Jungle Raiders

Director - Antonio Margheriti (Yor: The Hunter from the Future, Cannibal Apocalypse)

Starring - Christopher Connelly (1990: Bronx Warriors, Night of the Sharks), Marina Costa (The Final Executioner, Greggio e Pericoloso), and Lee Van Cleef (Escape from New York, For a Few Dollars More)

Release Date - 1985

Genre - Action/Adventure

Tagline - "In the heart of the tropical rain forest lies a world of endless danger, mysterious romance, and wild adventure"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     The 1980s was a wild ass time and I hate that I was born halfway through the decade.  I would have loved to have lived through the entire 80s as an adult so I could truly appreciate everything as it was being released.  The first Indiana Jones film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, was released in 1981 and immedately became a hit.  So much so that it inspired a series of copy cat films which really took hold in Italy.  Director Antonio Margheriti helmed several of these films and my friends over at Severin released three of them in a box set.  They were kind enough to end it over for me to review and when I could I tossed in the first film that I pulled out which was Jungle Raiders from 1985.  I want to thank Severin for sending this one over.

     The film follows Captrain Yankee (Connelly) who scams rich adventurers into thinking they are exploring uncharted jungle for undiscovered treasure.  His easy meal ticket is thwarted when a real adventure presents itself and he is forced to uncover an ancient ruby for someone else. 

     I watched a few of these action adventure films growing up but I never realized that they were Jonesploitation.  However, now I can totally see that these films are and kind of appreciate them more than I originally did.  Jungle Raiders was a new one to me and I was excited to see it but it was a film that lost it's steam fairly early on.  The acting in this one is fairly inconsistent and unintentionally funny at times.  Connelly and Van Cleef deliver solid performances but the remainder of the cast is comical for the most part.  I went into this one sober and still found myself laughing during a few of the scenes due to the acting.  The story for this one borrows all the fun stuff from movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark but forgets to add a protagonist that the viewer can get behind along with something new for the viewer to enjoy.  The film starts out strong enough with the fake tours scamming the rich but soon loses it's gas as the film progresses.  The unlikable characters and predictable story makes this one difficult to finish.  Finally, the film is not one that memorable deaths or fun effects.  We have some cheap effects here and there but nothing that really stands out.  Overall, Jungle Raiders is a alright if you want something to watch but don't have access to Indiana Jones.  I wanted to like this one but it wasn't for me.  

The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee

Director - Jon Spira (Lexx, Dust)

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

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Documentary

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

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

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

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

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

Less Than Nothing

Director(s) - Reagan Henderson (The View Between Villages) and David Michan (El Vato, Price of Fame)

Starring - Samantha Shakira Clarke (Hyde and Seek, Suing the Devil), Gail Simpson (Nepo Baby, The Zeme), and Stew McLean (Arrow, Travelers)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Enjoy.  Consume.  Forget"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I just finished spending a tremendous amount of time reviewing every film in the Exorcismo set from my friends over at Severin Films.  There was so many movies in this set that it took me almost a month to watch and review them all plus an additional 5 hours to edit the reviews into a post.  I spent a lot of time on them which meant I took a lot of time away from indie horror.  I really fucking missed it and as soon as I finished my review for that colossal set, I immediately jumped onto the first indie horror flick I could find for review.  This just happened to be a short sent to me by David Michan after I reviewed his film The Girl Inside the Photograph.  I want to thank David for sending over Less Than Nothing for review!

     The film follows a successful woman who runs an organization that provides water to third world countries.  However, her success comes at a cost as she struggles mentally.  The things of luxury around her take on a life of their own and when they break down she is forced to dispose of them and easily replace them.

     After I posted my review for The Girl Inside the Photograph, I was contact by Michan to review this psychological short.  I didn't care for the first film but I can't turn away an indie horror flick to review and I'm glad I didn't because this short was a lot of fun.  It's not something I could rewatch multiple times but it was very enjoyable for what it was.  The acting in this one is very well done.  We only have two performing in a traditional sense while the rest of the cast delivering performances that the story needed to be affective.  I really enjoyed this cast and love how dedicated some of the "inanimate" objects were to their roles.  The story for this one is not really that horrifying but it could have been.  I like the American Psycho tribute and how the appliances watch the other appliances watch the "broken" appliances and other household items get disassembled or "dismembered."  With that being said, the film is way too clean and polish when the story has so much potential to be a real gritty horror tale.  Imagine a horror film where these objects are real in a Toy Story like film watching a person take the things apart.  It could be so fucking visceral.  Finally, the film has some blood but don't expect to see any memorable effects or gore.  The film clearly didn't have the budget for some great gore but adding that to what we have would have taken this one next level.  Overall, Less Than Nothing is a fun and entertaining short that has a very clever story.  It reminded me a lot of the meme about a Toy Story toy dying and the kids, unaware the toy has died, continues playing with the corpse.  It's fun as it is but could be so much more.  Check it out.  

