immediately leave a lasting impression on me when I toss in a W.A.V.E. flick, however,  I do expect some cheesy and sleazy fun.  Female Mercenaries looked like it could deliver both of those but it missed the mark.  It was sloppy, chaotic, and the story was stretched so thin that it was damn near impossible to finish.  I hate being so negative about a film but there is very little, if any, positive aspects to this flick.  The acting in this one is extremely lazy and just as chaotic as the rest of the film.  The cast awkwardly delivers their dialogue and they have no real commitment to their roles.  Each scene is rushed and it looks like the entire film was edited together using the first or only takes.  All the character lack personalities and it's difficult to tell most of the women apart due to their acting.  If it wasn't for their imdb pages I would have thought that they all lacked on screen experience.  The story for this one is something we have seen before but with a more female oriented approach.  Direct to video action movies, especially during the mid-90s, featured similar stories where the world is in shambles and an evil man is hell bent on taking over what is left of civilization by any means necessary.  That has been switched here to an evil woman but the story is still pretty much the same.  This basic premise is stretched to over 2 hours of run time which is almost 2 hours too long.  It could have been a little more enjoyable if it was trimmed down a lot and the story actually followed itself instead of focusing on scenes full of women in peril.  The sleazy aspect is wasted on poorly filmed scenes of women yelling but lacking any emotional attachment to their dialogue.  Finally, the film has a few instances of great practical effects while others lacked practical effects and just sprayed blood everywhere.  I really enjoyed the brain scene but that is the extent of it.  Overall, Female Mercenaries on Zombie Island is not as fun as I had hoped it would be.  I'm sure it would be a blast to watch in a room full of drunk horror fans but it's a difficult one to finish by yourself and sober.  Skip it.  

Creepshow Animated Special

Director - Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead, Creepshow)

Starring - Kiefer Sutherland (The Lost Boys, Young Guns), Joey King (The Conjuring, The Act), and Fayna Sanchez (Dollface, OJ: The Musical)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Strange, eerie, terrifying"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Last year was a rough one for many of us.  The pandemic took millions of lives, saw several without jobs and income, and others found themselves homeless for many reasons.  For obvious reasons, the movie industry was hit due to the pandemic and the "new normal" along with the guidelines that made filming new projects damn near impossible.  However, that didn't stop special effects legend and occassional director Greg Nicotero from knocking out an animated special for his produced Creepshow series.  It was released on Shudder but I never got the chance to check it out until I was sent the second season of Creepshow from RLJE Films and Shudder.  I finally was able to check it out as one of the special features on this release.  

     This special consists of two tales.  The first follows a surgeon that finds himself alone on an island with no way or surviving.  He resorts to eating seagulls before resorting to amputating his legs as a way of sustaining his own before succumbing to infection and starvation.  The second tale follows a teenage girl who is on vacation with her family when they come across a roadside attraction called Circus of the Dead.  They soon discover that this a circus centered around zombies and those in charge use the audience as their next batch of undead for the following show.

     I was really looking forward to this after watching season 2 of Creepshow but the animated special was not as entertaining as the actual show.  I liked the stories behind each tale but the delivery and animation just didn't sell it to me.  The voice acting in this one is alright for the most part but the cast does struggle with conveying emotions by just using their voices.  Those cast fit the characters they were assigned to but the voice acting is very flat.  The stories for this one is great on paper but the execution and delivery was just not the best approach to make them enjoyable.  I really enjoyed the plot for both stories but the animated approach and narration made the stories feel a little too goofy.  They didn't have the impact that they could have if it was actually live action.  Finally, the film has some animated violence that was fun to at times but the animation style just didn't work for me.  Overall, Creepshow Animated Special had some fun moments but it is easily forgettable.  It's not on the same level as the regular episodes which means you can skip it if you really want to.  

