Legion of the Dead

Director - Olaf Ittenbach (Dard Divorce, The Burning Moon)

Starring - Michael Carr (Beyond Desire, Dream Stalker), Russell Friedenberg (Wind Walkers, Among Ravens), and Kimberly Liebe (Beyond the Limits, Sensitive Johnson)

Release Date - 2001

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Satan's army walks the Earth!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Olaf Ittenbach is a director that knows exactly how to bring the gore.  I'm not a fan of gore without a plot and Ittenbach does a great job at delivering a story to viewers as a vehicle to get gore to them.  I actually enjoy most of his films and always look forward to checking out one that I had never seen before.  Several weeks back I was sent Legion of the Dead from Unearthed Films to review.  This is one I had always wanted to see and was really looking forward to checking it out.  I want to thank Unearthed and MVD for sending this one over.

     The film follows two men who find themselves at the whim of a notorious serial killer.  They are able to escape and find themselves in the middle of a small town miles away from anywhere where they meet a beautiful bartender but soon learn that the town is under control of a mysterious man and his legion of the dead who wants the bartender.     

     I went into this one really excited and found myself really loving the practical effects.  Just like his previous films, Ittenbach delivered on the gore with this one.  The film was visually stunning with some great performances but the story itself was a bit underwhelming especially if you grew up watching From Dusk Till Dawn like I did.  I'll explain that more in a moment.  The acting in this one was really fun.  The film is fairly consistent from the entire cast, however, it's Christopher Kriesa as the Kern River Killer that made the film as fun as it was to me.  I wish we had an entire film centered around this character.  The story for this one does absolutely nothing to hide the fact that it was inspired by From Dusk Till Dawn.  It does add some to it so the film has some layers but the basic premise for the last half of the film is that same story found in FDTD.  The first part of the film follows the Kern River Killer with his two hostages and two men who is building a legion for the Blond Man.  These two stories come together to the finish the film out with people trapped in a bar fighting off demons.  Honestly, the story isn't that bad but it doesn't work out as well as I would have liked.  We have a lot of scenes that lead nowhere or does absolutely nothing to further the story along.  Finally, the film is an absolute clinic in practical effects.  We have so many amazing on screen kills and fantastic practical effects.  They look so good and almost make the film enjoyable.  Overall, Legion of the Dead has a great cast and some seriously impressive practical effects but I was very disappointed in the film's pacing and story.  I wanted to like this one but it just didn't work for me.  Fans of gore will enjoy it and this is a must own for collectors but those wanting something new to watch may want to skip it.  

Macabre Mountain

Director - Anthony David (The Body, Double Down)

Starring - Xander Goldman (Camp Pleasant Lake, Human Hibachi 3: The Last Supper), Felissa Rose (The Barn Part III, The Boy from Below), and Denny Nolan (Death Count, Blood Witch)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Misery knows no bounds"

Format - Streaming (Tubi)

Rating (out of 5):

    I find some indie horror flicks from just browsing different hashtags on Instagram or checking the posts in a few horror groups on Facebook.  I've found some seriously awesome indie movies this way over the years.  A couples weeks back I was browsing Facebook when I found a post from Xander Goldman about the indie horror film Macabre Mountain hitting Tubi.  Somewhere in the post it was mentioned that the film was shot in West Virginia.  I was very interested in the film then as I'm West Virginia born and raised.  I added it to my watch list and hit play on it when I finally found the time.  

     The film follows a small town who plans on opening a haunted attraction on the site where 11, or 12, children were murdered as part of a cult ritual.  Now, a pair of paranormal podcasters and a former model are attending along with the other haunt fans and locals only to discover that the one responsible for the murders is back and his followers will do anything for him.

     I went into this one really excited to check it out.  A West Virginia horror film with my buddy Robert Mukes really had my attention.  It wasn't until I hit started watching it that I saw that it also featured Dave Sheridan as well.  Sadly, the movie just couldn't pull it all together into something enjoyable.  The acting in this one is is very uneven and not that consistent.  We have an overdramatic performance from Sleepaway Camp's Felissa Rose that feels very out of place which the same can be said for Sheridan.  His performance was funny and added a lot of humor to the scene but his character just doesn't fit the tone of the film.  Mukes does a solid job but I feel as if her was underutilized here and his character was not fully developed.  The supporting cast is just as inconsistent as these with several showing very little on screen experience.  The story for this one sounds like something straight out of my wet dreams.  A murder sometime ago, a corrupt preacher and his demented followers, and true-crime junkies looking for some unheard information about it all.  It sounds amazing on paper but what we have is a film that struggles with pacing where too much time is spent on pointless dialogue and unnecessary character development. Some of the most random, throw away characters have more screen time than those essential to the story.  Honestly, I believe that about 30 minutes could be trimmed from this one without effecting the story.  Finally, we have some blood and minor practical effects but neither stand out here.  The deaths we get are not as gruesome as most other genre titles and the effects are not creative.  Overall, Macabre Mountain had me really excited to check it out but was quick to show it just didn't have wait it takes to make it fun.  The film has a lot of inconsistencies which held it back.  I seriously wanted to like it but I'd be lying if I said I did.  Skip it.  