Lookin' Italian

Director - Guy Magar (Retribution, Stepfather 3)

Starring - Jay Acovone (The Hills Have Eyes 2, The X-Files), Matt LeBlanc (Lost in Space, Monsters), and Stephanie Richards (Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Never Trust a Serial Killer)

Release Date - 1994

Genre - Crime

Tagline - "There can be no peace without honor and family"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I get in some non-horror for review from time to time but it's not that often.  Most of the time these films are sexploitation which I've really grown to appreciate but sometimes I get in something that is not horror nor sexploitation.  A few weeks ago I was contacted by my friends over at Severin Films to review a trio of their releases.  Severin, as most of you know, is one of my favorite labels and I was really looking forward to checking out these films.  The first film that I tossed in and hit play on was the 1994 crime film Lookin' Italian which starred a young Matt LeBlanc and directed by Guy Magar who directed the 1987 underrated horror film Retribution.  I was really looking forward to this one and want to thank Severin for sending this one over.

     The film follows a man living Los Angelos and working in a used book store who was once a member of a prominent crime family.  He has now turned his back on the life and wants something simple.  However, his nephew that he took in after the death of his father has a wild side about him.  This leads him down the same path his uncle once walked forcing him to try and save his nephew before it's too late.

     I went into Lookin' Italian kind of excited.  I didn't realize it was directed by Guy Magar until I was putting the disc in.  I'm not a fan of Friends or Matt LeBlanc but an early 90s crime flick by Magar had to be fun.  Sadly, it wasn't.  It was an interesting idea that just never finds it's footing.  The acting in this one is top notch.  Jay Acovone and Matt LeBlanc are phenomenal together.  They work so well together and the viewer almost believes that these two are really an uncle/nephew pair.  The supporting cast is just as great with no real weak links in this one.  The story for this one is one I can get behind but struggles to really find itself.  The movie does a great job at setting up the uncle as a man who regrets his past but way too much time is spent on the nephew and showing the viewer that he is a wild teen with no responsibilities.  The entire mafia aspect of the film should have started by the 30 minute mark instead of how late it was.  A little tighter writing and smoother editing would have made this one far more enjoyable than it is.  Finally, don't expect memorable deaths and a lot of gore.  We have a lot of drama and crime with a little romance but no fun deaths with the red stuff.    Overall, Lookin' Italian is a movie that has a fantastic cast and a story that could have been something memorable but puts too much emphasis on one character that doesn't deserve it.  I wanted to like it but just couldn't get into it.  Fans of early 90s crime may still appreciate it and the release from Severin looks great.  

The Last Sacrifice

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

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

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Documentary/Crime

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

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

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

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

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

The Last of Us Season 2

Creator(s) - Neil Druckmann (Uncharted) and Craig Mazin (Mythic Quest, Chernobyl)

Starring - Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget), Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian, Game of Thrones), and Isabela Merced (Superman, Transformers: The Last Knight)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Every path has a price"

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've decided to revisit one of my favorite sub-genres this year after spending sometime away from it after it's rise in popularity.  I've always been a fan of zombies but I took a major break over the last few years when The Walking Dead brought them into pop culture and hundreds of unimaginative clones started hitting store shelves.  I figured enough time has passed since it's premier in 2010 so I decided to dive back into the show and zombies in general.  I ventured through The entire Walking Dead series, it's spinoff series, webisodes, and shorts before moving on to some other movies like Romero's Dead series.  A few weeks back I received the second season of the acclaimed horror show The Last of Us which was adapted from an award winning game.  I really enjoyed the first season and couldn't wait to dive into this one.  

     This season picks up with Ellie (Ramsey) and Joel (Pascal) living in the Jackson community after arriving at the end of season 1.  Joel and Ellie's relationship has became strained but Joel refuses to turn his back on Ellie.  What neither of them know is that a group from Seattle have camped in a lodge near their community who plan on making Joel pay for what he had done in the hospital on their way to Jackson.  They are able to find them and kill Joel before leaving when an army of infected rip through their walls.  Ellie is able to get back to Jackson during the aftermath and once they are done refortifying their walls she sneaks out with Dina to find the group responsible for killing Joel.  