Auntie Lee's Meat Pies

Director - Joseph F. Robertson (Dangerous When Wet, Innocent Seduction)

Starring - Karen Black (House of 1000 Corpses, Invaders from Mars), Pat Morita (The Karate Kid, The Munsters Today), and Kristine Rose (To Sleep with a Vampire, Batman Returns)

Release Date - 1992

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "How do you handle a hungry man?  You have him for dinner!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been buying and collecting horror movies for almost 20 years now.  I've never felt old until I typed that last sentence but it's true.  I've been collecting for many years and there is several movies I've always wanted to add to my collection and was never able to.  One of those films was Auntie Lee's Meat Pies.  I'm a sucker for horror comedies and this film looked like a lot of fun but I was never fortunate enough to find a copy.  When Vinegar Syndrome announced the release of the 192 horror comedy on blu I was quick to snag a copy.  I had never seen it but I was looking forward to getting my hands on this Vin Syn release.  

     The film follows Auntie Lee (Black) who uses the beauty of her three nieces to lure lusty hitchhikers into her home where she kills and cooks them into her amazing meat pies.  Her slow but loveable handyman Larry (Michael Berryman) catches the eye of their small town sheriff and soon their antics come crashing down when he discovers a bag of bones in a car driven by Larry.  

     I was so excited to finally check this one out but after 40 minutes or so I discovered why most horror fans don't talk about this one.  It started out so strong but quickly fizzled out before we reached the halfway mark.  I feel like this one maybe suffers from the same issue that Spookies does and the director had one vision while the producers has another.  I don't know but I do know that it does off the rails after such a strong start.  The acting in this one is fun but not the best I've seen.  The characters are very enjoyable and written with a lot of personality and memorable traits.  The cast was given a lot to work with and they did a fantastic job at making the scenes fun while moving the story along.  With that being said, I was a little surprised by Berryman tackling the role of a simpleton.  I've seen him portray similar characters before but this one is almost a little too weird.  The story for this one has an amazing start where we are introduced to the characters, get a good bit of the cannibalism that we were expecting before we get into the odd scenes in the basement with the different scenarios that they would pick the band that was traveling through off one by one.  It was when the film reached this point that it got out of hand and way too goofy even for my tastes.  I'm all for Satanic cannibals but the way the story drags on at this point made it difficult to stick with it.  Finally, this one has some fun but cheap looking kills that I was expecting.  I didn't expect this one to have impressive gore but it did deliver on the campy kills and cheap practical effects.  Overall, Auntie Lee's Meat Pies is alright for a first time watch but I was very disappointed with it.  I wish it would have stuck with the family killing and cooking people while avoiding the law.  Check it out if you haven't but don't expect a well rounded culty classic.  

     

The Cannibal Man

Director - Eloy de la Iglesia (The Creature, The Priest)

Starring - Vicente Parra (Daddy's War, El Transexuale), Emma Cohen (The Dumfounded King, Alone in the Dark), and Eusebio Poncela (The Ministry of Time, Sleepwalker)

Release Date - 1972

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "When the butcher goes berserk..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     With October quickly approaching I'm trying to knock out as many movies sent to me for review before I start on my 31 Days of Horror challenge.  Most of the movies sent my way are horror but a few that trickle in from here or there are not.  A few weeks back Severin and MVD sent over two new Severin releases that included The Cannibal Man and Overboard.  Though The Cannibal Man was obviously horror the second film was clearly not.  So, before October arrives, I wanted to knock these two releases out real quick so Overboard wouldn't be sitting around until November.  Like always I want to thank MVD and Severin for always supporting Horror Society.  

    The film follows a man that works at a meat processing plant who accidentally kills a taxi driver while on a date.  The killing is in self-defense but his girlfriend starts to feel guilty and requests that they turn themselves in.  Fearing a life in prison he reluctantly kills her too to cover his tracks.  However, this murder begins a chain of murders for him to cover his tracks eventually leading to him becoming overburdened.