       

Beach Bro Bloodbath

Director - Jeff Tarkenton

Starring - Nick Alexander, Dariel Clark, and Kasim Ruffin

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Get the body you've always wanted this summer"

Format - YouTube (Streaming)

Rating (out of 5):

    Sometimes a movie poster or title will catch my eye and it makes me want to review it.  While most of the films I review were sent my way just for that reason, I sometimes see something that I want to talk about even before I watch it.  Several months back Mike D here at Horror Society reviewed the horror short Beach Bro Bloodbath.  The title alone sold me on the film but I wasn't able to check it out right away.  I made note about it and as I was preparing for my annual October horror binge, I decided to go ahead and give it a quick spin.

     The film follows the local police who are investigating a string of murders.  All the victims are young men who were scene trying to pick up women on the beach.  Is it someone holding a grudge or is someone else responsible for the deaths?

     Beach Bro Bloodbath offers up exactly what you would expect from the title.  It's not a short that will be winning any awards of making the anyone's year end best of list but it's a lot of fun for a 15 minute short.  The acting in this one is a bit on the stiff side.  The film tries to cover up the cast's inexperience with humor but it's not able to do that much heavy lifting.  Some of the scenes are a bit awkward and the comedic performances are a bit much at time but it's not the worst acting I've seen in an indie horror short.  The story for this one is a bit predictable but is exactly as had hoped for.  We follow a several beach bros as they try to pick up women at the beach who then find themselves murdered by beach inspired weapons.  It's simple and effective especially for a horror short but a lot of the humor doesn't find it's mark.  It's a feminist horror story at it's core but it may not come across as that right away.  Finally, the short has a lot of blood but the no budget is evident in this regard.  The kills fit the theme of the film but they are not that memorable.  Overall, Beach Bro Bloodbath is a solid indie horror short that is a lot of fun especially if you are looking for some horror with a summer punch.  Check it out.  

Touch Me

Director - Addison Heimann (Jeff Drives You, Hypochondriac)

Starring - Olivia Taylor Dudley (Dude Bro Party Massacre III, Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls), Lou Taylor Pucci (Evil Dead, Daredevil: Born Again), and Jordan Gavaris (Orphan Black, Hacks)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Comedy/Sci-Fi

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I fucking love weird movies.  I grew up watching the weird shit Moonbeam was releasing for kids and that really stuck with me.  I love oddball horror and will go out of my way to watch any that I cross paths with.  Case in point.  A few weeks back I received a press release for the sci-fi comedy inspired by b-horror movies of yesteryear titled Touch Me.  I immediately noticed that the film starred Olivia Taylor Dudley and Lou Taylor Pucci which made me very interested in the film.  Dudley was in one of my favorite horror films of recent years, Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls while Pucci made his mark on horror with his performance in 2013's Evil Dead.  

     The film follows Joey (Dudley) and her roommate Craig (Gavaris) who find themselves in a shitty situation when sewage begins spewing up from their shower drain.  Unable to pay the repairs, they find themselves at the generosity of one of Joey's lovers, Brian (Pucci), who is actually an alien who is able to control people's emotions with a single touch.  He seems to have it all, hired help that will do anything for him, a sprawling estate, and the secret touch that is other-worldly.  However, the longer they stay with them, the more Joey suspects that something nefarious is in the works and Brian has a more sinister plan than just pleasing humans.  

     Touch Me is nothing like I was expecting but I did enjoy it at times.  It was still odd but it's not as odd as the story could have been.  Honestly, I was expecting a bit more 90s sci-fi influence with some what the fuck moments but the movie we were given isn't all that bad.  The acting in this one was great.  Dudley and Gavaris are fantastic together. Their on screen chemistry carries every scene they are in.  With that being said, Pucci makes the film.  His performance had me in stitches and the random dance scenes are absolutely brilliant.  I really look forward to seeing him in more genre pieces.  The story for this one is more dramedy than anything but it does have a few horror elements and a lot of sci-fi.  The film itself does struggle with pacing and a lot of the scenes are not that consistent but I do enjoy the ride we are given.  Finally, the film has some practical effects and a lot of visuals.  Honestly, the visuals look great and enhance the scene while the practical effects are solid.  We get a lot of blood at times but the film does it in such a way that we are more concerned with the story itself instead of those scenes.  Overall, Touch Me is not something I would recommend to someone looking for a horror title.  However, if you want a horny sci-fi flick then this one is for you.  Check it out.  

The Voices of Our Mother

Director - Mark O'Brien (Ready or Not, Hannibal)

Starring - Sheila McCarthy (The Umbrella Academy, Star Trek: Discovery), Georgina Reilly (Pontypool, Eddie: The Sleepwalking Cannibal), and Mark O'Brien

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I have a soft spot for religious horror.  Organized religion scares the absolute shit out of me and some religious horror movies have been truly effective over the years.  It's not my favorite sub-genre but I do check out the films from time to time.  Some time ago I received the press release for the Shudder original film The Voices of Our Mother from director and actor Mark O'Brien.  I really liked the artwork but the title and synopsis didn't really interest me.  This changed when I watched the trailer which is something I rarely do just in case I want to watch the movie later.  Many of you know how I feel about trailers and their potential to spoil the film but this time it did peak my interest.  I was going to reply to the email in order to request a review link when I realized that they had already sent one.  I went ahead and added that to my review list to check out when I could.