     I can't tell you if either season of the show is faithful to the game but I can tell you that this show is damn good even though it reminds me a lot of previous zombie films and series that came before it.  It's hard to make a zombie show stand out and if you can't then you need to make it be entertaining which it does.  The acting in this one is very well done.  The entire cast is great and several of these performances becoming iconic yet Bella Ramsey receives hate for her role.  She's crushes her role here but her character is hard to like.  I understand the importance of her character and how she connects to the story but there is several scenes where I had high hopes that she would meet her end.  That has to do with her acting ability and not her as a person.  The story for this one continues what was started in the first season but doesn't go as far as I had hoped.  We follow Joel and Ellie who start to fall apart while their lives adjust to having a safe place to live.  However, after Joel's death we follow the survivors as they disagree on their course of action.  While the infected are a serious danger, the real danger is the survivors they encounter which is similar to other zombie shows like The Walking Dead, Z Nation, and so many more.  It's not something new or groundbreaking but it works with the story around Ellie who can't be infected and the zombies that are infected with a fungus that takes over.  It's all works into something fun but doesn't really reinvent the wheel. Finally, the series has a lot make-up effects and even more visual effects.  The make-up effects used on the close up scenes look solid but most of the visuals used are noticeable and cheap looking.  I would have loved more practical effects, especially with the gore, but you can't win them all.  Overall, The Last of Us Season 2 is a worthy season to the original run of the show.  While I can't verify how close to the game the show is, it's very entertaining if you are looking for a horror centered show to check out.  

The Man Who Wouldn't Die

Director - Lamberto Bava (Body Puzzle, Ghost Son)

Starring - Martine Brochard (Eyeball, The Violent Professionals), Keith Van Hoven (Warhead, Black Demons), and Gino Concari (Massacre, Jealous Eyes)

Release Date - 1989/2007

Genre - Crime/Thriller

Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When Severin announced the release of the High Tension: Four Film by Lamberto Bava, I knew I had to have it.  I didn't care if they sent me one for review or I had to pay for it.  This was a must own set for me.  Bava is easily one of the most underrated filmmakers in the genre and this set was four films of his that I had never seen before.  The first film in the set, The Prince of Terror, was a great start to my Bava marathon and I quickly tossed in the second film in the set which was The Man Who Wouldn't Die.  While not a horror film in a traditional sense, this crime thriller was still very much enjoyable.  Like always, I want to thank Severin for sending this one over for review.

     The film follows a gang of thieves who pull off a job of rare art and priceless antiques.  However, one of them is a real piece of shit who tries to rape a woman they have bound and gagged.  The man with her, who is also bound and gagged, drops a double boot stomp to the back of his head leaving him unable to move.  His gang find him and decide to dispose of his body deep in the woods.  However, he's not dead and is rescued sometime later where he makes a full recovery.  Members of his gang start getting murdered one by one where they suspect it's him because they dumped his body.

     The Man Who Wouldn't Die is not a horror film.  I went into it expecting a horror title but was greeted with a crime thriller that I actually enjoyed for the most part.  I am a bit disappointed that it wasn't the horror title I was expected especially from looking at the artwork for the film the accompanied the set.  The acting in this one is solid.  We have some overacting in a few scenes and a lot of flat dialogue but the overall film has decent acting.  With that being said, this is one of the few films recently where I found myself disliking every character in the film.  This is not the acting but how the characters are written which goes to show how solid the acting truly was.  The story for this one is a fantastic crime film with some thriller aspects that borrows heavily from the traditional slasher formula.  An art heist resulting in the injury of a man who finds his gang turning on him and leaving him for dead.  They then start dying one by one and suspect it's him seeking revenge.  This almost feels like a slasher but at heart is a crime film and very much so plays out like one.  I did enjoy it though.  It has great pacing and enough action to hold your attention from beginning to end.  Finally, the film has several deaths with some blood and kills that fit the film.  They are not as memorable as I would have liked but they do work with the film itself.  Overall, The Man Who Wouldn't Die is another fantastic film from Bava but it's not the horror title I was really looking forward to.  Honestly, check it out.  You will not be disappointed.  

The Long Walk

Director - Francis Lawrence (Constantine, I Am Legend)

Starring - Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza, Old Guy), David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus, Murder is Easy), and Garrett Wareing (Dead Sea, Agonist)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Sci-Fi/Horror

Tagline - "The task is simple: walk or die!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I love when I get to review the film or television adaptations of Stephen King's work.  He had such a huge impact on my childhood.  I've mentioned in several reviews how watching Tom Savini's Night of the Living Dead as a kid is what got me started with horror but it was Goosebumps and a few novellas from Stephen King that really kickstarted my obsession.  Goosebumps caught the brunt of my obsession but the few books of King's that I did have I read over and over again until the spines wore out.  I've been fortunate to review several adaptations of his works over the years and always get excited when the opportunity presents itself.  A few days back I received a copy of The Long Walk to review.  This is one I had always heard about but never had the chance to read it.  This made me really interested in the film and even more so when I saw that it was helmed by Francis Lawrence who also directed Constantine and I Am Legend.  I couldn't wait to jump into this one!