     I really liked The Cannibal Man but the movie is not as gruesome as I was hoping for.  In fact, it's not as horrifying as I was expecting.  It's actually fairly tame considering the films artwork, title, and taglines.  Regardless, I liked it a lot and can see other genre fans enjoying it just as much as I did.  The acting in this one is great.  I really liked Parra as the lead.  His character always seem calm and collected even after the bodies start to pile up he still seems relatively cool about the entire situation.  I really loved that and his demeanor made the film for me.  The supporting cast is just as fun but the characters doesn't carry the film quite like Parra's.  The story for this one is more of a character piece with a body count.  We follow Parra's character as he goes through his day to day life and how the one murder spirals out of control as he tries to cover up each murder with another murder.  It does have these 6 or so kill scenes that are not that graphic with the exception of one but the overall story is not really that terrifying.  Finally, the film has several on screen kills.  The kills, aside from one, are not that gruesome but a few do offer up some blood.  We get some strangling, one hit with a rock to the dome, another has their throat sliced, but the hatchet to the face is the most graphic and rewarding death.  I loved the effects used in this one.  However, if livestock being butchered is something you are against then you may not enjoy this one.  Overall, The Cannibal Man was a little milder than I was expecting but I really enjoyed it.  Parra brought the film to life and it was great fun.  I highly recommend this one to genre fans.    

Hanger

Director - Ryan Nicholson (Gutterballs, Famine)

Starring - Debbie Rochon (Model Hunger, Exhumed), Dan Ellis (American Guinea Pig: Bloodshock, Star Vehicle), and Nathan Dashwood (Arrow, Smallville)

Release Date - 2009

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Payback is a bitch of a whore"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     In 2019 the indie horror genre lost one of it's most revered filmmakers to cancer when Canadian filmmaker and effects artist Ryan Nicholson passed away.  I had befriended Nicholson on social media and was soon sharing news of his projects on the site.  He was a seriously underrated effects artist but his films were a little hit or miss with me.  Gutterballs and Famine were very entertaining but Live Feed wasn't for me.  When Unearthed Films announced the blu release of Nicholson's 2009 horror flick Hanger I was very curious about it.  I reached out to my friends over at MVD and they were kind enough to send a copy my way.  Thanks guys!

     The film begins with a prostitute that is nearing the end of her pregnancy when her pimp takes a hanger to her.  He aborts the baby and disposes of it in a dumpster but accidentally kills the prostitute in the act.  A homeless man found the baby and raised him.  On his 18th birthday the homeless kicks him out and sends him on his way to becoming a man.  His mother's John, and possibly his father, takes in him to raise him but his cruel up bringing awakens something evil in him.  Now, with a taste for blood, he sets out with his mother's John to kill the pimp responsible for the heartache he has suffered.  

     I know a lot of my friends in the horror community love Hanger, almost as much as Gutterballs, so to say I was excited to check this one out would be an understatement.  Sadly, the movie was not that fun me and I struggled to finish it.  There was a few cool moments but the overall film was trying too hard to be something it wasn't.  The acting in this one isn't bad but the characters doesn't fit the film.  I'm a huge fan of horror comedies so I understand over the top characters that move the story along.  However, the characters here reminded me a lot of the indie horror comedy The Taint except the film was extremely serious in tone.  The cast does one hell of a job at creating characters that stand out, and by god they stand out, but they don't fit the film at all.  The story for this one is something fun and rather unique but struggles with it's own identity.  The atmosphere, settings, and story all come together to make a very dark and blistering horror tale but the characters don't fit in with it.  Their Troma-like personalities make this story feel like it's trying to be a horror comedy...which it lacked any sort of humor.  Some of the characters would spit out poor attempts at one liners but they fail to land.  If the jokes would have came more naturally it would have been more enjoyable but the "jokes" the way they are do nothing for the film.  Finally, this film, like most Nicholson films, have some of the most impressive gore I've ever seen.  We get a lot of practical and make-up effects that should be seen by genre fans.  The story is lacking but the effects and blood is not.  Overall, Hanger is an effects heavy horror tale from the late Ryan Nicholson.  The story doesn't work but the effects are out of this world.  The blu from Unearthed doesn't look that much better than DVD quality but the addition of the special features makes it a must own for collectors.  

Cyclone

Director - Rene Cardona Jr. (Treasure of the Amazon, The Bermuda Triangle)

Starring - Arthur Kennedy (Cave of the Sharks, Dirty World), Carroll Baker (Kindergarten Cop, Thriller), and Lionel Stander (The Transformers: The Movie, Treasure Island)

Release Date -1978

Genre - Action/Adventure

Tagline - "The terror storm was only the beginning... but the sharks would be the merciless end"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I started the Rene Cardona Jr. triple feature I was really looking forward to checking out Treasure of the Amazon.  I started with that one and really enjoyed it.  However, the same can not be said for the second film in the set, The Bermuda Triangle.  It was a chore to finish but it did had a few fun moments.  I was on the fence with Cyclone after I watched the half-assed Bermuda Triangle but once I tossed in it I was surprised to see that this was the best film in the set.  I was not prepared for this hard hitting natural disaster masterpiece.  The Cardona Collection Vol. 1 was worth the price for this film alone!