     The film follows four estranged siblings who visit their mom after a horrible accident.  Their mother recently lost her mother, whom she was very close with, before suffering what looks like a stroke.  They meet to see if she is passing away or if she will pull through.  They are unable to agree on what to do with her while she recovers and this causes tension between the four siblings.  As they discuss their mother's future, which could be shorter than expected, they learn that she is healing at an accelerated rate.  Her erratic behavior and a conversation from her long-time priest convince them that she may be possessed by something sinister.  This further divide the siblings forcing them to become hostile toward one another.

     I went into The Voices of Our Mother knowing a little bit about the plot due to the trailer but that was all the knowledge of the film that I had.  The synopsis that I was sent does not do the film justice.  The movie has a lot of moving parts but they don't necessarily come together that well.  The acting in this one the highlight of the film.  Director and star Mark O'Brien was great as the demanding brother that doesn't care to crack a few eggs so to speak while Georgina Reilly is phenomenal as the down to Earth sister wanting to make everyone happy.  With that being said, Sheila McCarthy steals the show.  Her performance is absolutely brilliant.  It's unbelievable how she was able to switch up her character so often.  She truly deserves recognition for her role here.  The story for this one does not feel like a religious horror flick.  We have a family drama with a few horror-like moments but nothing that really sells the film to genre fans.  We have four siblings that hate each other, a mother who may be ill or may be possesses by something demonic, and doctors who have no idea what is going on.  While it does sound like something horror fans would be frantic over, the film itself is 90% siblings bickering with one another, 5% doctors or a priest talking about mom, and the rest is mom losing her fucking mind.  It's not really a horror film but some serious changing would make it feel more at home in the genre.  The movie is written to be a slow burn but doesn't really ever find the traction it needs.  Finally, the film is not that memorable in regards to the red stuff.  We have some blood, a gunshot wound that looks decent, and some make-up effects.  We don't really have death scenes that stand out or the gore that a lot of fans would love.  Overall, The Voices of Our Mother is a missed opportunity.  While the acting is great, the story is lacking.  Horror fans will not appreciate this one.  Skip it.  

Toe Tags

Director(s) - Irene Baruffetti (6 Songs, Vore Gore), Cory DeAn Cowley (Phallacies, Patient 4), Domiziano Cristopharo (Ill: Final Contagion, Phantasmagoria), Jon Devlin (Erecting a Monster, Punching the Clown), Adam Ford (Torment, Analogies), and Peter Lankston (Phallacies, Analogies)

Starring - Irene Baruffetti, Cory DeAn Cowley, and Jon Devlin

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Many years ago I befriended actor and director Jon Devlin.  He was looking for people to review an action flick he was in.  I was impressed by his acting skill and soon found myself reviewing other films he had appeared in and directed.  Sometime ago I reviewed the male membered horror anthology Phallacies featuring a segment from him and several other filmmakers.  He continued this theme with the recent release of Analogies before this most recent anthology about a sexualized body part, Toe Tags.  Devlin reached out to me to check it out and I couldn't pass it up.  Thanks Jon for reaching out!

     This anthology focuses mostly on feet.  We have a tale following a woman that inherits her mother's shoes, a trans-woman wanting the perfect pair of feet, a child gets revenge against their abusive father, a mentally il person suffering a break, a man dancing with a ghost, and a mermaid wishing she still had her majestic tail. 

     I knew this one was going to absurd but I was hoping that it would embrace the nature of the film a bit more.  A horror anthology trying to remove the sexual taboo from feet could have been something pretty funny in it's own right.  However, what we have is a movie that takes itself a bit too seriously at times and is not as extreme as they would like to be.  The acting in this one is fairly even throughout.  The cast in this one is very broad but they all have experience in front of the camera for the most part.  We get some solid performances throughout every segment which is fairly uncommon among indie horror anthologies where each segment is directed by someone different.  The stories for this one varies greatly.  We have some pretty solid horror shorts with some that feel a bit out of place.  Most of them all follow the foot theme in one way another but not all were created equal.  With that being said, the first and second stories were probably my favorite while the last two tales were not that enjoyable.  I hate to be that way but they just wasn't for me.  Some are original to an extent while others try too hard to feel complex and thought provoking without actually being either of those.  Honestly, I wish we had a horror comedy centered around a foot fetish.  Finally, the film has several shorts with some blood and decent enough effects.  Don't expect to see a movie with insane gore and memorable deaths but you will see some blood along with some fun animation.  Overall, Toe Tags will not be for everyone.  I enjoyed parts of it but the film as a whole was not for me.  Fans of Devlin's previous anthologies will dig it but someone looking for something new may not enjoy it.  