     The film follows an alternate 1970s where the US is a police state.  The military hosts an annual competition with boys from each state are selected, or volunteer, for the chance to win anything they want.  The contest is simple, walk a steady 3 miles per hour and you get three warnings if you drop below that.  You will be shot if you fail to maintain that speed after the three warnings.  

     I can see why Francis Lawrence was offered the job to direct this one due to it's similarities to The Hunger Games franchise that he started a decade ago now.  It's not the wildest or the most gruesome of the King adaptations I have seen but it was a fantastic film that I'm glad finally got off the ground.  The acting in this one is fantastic.  The film is overflowing with memorable characters ranging from legendary Mark Hamill's performance as The Major to most of the contestants.  The film's leads, Cooper Hoffman and Davis Jonsson, deliver great performances but they are among amazing performances from the entire cast.  I absolutely loved the casting in this one and will be replaying a lot of the scenes in my head when I take the time to read the original novel.  The story for this one has to be the influence for many of the competition based horror and sci-fi flicks that we've seen over the years.  Hell, I feel like this even influence King himself to write The Runningman.  I haven't read the novel, as I stated earlier, but knowing that it was written in the early 70s and follows people struggling in their police state as they compete to better themselves or die during the competition.  This is the same premise as Battle Royal, The Hunger Games, The Runningman, and to a lesser degree, The Condemned.  I love these types of stories and what The Long Walk does better than the others is that it brings about the humanity of the contestants.  These other films doesn't go to the lengths that this film does to show the characters pain and turmoil prior to the contest.  This is especially true in the film Battle Royal where the children are just tossed into the game.  Here we see that they are all struggling which is why they chose to risk their life and never see their families again.  We have great pacing, a lot of emotionally charged scenes, and a lot of dialogue heavy scenes that manage to hold the viewer's attention.  The movie is on the longer side of the run time but the action, character interactions, and pacing makes the time fly by.  Finally, the film has a lot of on screen deaths.  They are bloody and extremely violent but the use of computer generated effects are obvious.  While a few does have some light practical effects, the bulk of the scene us made up by visual effects over practical.  Overall, The Long Walk may not be my favorite Stephen King adaptation but god damn was it a lot of fun.  I really enjoyed this one and was surprised by just how violent the film was.  While I would have loved practical effects, the visuals were not that bad.  Check it out!

Lady Desire

Director - Errikos Andreou (Morning Star, The Hook)

Starring - Kosta Prekas (High Treason, The City Jungle), Christine Allen, and Stefanos Stratigos (The Man with the Carnation, Proud Eagles)

Release Date - 1969

Genre - Crime/Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     My favorite thing about boutique labels are the ones that doesn't just cater to forgotten horror and no budget action flicks from the direct to video era.  While I love regional horror and no budget action, I also like films from other parts of the world that defy genres.  I love, and I mean love, exploitation flicks that that blend different sub-genres together into something unique and a bit different.  A few weeks back Mondo Macabro sent over a Greek double feature with the films Sexomania and Lady Desire.  I knew nothing about these films prior to reviewing them and couldn't wait to check them out.  After spinning Sexomania, it was time to dig into the 1968 film Lady Desire which was also released under the title I Blame My Body.  Like always, I want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending this one over.

     The film follows a woman who has tried to hide from society finds her family heirlooms have been stolen.  A local constable investigating the robbery becomes somewhat obsessed with the woman that he knows nothing about.  His investigation uncovers her sordid history and all the romantic partners she has had over the years.

     Lady Desire is not what I was expecting it to be but does live up to the title.  I went into this one expecting it to be a full late 60s nudie flick in tune to the counter culture hippie films of the time.  However, what I was given was something like that with a story a little more complex.  Honestly, I liked it but I don't see myself revisiting it any time soon.  The acting in this one is good all the way through.  The movie itself is very heavy on dialogue in some scenes while others are completely lacking yet the cast is able to carry the story through it all.  They body language and mannerisms to convey emotions in some of the scenes while others are great examples of well rounded acting.  I was very surprised by this cast.  The story for this one is not necessarily a nudie flick or a sexploitation film like I was expecting.  The movie is more a crime mystery with some sex scenes inserted at times when the story needed them.  We follow the constable or whatever he's called as he pries into the young woman's backstory.  We do have those scenes but I wouldn't call this a nudie flick as these scenes are not the point of the film.  They only add to the film while the plot itself is enough to carry the viewer's attention.  Finally, this is just like the other film in the set. It doesn't feature any blood or a body count.  It's focus is on the characters and story which is does a great job on.  Overall, Lady Desire is not going to be for everyone.  Hell, even the sexploitation fans may not dig this one but I really enjoyed it for what it was.  I highly recommend it.  