     The film follows a group of tourists afloat on the open sea when a freak cyclone damages their vessel.  Sometime goes by and they find a small raft afloat with more survivors of a sunken ship and a downed aircraft.  They quickly find themselves without water and food.  When they start to die from the heat and malnutrition they result to cannibalism in order to survive.  

     I went into this one assuming it was going to be as stale as the other Cardona flick from 1978 but I was wrong.  Very wrong.  Cyclone had a straight forward story that had me sitting on the edge of my seat.  The acting in this one is phenomenal.  The cast was put through what looks like pure hell to pull off these shots.  Their dedication to their roles could never be questioned and the characters they portrayed were so enjoyable.  I loved the cast and they were a major factor in my love for this film.  The story for this one is so straight forward but the atmosphere and tension is so well done that you find yourself inching forward in your seat as the scene progresses.  The last 40 minutes or so of the film is absolutely fantastic and the dark realities of survival really makes this movie a must see for genre fans.  Finally, the film has plenty of blood and some light practical effects but they are not the center of the scene like most horror films.  Instead, the story and characters are the focus much like the rest of the film.  Overall, Cyclone is a fantastic film with a gripping story and an amazing cast.  This is the jewel of this set and I highly recommend it.  

Death Ranch

Director - Charlie Steeds (The Barge People, Escape from Cannibal Farm)

Starring - Deiondra Teagle (Painted in Blood), Faith Monique (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Zero), and Travis Cutner (MacGyver, Spooked)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The family that slays together, stays together"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Most of you have heard this before but I always feel the need to reiterate how much I fucking love blaxploitation flicks.  When I was younger my dad bought a few tapes from someone in a parking lot on our way to visit my brother.  The guy hawking the tapes was clearly "medicated" and I begged my dad to buy the tapes.  In them was several blaxploitation flicks.  Once I got big into those films Snoop Dogg released his blaxploitation horror flick Bones which only fueled my love for the sub-genre.  Over the years I've reviewed a couple dozen blaxploitation flicks and I've loved every minute of it.  A few weeks ago I received the press release for Charlie Steeds' Death Ranch.  The trailer looked absolutely fucking mental so I reached out for a review copy.  

     The film is set in the early 70s when Brandon (Teagle) escapes from jail.  He meets up with his brother and sister  and the three visit their families abandoned farm deep in the mountains of Tennessee to hide out. What they don't expect to see is a clan of cannibalistic KKK members who prey on people of color.

     Death Ranch was everything I wanted it to be after watching the trailer.  It was extremely bloody and violent with a great blaxploitat meets hixploitation tone.  I absolutely loved it and I can't wait for others to enjoy it as well.  The acting in this one is fun but there is plenty of room for improvement.  Teagle and Monique are the stars of the show and they both deliver fantastic performances.  Their characters are very grounded and real with both really giving the film their all.  The supporting cast is fun to watch with all the faceless KKK members dying but no one shares the screen as long as these two do.  The story for this one is a brilliant mixing of blaxploitation meets hixploitation.  Racism finds it's end with the story and the set up is absolutely brilliant.  The story does start out a bit slow but once it picks up it holds a steady pace of bloody action and social justice.  I couldn't have watched this story unfold over the course of three of four hours in all honesty.  Finally, the film is extremely bloody and action packed.  The kills we get do not shy away from the red stuff and fit the style of the film perfectly. A good portion of the deaths we get are the results of various gunshots.  The squibs look great and the amount of blood we get is almost comical.  I absolutely loved the look of these kills.  Not to be too repetitive, we do get some other kills using various tools found around an old farm.  These kills are just as bloody and the practical effects make them even more entertaining.  Overall, Death Ranch is absolutely fantastic.  Fans of old school horror and exploitation will want to spin this one.  It's bloody and combines some of my favorite exploitation sub-genres to create something that not only fits the social commentary of the early 70s but today as well.  I highly recommend it.  