Psycho Night

Director - David Rodriguez (Camp Murder, The Elder Hunters)

Starring - Charles Frith (Moonrocks, The Dark Stairs), Rouge Rose (Woods Within, Manhunt), and James Dijan Bonavia (Faces of the Dead 2: Exorcism, The Brawler)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "A bloodbath in New York City"

Format - Streaming (Tubi)

Rating (out of 5):

     Sometimes I see a movie and I just have to watch it to review it.  Something about it just catches my attention.  It could be the title, the poster, the cast.  Not long ago I received a couple emails for several films that were premiering on Tubi.  I absolutely fucking love Tubi and two of these films really peaked my interest.  The first was Steve Merlo's Unseen, which I just finished reviewing, and the second was David Rodriguez's Psycho Night.  The AI generated artwork was horrendous and I knew this movie was not one I could easily forget.  I made note of it and after watching Unseen, I quickly hit play on it.  

     The film follows a former criminal trying to break it big in the music scene when he is given a chance to participate in a brutal game for a contract.  This deadly game is put on by the wealthy who then make bets on the contestants with those that win get a chance at becoming signed to a record label.

      I have a lot to say about Psycho Night and very little will be positive.  I knew this was going to be a train wreck when I went into after every poster I found for the film, with the exception of one, was made by using AI.  I was hoping it wouldn't take itself too seriously and deliver on the so bad it's good films that I love so much from directors like Chris Seaver.  Sadly, that was not the case with this one taking itself way too seriously and the unintentional laugh wasn't enough to save it.  The acting in this one is extremely uneven and not very consistent.  We have some fairly solid performance mixed with cast members with little to no experience.  It makes most, if not all, of the scenes extremely awkward to watch.  The movie could have been a little more enjoyable if the acting was a bit more even.  The story for this one reminded me of Rob Zombie's 31 meets Knights of the City.  We have a deadly contest held by rich people where the participates hope that winning will grant them a record deal.  Honestly, this could be a fantastic premise to a blaxploitation flick with some influence from brutal games like Battle Royale and The Condemned.  With that being said, the film is a series of incoherent scenes pieced together resulting in a story that is difficult to follow and is difficult to finish.  Finally, the film has some of the worst visual effects I have ever seen in a movie.  Usually, I can look over something like this is they try to give us some solid practical effects but the film doesn't have any for us to enjoy.  Overall, Psycho Night is a difficult one to finish.  The movie feels rushed, unfinished, and a chore to finish.  Honestly, this is one I would recommend skipping.  

Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon

Director - Jason Lei Howden (Guns Akimbo, Deathgasm)

Starring - Milo Cawthorne (Blood Punch, Wolf Man), Kimberley Crossman (Stream, The Almighty Johnsons), and James Joshua Blake (Dangerous Game, Jackals)

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Evil cums again"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I tend to go against the grain, so to speak, when it comes to horror movies.  I often like the no budget backyard flicks with a ton of imagination and lack of resources over the bug budget films that lack imagination. However, there is a few movies that pop up from time to time that offer up a bigger budget than I'm used to and delivers.  Over a decade ago the Milo Cawthorne lead film Deathgasm was released on the world and immediately became a hit.  I've watched this one many times since it's release and always find myself glued to the screen like it was a first time watch.  A few weeks ago I received news that a sequel was getting released very soon so I reached out to Raven Banner to see if I could review it.  They were kind enough to send me a link for Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon.  I want to thank them for being so kind as to let me review the film before it's release.

     The film picks up many years after the events of the first film.  Brodie (Cawthorne) is struggling with his music career after two members of his band died the night he saved the world.  Unemployed and an alcoholic, he finds himself living with Giles after Medina (Crossman) left him to further her music career.  He decides to use the pages from the first film to resurrect his bandmates in hopes of winning a battle of the bands competition.  His spell works but they are unpredictable and their appetite for flesh is uncontrollable forcing Brodie to once again reverse the spell while trying to get Medina back.

     Sequels rarely live up to the original but Deathgasm 2 is a fantastic follow up to a film that that I've loved for sometime.  Is this review a bit biased?  Absolutely, but I'm still going to be as honest and fair as possible.  The acting in this one is great.  Most of the cast returned for this sequel a decade later and bring the same energy that made the first film so damn fun.  Cawthorne carries the film as the metal head turned reluctant hero while Crossman was not in the film as much as the original.  I assume it was due to her rates, scheduling, or something of that nature.  The entire film features some seriously fun acting with no weak links to be seen.  The story for this one is a rehashing of the first film but it still finds a way to mix it up a little.  We have music to summon his dead bandmates only for one of them to steal the pages and then they try to raise an army of the dead to take over the world.  It's equal parts Evil Dead and Stan vs. Evil which I'm here for.  While it does rehash a lot of the original story from the first film, it adds some new things that make it just as fun as the first.  Finally, the film has just as much blood and gore as the first films.  We have some seriously fantastic practical effects and a lot of severed penises, peeni, penis's, whatever the plural of peckers are.  The deaths are a lot of fun and these effects look absolutely amazing.  Overall, Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon is a worthy sequel to a film that I absolutely adore.  Metal, blood, and the undead is all I ever wanted and this movie, along with the original, delivers.  Check it out.  