G. B. H. 2: Lethal Impact

Director - David Kent-Watson (The Eye of Satan, The Assassinator)

Starring - Cliff Twemlow (The Benny Hill Show, Dead of Night), Terrence Hardiman (The Demon Headmaster, Doctor Who), and Brett Sinclair (Target Eve Island, Killer Waiting)

Release Date - 1991

Genre - Action

Tagline - "Beyond the law.  Beyond redemption.  Beyond Vengeance"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've worked through dozens of box sets and collections over the years and very few offered up such a strange and interesting catalogue of films as this set has from Severin under their Intervision label.  These films are not entertaining, at least not in a traditional sense, but I've really enjoyed watching them.  They are a type of bad that doesn't necessarily make them "so bad they are good."  It's more like a train or car wreck.  You can't look away no matter how hard you try.  However, one film in the set was surprisingly entertaining and that was the crime thriller G.B.H.  I knew there was a sequel to the film in this set but it wasn't paired with the original film.  I decided to watch the movies in the order in which they were in the set and that took me some time to get to the sequel.  Sadly, it was not as enjoyable as the first film.

     The film follows the man from the first film that didn't actually die at the end.  Instead, he survives that his niece was sex trafficked and forced into under age adult films where she eventually takes her own life.  He sets out to bring the organization down that did this to her.  

     I had no idea where a sequel to the first G.B.H. was going to take me but I had high hopes for it.  However, it was quickly evident that the film had no idea where it was going either.  I wanted to like this one but the lack of plot and complete disregard for the ending of the first film makes this one another rough watch which seems to be the theme with these films.  The acting in this one is more of the same.  We have some super cliched characters that have no originality to them brought to life with stiff performances and emotionless dialogue.  With that being said, this is the kind of acting that I dig with cheap action flicks and found myself somewhat enjoying the performances even if it was for unintentional humor.  The story for this one is an interesting idea wrapped in a lot of bloated scenes that go absolutely nowhere.  The movie tries to Death Wish it's way into a serious gritty action film around rape and so on but that's as far as they were willing to write it.  We then follow that up with random death scenes with very little pay off or explanation as to why.  It's implied that those being murdered had something to do with the sex trafficking but it never fully explains.  Having a finished story would have went so much further with this one.  Finally, the film has some gun deaths and a lot of stuff happening off camera but that's about it.  Nothing memorable or original happening in this regard.  Overall, G.B.H. 2 borrows heavily from the Death Wish films but forgets that there is more to it than just copying someone's homework.  It fails to deliver on anything other than some corny acting.  Skip it.  

The Last Horror Film

Director - David Winters (Thrashin', Space Mutiny)

Starring - Joe Spinell (Maniac, The Undertaker), Caroline Munro (Slaughter High, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad), and Judd Hamilton (Starcrash, A Talent for Living)

Release Date - 1982

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The Cannes Film Festival a cast of thousands...but only one killer!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Horror has a lot of underrated icons.  I hear names getting tossed around all the time with underrated attached to them.  Many of them are actors that I truly feel are underrated but one that I never hear mentioned is the late Joe Spinell.  Many know him from Maniac and Maniac II but his career from the early 70s to late 80s is absolutely brilliant appearing in the films The Godfather, Rocky, sequels to both, Taxi Driver, Vigilante, Rapid Fire, The Undertaker which is my personal favorite.  One of his more popular films is the 1982 film The Last Horror Film which was also released under the title Fanatic.  This Troma released film has been seen my many over the years after finding releases on VHS and DVD.  Recently, Troma put the film out on blu and was kind enough to send it over for review.  It had been years since my last viewing of this early 80s classic and this was a great reason to revisit it.  

     The film follows a taxi driver from New York (Spinell) who travels Cannes to attend the film festival in hopes of convincing horror starlet Jana Bates (Munro) to star in his film.  However, as he tries to get close to her, he finds himself blocked by different members of her entourage and staff.  Soon after his arrival, members of her group are brutally murdered.  As he struggles to get close to her, more and more people are missing or found murdered leaving many to suspect who the killer really is.