Son

Director - Ivan Kavanagh (The Fading Light, The Canal)

Starring - Andi Matichak (Halloween, 666 Park Avenue), Emile Hirsch (The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Freaks), and Luke David Blumm (The Walking Dead, Watchmen)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "You can't outrun a family secret"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Sometime ago Shudder and RLJE Films teamed up to release the films Z and Come Play.  Both were horror tales centered around children and both films came up very short in terms of entertainment value.  I hate writing negative reviews but both of these films were oddly similar yet both went nowhere.  A few weeks ago I received the press release for the Shudder and RLJE Films' joined release Son.  Son, like Z and Come Play, follows a young child but the trailer looked a lot more fun than the other twos.  I reached out and was able to get a copy of this one blu to review.  I'm glad I did because it was a lot of fun.  

     The film follows Laura (Matichak) and her son David (Blumm).  Laura had an interesting pregnancy and has put her troubled past behind her but when her son becomes ill she suspects that her sinister past has come back to reclaim David.  

     The trailer for Son looked extremely interesting but I couldn't help but think about how bad Z and Come Play actually was.  Lucky for me the film was nothing like those two and was a seriously fun horror flick.  It's a straight forward in your face bloody mess of a film that I would recommend to any horror fan looking for some late night scares.  The acting in this one is great.  I never considered Hirsch a strong actor until I saw The Autopsy of Jane Doe.  Since then I look forward to him appearing in other genre titles.  Sadly, he is very under utilized here which is a huge disappointment.  With that being said, Matichak and Blumm carry the film.  Their relationship on camera is undeniable and they work so well together.  you really do feel a mother and son bond between them too and their emotional range must be seen to be believed.  The story for this one is a fun psychological horror meets the occult.  I really liked the story and how it unfolded giving the viewer just enough to make the scene work without giving away too much.  The further into the film you get the better it is which is how a good horror film should be.  The suspense and atmosphere should progress along with the story.  Finally, the film is extremely bloody and violent.  Gorehounds will really enjoy this one.  The kills are great and the practical effects are gorgeous.  Overall, Son is a bit of a slow start but the film steamrolls through.  I highly recommend giving this bloody flick a chance.  It's well worth your time.  

Goriest Production Short Compilation 2010 - 2020

Director - Patrick Fortin

Release Date - 2010 - 2020

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I love how wild some no budget indie horror flicks can go.  I've seen parodies of some of my favorite horror movies, I've seen fan films, and I've even seen unofficial sequels.  I've always seen some wild original tales told with absolutely no budget.  A few days ago director Patrick Fortin reached out to me to review some of his works.  I started this strange journey with his 2020 horror flick Carnival of Gore.  When I was finished with that it was time for his short compilation which consists of shorts he had made from 2010 to 2020.  I once again want to thank Patrick for sending this over to check out.  

     This short compilation consists of segments ranging from slasher inspired shorts, to music videos, and a few animated segments.  There is a wide range of videos to be seen here.

     I've reviewed a few short compilations over the years and they were all fun experiences.  It's even more entertaining when they are compilations from the same director and you can witness them growing as a director.  I had a lot of fun with this comp here but it was a little too long for liking.  At almost two hours it becomes more a chore to finish than for fun.  The acting in these segments are very inconsistent.  We get some very amateur and inexperienced performances to extremely energetic and intense performances.  None are memorable or amazing but they work for the shorts and show plenty of promise.  The stories, much like the acting, is very inconsistent.  Some of the shorts were fun, like The Evil Massacre segment.  Keep in mind, these are no budget shorts but for the short running time they are fun.  My only real complaint with this comp is the running time.  This should have been split up into two different volumes.  The run time is almost two hours which is a bit too long for one sitting for a comp like this.  Finally, the film has a lot of blood, gore, and fun animation.  The blood and gore is fun but the budget did prevent it from being better than it is.  It's still very enjoyable for the segments.  Overall, this comp is fun especially if you are looking for a late night bloodbath with some booze.  Don't expect a life changing experience but go into it looking for some backyard fun.