Mystics in Bali

Director - H. Tjut Djalil (LAdy Terminator, White Crocodile Queen)

Starring - Ilona Agathe Bastian, Yos Santo (The Devil's Sword, The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman), and Sofia W.D. (Teen Idol, Fatima)

Release Date - 1981

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     The last few weeks have truly been eye opening to me.  I've had an eye for foreign and international horror for several years now after discovering Japanese splatter but I never really ventured into the world of Indonesian horror.  Severin opened the door with their Suzzanna box set but Mondo Macabro took me further with their releases of The Queen of Black Magic and Mystics of Bali.  Mystics of Bali is one that I had heard about for many years but never actually had the chance to see it.  I want to thank Mondo Macabro and CAV for sending this one over for review.  I'm glad I was finally able to check this one off my watch list!

     The film follows a woman writing a book on black magic with the help of a local.  He takes her to the cemetery late at night and they find an old woman with long nails laughing.  She offers to help her with her book and give her some of her black magic power.  However, she is tricked and turned into a penanggalan at night.  The penanggalan is a disembodied head with the organs still attached that feeds on the blood of the living.  She begins terrorizing the locals who are then forced to stop her.

     I went into this one assuming it was about a penanggalan from seeing some of the artwork for the film.  I was only familiar with this creature due to Dead by Daylight and I'm not going to pretend like I'm an expert on the creature.  However, I knew enough about the basics to appreciate the film for what it was.  The acting in this one is a lot of fun.  Sofia W.D. made the film for me as the old witch.  Her performance stole every scene she was in and really stood out from the rest of the cast.  It was on the campy side but I enjoy the theatrics in horror films with great atmosphere and tension.  The supporting cast does a decent enough job but no one else in the film delivers a performance like Sofia W.D.  The story for this one is a lot of fun.  It doesn't really offer up anything we haven't seen before but it does give it a unique spin.  Black magic as the center focus in an Indonesian horror film is nothing new and was already done several times in 1981 alone.  However, adding the penanggalan angle made it stand out from the crowd.  It does get a bit dull and repetitive as the film moves on but it still finds a way to work.  Finally, the film has some fun effects.  We get some classic camera tricks and some fun make-up effects.  While the kills are not that imaginative and gruesome, they do fit the film.  Overall, Mystics in Bali is a fantastic film with a creature that many genre fans have never seen before.  I highly recommend this one and this release from Mondo Macabro looks fantastic.  Check it out.  

Unseen

Director - Steve Merlo (The Sawyer Massacre, First Annual Barbecue)

Starring - Mike Ferguson (Night Patrol, Dracula Eternal), Brett Wagner (Desert Fiends, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and Douglas Vermeeren (Fresh Meat, Black Creek)

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Shrouded in the shadows of our minds is an unseen killer"

Format - Streaming (Tubi)

Rating (out of 5):

     I don't always review movies that were sent over for review.  Sometimes I find a movie that peaks my interest and I decide to review it just for the hell of it.  Several weeks back I received a press release that the indie horror flick Unseen was hitting Tubi.  I fucking love Tubi and often check out a movie on the streaming platform when I'm not watching something for review.  However, Unseen really caught my eye and I decided to review it when I saw that it was directed by Steve Merlo.  Merlo was responsible for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre short fan film that I reviewed a long time ago titled First Annual Barbecue and while I remember not liking it, I do remember that it wasn't necessarily a bad film.  

     In the aftermath of an unknown disaster, a mentally unstable man attempts to satisfy his conscience while tormenting a woman with an abusive past.

     I see a lot of positive reviews on imdb and letterboxd and I'm confused if I watched the wrong movie.  The movie I watched was difficult to finish.  I always try to be positive with all my reviews regardless if I liked the movie or not but I don't see a lot of positives with this one.  The acting in this one is very uneven.  Some performances are solid and fit the film very well while others were very awkward and stiff.  The cast features a mix of experienced and inexperienced members which does not work together that well.  The story for this one is nowhere near as enjoyable as many of the previous reviews made it out to me.  The film follows a twenty-something as she finds herself stalked and tormented by someone with a mental illness.  I wanted to like this but this is easily the most mindless story I've seen in sometime.  The In a Violent Nature moments were solid but nothing that stands out as we've seen slashers before from the P.O.V. of the killer.  The movie is painfully predictable and offers up absolutely nothing for the viewer.  Finally, those wanting a movie with a body count and plenty of blood will be very disappointed.  The film spends too much time trying to build some sort of weird relationship between the girl and the mentally ill man instead of giving the viewers some fun kills.  Overall, Unseen wasn't for me.  I have no idea if the movie I was meant to watch was swapped with something else but the movie I saw was a tough one to finish.  Skip it.  