     The Last Horror Film is a great flick.  I truly is.  In fact, it's one of the better films that Troma has released over the years.  However, it's not my favorite Spinell flick.  Hell, it probably doesn't even break in the top 5 if I'm being honest but it's still a solid film especially if you are looking for something from the early 80s with some blood.  The acting in this one is great.  Caroline Munro does a fantastic job as a rising star known for horror films.  She really embodies the role and makes her scenes a lot of fun.  The same can be said for the supporting cast.  They all really get into their roles and deliver great dialogue and grounded interactions.  With that being said, the star is Spinell and he does not disappoint.  He delivers an unforgettable performance and several scenes that always gives me goosebumps no matter how many times I've seen this one.  His career may have spanned almost 20 years but I wish he would have lived a little longer just so see how many memorable performances he had left in him.  The story for this one is basically a slasher set against the backdrop of the Cannes Film Festival.  The movie was shot guerilla style with no permits as guests and tourists flocked around the streets and locations.  That makes the film feel raw as fuck if you ask me.  This makes the story with the obsessed fan wanting to direct his obsession in a movie while her entourage is getting murdered feel even more tense.  I also liked the news footage and audio playing at random times about the Jodie Foster stalker that tried to assassinate Ronald Reagan.  I don't know if this was the inspiration for the film or added to give the story layers but I really liked that bit of American history added to the story where it was relevant.  Finally, the film has several deaths. They feature a lot of blood along with some solid make-up effects and props but isn't the most gruesome especially for what was coming out at the time.  Overall, The Last Horror Film is one of the better slashers in the Troma catalogue.  While I would recommend Blood Hook before this one, this is still a must see for genre fans, fans of 80s cinema, and anyone looking for films featuring the late Joe Spinell.  I highly recommend it.  

Little Bo Creep

Director - Donald Farmer (Bigfoot Exorcist, Cannibal Hookers)

Starring - Cacia Rose (Tent Burner, Kentucky Paranormal Incidents), Brewce Longo (Busted Babies, Farces of Death), and Jimmy Kelley (Camp Massacre, Dead Start)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I would hate to review a film by director Donald Farmer and not mention how impressive his career has been.  He started directing in 1974 with a series of shorts before tackling his first feature length film in 1987.  Since then he has given genre fans several classics from the video store era along with some modern indie horror hits.  He's a filmmaker that has earned his stripes and should be mentioned with the great regardless if you dig his work or not.  Personally, not all of his films resonate with me but I respect the hell out of him for doing what he has done for so long.  A few months back I saw that Donald Farmer had partnered with Bloodsick Productions to direct two horror titles.  I quickly snagged them both and added them to my watch pile with intentions to watch them during my annual October Halloween binge.  However, my list grew substantially since then and I decided to go ahead and check them out starting with Little Bo Creep.

     The film follows Little Bo Creep (Rose) who is searching for her lost sheep.  She seems to be a very sheltered young woman who knows absolutely nothing about the world around her which leads to most taking advantage of her.  Things take a little more sinister turn when she crosses paths with a local pimp who wants to use her innocent look to bring in new customers.  What he doesn't count on is for Little Bo Creep to have a little creature in her care that has a taste for blood.

     Little Bo Creep is not what I was expecting but I had a lot of fun with it.  I've really enjoyed MOST of these old children's stories getting reworked into horror and this one delivered for the most part.  The acting in this one was great.  Director and actor Brewce Longo delivered my favorite performance of the film as the sleazy pimp.  I was not expecting a performance that would define the film from him but he did a phenomenal job.  I also liked Cacia Rose's performance.  It took me some time to warm up to her character but by the end of the film you find yourself really liking her.  The supporting cast does a solid enough job but it's these two that carry the film and offer up unforgettable performances.  The story for this one is clearly a modern sleazy spin on the popular nursey rhyme.  It is extremely predictable but the ride to the end is a lot of fun.  The characters fit the story very well and offer up a lot of humor that I was not expecting.  You add in the creature aspect and you get something a lot of fun that you can double feature late at night with a slew of other no budget creature features.  Finally, the film has some blood and a wild looking creature puppet but those looking for gore or a high body count will be very disappointed.  The kills we get fit the film very well but the film's lack of budget is very evident. I did like the look of the creature but would have loved to see some gore to go along with it.  Overall, Little Bo Creep is a surprisingly solid spin on a classic story many of us heard hundreds of times growing up.  The cast is great and I love the look of the creature.  I highly recommend snagging this one as soon as you can from Bloodsick Productions.  It's well worth.  