     

The Queen of Black Magic

Director - Liliek Sudjio (Jaka Swara, Dendam Jumat Kliwon)

Starring - Suzzanna (The Earth Gets Hotter, Pact with the Forces of Darkness), W.D. Mochtar (Revenge of the Ninja, Hell Raiders), and Teddy Purba (Ratu Buaya, Sengatan Kobra)

Release Date - 1981

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "A chilling tale of magic battles and terrifying demons"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several weeks ago I was introduced to several films that featured Indonesian horror queen Suzzanna when my friends over at Severin Films sent me a box set featuring several of her films.  I was impressed by most of the films and could see myself actually revisiting a couple of them in the near future.  Not too long after I got them for review, I received a few films from my friends over at Mondo Macabro one of those films just happened to be another film featuring Suzzanna.  The film, 1981's The Queen of Black Magic, was the movie that continuously popped up while I was researching movies for her which really made me excited to check out this release.  I want to thank Mondo Macabro and CAV for sending this one over.  

     The film follows a woman who is suspected of being a witch when her ex and his soon to be bride suffer several inconveniences on their wedding day.  They toss her off a cliff where she is left for dead when she is rescued by a stranger.  He nurses her back to health and teaches her in the way of black magic so she can get her revenge on those that accused her of being a witch in the first place.  

     Honestly, I don't have a lot to say about Suzzanna that I haven't already said in the previous reviews of her films.  She was an extremely talented actress that is severely underrated when it comes to the horror genre and cinema in general.  The Queen of Black Magic is easily my favorite film starring the Indonesian treasure.  It may not be her best performance, which it's not, but it's easily her most enjoyable film.  The acting in this one is solid enough to make the film work.  The characters are very bold which gives the cast a lot to work with.  However, they are not as campy or exaggerated as a lot of the other films I've seen of hers with the Bollywood inspiration.  I very much enjoyed the story but I would have appreciated it a lot more if it was the first Suzzanna film I had reviewed.  Instead, it was very similar to several other films of hers where someone was wronged and came back with the help of demons, the supernatural, or magic.  It's not that original by today's standards but I'm sure it was a lot of fun for early 80s Indonesia.  Finally, we have some blood and make-up effects but the deaths are not as memorable as I was hoping for.  I did like the look of them and how they fit the film but they just did not stand out as I would have liked.  The potential was there but not capitalized on.  Overall, The Queen of Black Magic is the film that made Suzzanna a household name in Indonesia and an underrated horror star.  While the film was underwhelming after binging half a dozen of her films weeks prior, I still enjoyed it and highly recommend adding this release to your collection.  Check it out.

     

Grunk the Smasher

Director - Darin Wood (Badass Monster Killer, Planet of the Vampire Women)

Starring - Chris "Superbeast" Crotte (Hell's Coming For You), Marylin Monroach (Smosh, Lady Hyde), and Rae Wright (Smosh)

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Fantasy/Adventure/Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several years ago I was lucky enough to review Badass Monster Killer from Darin Wood when my friends over at Wild Eye sent it over.  I fucking loved the movie and would recommend it to people that would visit the Wild Eye table whenever I was working it at a convention.  I loved the blend of blaxploitation, creature feature, and crude humor.  Sometime around this time I was sent news of Wood's newest project which was a fantasy adventure film titled Grunk the Smasher.  I grew up on sword and sandal epics of the 80s and couldn't wait to check it out.  Sadly, several years had passed and I completely forgot about this one.  I was reminded about it when producer Christy Savage sent me an email to review it.  I couldn't wait and added it to my list to check out as soon as I could.  Thank you Christy for reaching out!

     The film follows rough barbarian Grunk the Smasher (Crotte) who finds himself tricked by an evil sorcerer and left to die.  However, with the help of a few unexpected allies who seek revenge against the same sorcerer, he sets out on an adventure for payback.  

     I went into Grunk the Smasher completely blind.  I had not seen a trailer, promotional images, or the synopsis for the film aside from what I could remember about my original post five years ago.  While I didn't enjoy it as much as I did Badass Monster Killer, I still had a lot of fun with it and I can see myself revisiting it sometime soon.  The acting in this one is a lot of fun but it's not something I would consider award winning performances.    The characters are cliched on purpose and a lot of the performances felt like they were part of a well established play but it's not bad.  It adds a lot of fun to the film but none of the performances stand out like other films from Wood.  The story for this one is a loving tribute to classic fantasy adventure films like both Conan films, The Barbarians, Ator, and so on.  We follow a hulking womanizing barbarian who find himself doing a job for an evil sorcerer only to be tricked and left to die.  He lives, obviously, and partners with others seeking revenge as well.  We have dark elves, witches, creatures, and so much more to enjoy scattered throughout the film.  It's not a compelling story but it is mindless fantasy fun.  Finally, the film has a lot of different effects to enjoy.  We have some puppets, practical effects, stop motion, and visuals.  They all do a wonderful of elevating the film and are visually appealing.  Overall, Grunk the Smasher is not going to be at the top of anyone's list but a lot of gen-x and millennials will enjoy what Grunk has to offer.  It delivers on exactly what it set out to and I really respect it in that regard.  Check it out.  

Gator Face

Director - Padraig Reynolds (The Devil's Dolls, Rites of Spring)

Starring - Tabitha Brownstone (NCIS, Domino), Amariah Dionne (Dead Souls, Saturnalia), and Nikolas Kolasinski (The Republic)

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Real alligators.  Real teeth.  Real terror"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I refuse to pass up a slasher or zombie flick.  I don't care about the budget, who is involved, or what the film is about.  If its a slasher or zombie flick then you damn well guarantee that I will check it out.  I've reviewed a lot of slashers over the years ranging from no budget backyard films to several million dollars and I noticed a few things after watching all of these.  A budget cannot buy passion.  I've seen movies made by teenagers in their parents basement on an iPhone that had more passion and originality while the million dollar films sold in Walmart were dull.  In fact, there is how I came up with the term Walmart horror.  These films look great but are very mediocre at best.  A few weeks back I was sent a review link to check out Gator Face from Rites of Spring director Padraig Reynolds.  The trailer, which I usually avoid, pulled me in and I couldn't wait to check it out.  

     The film follows a young woman who goes into a coastal home after reading a warning of "three dead inside" on the outside of it.  She goes in with her friend and discover an alligator with a taste for human flesh and a man wearing a gator mask ready to cut them to ribbons.  She flees but her friends are struck down by the masked maniac.   She eventually crosses paths with another group of twenty-somethings and tries to warn them but they don't listen.  Soon they start to fall victim to the masked man and his gator before they learn he is part of a cult that sacrifices tourists to the gators.

       I was pretty excited going into Gator Face.  Honestly, I was hoping that this slasher was going to more of a hixploitation flick but that wasn't the case.  Instead, it was a slasher centered around a cult which is something I am all for.  I fucking love movies about cults and Gator Face seemed to be the perfect set up for a solid slasher but I found myself really struggling with it.  I wanted to like it but it clearly wasn't for me.  The acting in this one is not the worst I've seen but the cliched characters and zero chemistry between the cast makes many of the scenes a bit awkward.  We have a lot of yelling when it's unnecessary and a lot of the emotions you would expect for the scene is nowhere to be seen.  I hate to be this negative about a movie but the acting made these unlikable characters even more unlikable.  The story for this one is pretty straight forward for the most part.  A cult that worships an ancient alligator god sacrifices tourists to the gators in order to appease them.  I dig it for what it is but it would have been way more enjoyable as a short rather than a feature length film.  Too much time was spent on the cat and mouse portion of the slasher than the story building and back story.  I found myself wanting to turn it off by the mid-way point.  Some serious editing needs to be done to improve this one.  Finally, the film does boast some pretty impressive kills with some great practical effects.  The kills fit the film very well and the movie makes great use of the practical effects.  Overall, Gator Face is a missed opportunity.  It could have been a southern fried slasher that embraced the hixploitation films of yesteryear.  Instead, it's a middle of the road slasher that is only saved by it's impressive practical effects and the cult aspect.  I seriously wanted to love it but I can't.  This is Walmart horror at it's finest.  

Purani Haveli

Director(s) - Shyam Ramsay (Saboot, Hotel) and Tulsi Ramsay (Om, Police Mattu Dada)

Starring - Deepak Parashar (Armaan, Nikaah), Amita Nangia (Ramsay House: The Fantasy World, Islamic Exorcist), and Shubha (N.H. 47, Ravana Rajya)

Release Date - 1989

Genre - Horror

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Mondo Macabro really took care of me here with this fantastic Ramsay Brother's double feature with Tahkhana and Purani Haveli.  Both of these films were first time watches for me and I was really looking forward to it.  After watching the first film, the 1986 film Tahkhana, it was time to dig into the second film on the set which was the 1989 flick Purani Haveli.  This is one I had heard of prior to watching it but I never had the chance to check it out.  Like always, I want to thank Mondo Macabro for sending it over.  

     The film follows a young girl who lost her parents in a horrible accident.  She lives with her aunt and uncle who is manipulating her into giving them her inheritance once she is old enough to receive it.  However, they die at a haunted hotel after visiting it for a possible purchase.  The young lady, unaware that her uncle was murdered at the hotel, visits with her friends.  Arriving at the same time is a small time criminal and his lackies looking for a quick score only for them all to learn about the sinister forces in the building. 

     I went into this one almost immediately after watching the first film on the disc and really enjoyed myself.  It's not as well put together and written as Tahkhana but it works as a double feature and stand alone film.  The acting in this one is exactly what you would expect from an 80s Hindi horror movie.  We get some campy performances with a lot of overdramatic acting and high energy.  The characters are not that memorable but the acting is a lot of fun.  The story for this one is a solid creature feature that feels like a haunted house flick at times.  It doesn't really have the suspense and tension that I would expect from a straight forward haunted house flick here in the states but it works. We also have the crime aspect and the devious family portion that adds some layer to the film.  It doesn't feel overwhelming and works with the pacing of the film.  Finally, we once again get some fun make-up effects and blood but the deaths are not as graphic and gory as I would have liked.  The effects look well enough for the film but they are not as entertaining as the rest of the film.  Overall, Purani Haveli is another fun Ramsay Brother's horror movie that I think all genre fans should check out.  It's a lot of fun especially if you dig Hindi horror.  Check it out.  