Longlegs

Director - Osgood Perkins (The Twilight Zone, Gretel and Hansel)

Starring - Maika Monroe (It Follows, The 5th Wave), Nicolas Cage (Mandy, Renfield), and Blair Underwood (Dear White People, Ironside)

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Format - UHD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Nic Cage has been one of my favorite actors for many years.  I grew up on his classics like Face/Off, Con Air, Once Bitten, Raising Arizona, and so on.  While he did hit a bit of a dry spell with the Left Behind films along with the two Ghostrider movies, he seems to have found his second wind with the smaller budget films like Mandy, Color Out of Space, Willy's Wonderland, and the recent hit Longlongs.  I heard a lot about Longlegs and how it was written and directed by Osgood Perkins but I had no idea Cage was attached.  I ordered the UHD release of the film and when it arrived I saw his name attached to it.  That made me immediately move the film to the top of my watch list.  

     The film follows an young agent who is working on a case where young kids were murdered and strange occurrences happened inside the home.  When she starts to uncover a pattern she realizes that the person responsible for the deaths is connected to another crime where an entire family was murdered.  The revelation of the killer leads her to her family home and a dark secret her mother has been hiding for decades.

     Longlegs is one of the genre films that immediately became a hit among horror fans.  I heard so much about the film to the point that I almost skipped it.  Movies that are typically hyped up by pop horror fans tend to be underwhelming to me.  However, after getting the film in for my collection and seeing it featured Nic Cage I knew I had to check it out.  I'm glad I did because it was one of the better films of the year and probably one of my favorite performances from Cage to date.  The acting in this one is absolutely amazing.  Monro and Underwood are fantastic.  They really do hold their scenes and the characters they bring to life make the movie.  Also, they work so well together and their on screen dynamic really shows how talented they really are.  With that being said, Cage makes the film what it is.  He's absolutely unhinged in this movie and damn near unrecognizable.  I've seen damn near everyone of his films to date and this was the first time he gave me goosebumps.  I couldn't see this film having the same impact if someone else had took on the role of Longlegs.  The story for this one is a bit of a stretch but I enjoyed it for the most part.  I loved the gritty true crime aspect.  It reminded me a lot of Se7en and Kodiak which are two of the most underrated films of all time.  We then get the Satanic aspect that I absolutely love.  I grew up during the Satanic Panic of the late 80s and early 90s and love seeing this incorporated into true crime films.  With that being said, the film does hit the paranormal on it's final stretch which does throw the movie off some but not enough to ruin it.  If the film was going to go that route I wish it would have embraced it from the beginning instead of just dipping it's toes in it during the last stretch of the film.  Finally, this is not a gruesome film.  We do get some blood and great make-up effects on Cage but the main focus of the film is the characters and rich story.  Overall, Longlegs is another fantastic pop horror film that I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did.  This is going to be a genre film that fans will remember for many years to come.  I urge anyone that is on the fence about this one to give it a go.  You will not be disappointed.  

Late Checkout

Director - Josh Graves (Chum!, and The House That Eats Flesh)

Starring - Felissa Rose (Sleep away Camp, XXX-Mas), Chaney Morrow (Happy Slashers, Wrong Turn), and Billy Culbertson (Woods Witch, Amityville Bigfoot)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Small Town.  Large body count..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     I've been a fan of Scream Team Releasing for some time now.  The Barn was my introduction to them and from there I've added every release to my collection.  I may not always get to watch and review them in a timely manner but I'm never skipping a release of theirs.  A few months back I snagged a copy of their 2023 slasher Late Checkout from director Josh Graves.  I wasn't able to check it out when I got it but I made sure to add it to my annual October horror binge.  

     The film follows a group of adults who return to their small hometown to rent a cabin for a little get together.  What they don't know is that their small town has recently became the playground for a killer wearing a welding mask.  Once they get in and settled they soon find themselves in the cross hair of the killer.