Commando the Ninja

Director - Chi Lo (Magic Swords, Tiger Angels)

Starring - Man Fei (Born a Ninja), Patrick Largent (Power Kids, Team of Prodigies), and Hung Kuan (One-Armed Boxer, The Deadly Island)

Release Date - 1988

Genre - Action

Tagline - "One man's battle to save the world from an evil bacteriological nightmare"

Format - Blu (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm going to be completely honest here.  I went into this second film in the double feature confused. I watched them in the order they were on the cover and in the set but it seems that maybe Commando was the first film while imdb lists both films as releasing in 1988.  Honestly, I have no idea what the order is here but it looks like there is several other films in this series.  Regardless, I still gave this one a chance because of how much I respect and love Visual Vengeance and what they are doing for long forgotten S.O.V. films regardless of their genre.  Like always, I want to thank Visual Vengeance and MVD for sending this one over.

     The film, I believe, is about a ninja trying to find a bioweapon from WWII but Russians are on the hunt for it as well.

     I really did try when I hit play on this.  It's cool that I have this one in my collection and dig that VV is looking outside of horror for releases but these two films are difficult to watch alone...and sober.  It was edited poorly and the story is damn near impossible to follow.  I hate being this negative but it's a rough movie for sure.  The acting in this one is very amateurish.  The cast gets into their roles but inexperience and lack of direction makes the scenes very awkward to watch.  I was hoping the movie would have that unintentional humor that I found in Born a Ninja but I think it had ran it's course by the time I tossed this one in.  The story for this one is so fucking confusing and that is a big part in the way the film was edited.  I read on letterboxd that the movie was pieced together from an unused episode of a television show.  While I don't know how true this is but it answers a lot of my questions if it is.  Finally, we get some solid fights scenes that don't really go anywhere and that is about the extent of it.  Genre fans looking for memorable deaths and gore will be very disappointed.  Overall, Commando the Ninja is a rough one to watch.  I'm still convinced that it would be fun to watch with like minded movie fans while high but it's difficult to finish while sober and alone.  I cannot recommend this one. 

Born a Ninja

Director - Joseph Lai (Ninja Hunt, Golden Ninja Warrior)

Starring - Man Fei (American Commando Ninja), Patrick Largent (Power Kids, Team of Prodigies), and Martin Chan 

Release Date - 1988

Genre - Action

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Tagline - "A spy who will stop at nothing to complete his mission .  A scientist who is torn between love for the present and terror of the past"

Rating (out of 5):

      I've been a fan of kung fu and martial arts movies longer than I have the horror genre.  My dad bought some of these films on tape from someone and from that night on I was hooked.  I would watch them with my grandma and on several occasions I would pick one of these films over a horror title.  A few weeks back I was sent the double feature of Born a Ninja and Commando the Ninja from my friends over at Visual Vengeance.  I had just received two releases from them a few days prior and decided that when I had the time I would turn this into a marathon.  After Fungicide and The Screaming, I hit this double feature with Born a Ninja first.  I want to thank Visual Vengeance and MVD for sending this one along for review!

     Tanaka, a scientist with a past, is unable to face the sight of the atrocities he committed as a germ-war researcher during WWII. Martin, miraculously returns from the dead, recruits an ace but evil Ninja, Simon, to retrieve Tanaka and the formula. Lung, a master of a lost art joins the battle and goes head-on with Simon. The Japanese samurai and the Chinese martial arts finally encounter. battle between Ninjitsu finally starts. At the same time, Tanaka takes the plunge. In a burnt laboratory, he uses the golden horn to locate the germ formula. Despite the heroics, Tanaka’s gang is pursued once again by Martin, Daniel and Simon. Tanaka finally gets the formula but it is shot from his hand again. The ghostly image floods Tanaka’s mind and he is left laughing in an insane heap.

     Just so we are clear, I copied the synopsis from Letterboxd because I have absolutely no fucking clue as to what I just watched.  There was ninjas, talk about Hocus Pocus, grown men rolling around like it was a fighting tactic.  I love bad movies and I love when movies are bad on purpose but this was a difficult one for me to sit through.  As I've said in previous reviews, I hate writing a negative review for a movie that was sent to me but I'm always honest.  The acting in this one is unintentionally funny.  I found myself laughing more than I should have at a lot of the line delivery during the dialogue heavy scenes.  The cast was very inexperienced in acting which made a lot of the scenes funny when they shouldn't have been.  The story for this one is all over the place and I still have no fucking clue as to what was happening most of the time.  The best that I can piece together is that someone was a real piece of shit during WWII and wants to make up for his misdeeds but someone evil is wanting to use something he was affiliated with to cause mass death.  I could be wrong but the film is not very coherent or easy to follow.  We really need a tighter story and better editing.  Finally, don't go into this one expecting a blood bath with a lot of fun effects.  We have some ninja costumes and some not so bad fight choreography but that is the extent of it.  Overall, Born a Ninja could be a fun one if you are in a room full of like minded people who have been drinking but if you are looking for a campy kung fu flick then this one is not for you.  Sadly, I would suggest skipping this one.