     I knew very little about Late Checkout going into it but I enjoyed it for the most part.  While it was a very middle of the road slasher, it was still fun and a great addition to my October horror binge.  The acting in this one is a bit stiff.  The cast struggles at times to deliver their dialogue in a genuine tone.  I several scenes the interactions are void of emotion and feels as if they are simply rehearsing their lines instead of getting into character.  A few of the later scenes have more authentic performances from the cast but for the most part it feels as if they were tossed in front of the camera without any sort of rehearsal.  The story for this one doesn't give genre fans something knew to enjoy.  In fact, this week alone I've seen and reviewed three different films following a group of twenty-somethings going to a cabin in the woods where they meet their demise.  Of the three that I've seen this is one of two slashers that feature almost identical stories.  While Late Checkout did mix it up and feature a traditional masked slasher, it was not as memorable as other slasher icons.  The welding mask does work in a traditional sense but completely takes away any sort of recognition that other masks give the slasher.  With that being said, it is very refreshing seeing a modern slasher film go back to the basics.  Finally, the film has plenty of make-up and practical effects.  The kills are extremely gnarly and on theme with the slasher theme but I would have loved some gore in this one.  Fans of traditional slashers will truly appreciate the amount of blood and great practical effects we are given.  Overall, Late Checkout is another paint by numbers slasher that falls into the spectrum of what I refer to as Walmart horror.  I hate to use this word but it's a mediocre slasher with an unforgettable slasher and a story I've seen so many times before.  While it was a solid watch, I could recommend 10 others slashers from just last year that would be more fun than this one.  

Fata Morgana

Director - Vincente Aranda (The Blood Splattered Bride, If They Tell You I Fell)

Starring - Teresa Gimpera (The Tunnel, The Long Winter), Marianne Benet (The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, Out of the Unknown), and Marcos Marti (BiBiCi Story, Sol de Verano)

Release Date - 1966

Genre - Drama/Thriller

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I absolutely adore all the boutique labels that are currently releasing films on blu and UHD, especially if they are working on titles that not a lot of us have seen before.  While I love the films, I'm tired of double and triple dipping on the same titles like Night of the Living Dead, Evil Dead, and so on.  Mondo Macabro is one of the few boutique labels right now that is constantly releasing obscure and not so well known titles on blu for the first time ever.  Not too long ago they released the 1966 Spanish drama/thriller Left-Handed Fate under it's alternate title Fata Morgana.  I was lucky enough to get a copy for review and I would like to thank my friends over at MM for sending this one my way!

     The film follows a famous model who longs for a man she can never have and a professor who is infatuated with serial killers are tossed in the mix when a real serial killer targets the model.

     I went into Fata Morgana with an open mind and very curious as to how this one would play out.  Sadly, it was one that I struggled to finish.  I really did give this one a chance but it wasn't for me.  The acting for this one is solid by the entire cast.  There was a few scenes that was a bit awkward but I would only assume it was due to the language barrier.  The story for this one had some interesting ideas but it failed to pull them all together into a coherent and solidly paced film.  A professor studying serial killers helping a model who is being hunted by a serial killer should be everything a horror and true crime fan would love.  However, the editing and pacing made the film extremely dull and difficult to follow.  Some serious editing would have made this one so much more enjoyable.  Finally, those looking for some blood and guts will be very disappointed.  However, if a slow paced drama is more your speed then you are in luck.  Overall, Fata Morgana is one that I seriously wanted to like but I couldn't bring myself to enjoying any aspect of the film.  This one was not for me.  

     

Let Me Go

Director - Richard Russell (Jacob's Little Helper, A Family Matter)

Starring - Haley Lynn Rose (The Company We Keep, Trinket Box), Julie Carney (Friends Forever, The Dinner Party), and Devin Tyler 

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Thriller

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've spent most of my life obsessed with cinema.  I started my movie journey watching sci-fi flicks with my grandmother until she introduced me to Tom Savini's 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead.  It was then that I was bit by the horror bug.  Since then I've spent almost all my time watching horror, thrillers, and paranormal documentaries. I always get excited when I'm asked to review a new film I had never seen before.  It's even more exciting when the film is by someone who has a love for the genre that I do.  Sometime back director Richard Russell asked me to check out his newest short  Let Me Go.  He has seriously impressed me over the years and I couldn't wait to check it out.  I want to thank Richard for sending this one over!

     The film follows a young woman who has just ended an abusive relationship.  She gets an Airbnb to collect herself before moving on with her life when she is visited by her mother along with the ghosts of her past.

     I love going into Richard's shorts completely blind.  I never watch the trailers or read the synopsis beforehand so I don't ruin the experience.  Let Me Go is another hit from a powerful filmmaker that is just now beginning blooming career.  The acting in this one is great.  The cast is extremely small but everyone works very well together.  The characters are written very well for the short and the cast does a phenomenal job bringing them all to life.  The story for this one is an emotional punch that I was not expecting.  While I could spend all day sitting here talking about it, I will refrain so I don't spoil what little story this short does have.  Finally, this short focuses more on the emotional side of the genre instead of the blood and gore.  While it does succeed at drawing the viewer in, it doesn't deliver on the blood and gore many of you sick fucks are looking for.  Overall, Let Me Go is another fantastic short from one hell of a filmmaker.  This one will leave the viewer feeling empty inside.  I highly recommend checking it out.