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.  

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.  

     

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.  

Until You're Alone

Director - Christopher Wesley Moore (When the Trash Man Knocks, Children of Sin)

Starring - Derek Robert Hull Bond (Broad Daylight, A Time for Romance), Keni Bounds (Triggered, Blessed are the Children), and Jeff Buchwald (Bastard's Crossing, The Wilderness Road)

Release Date - 2026

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "The only thing more terrifying than being alone... is discovering that you arent"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I absolutely love that we have a rise in LGBTQ+ films in the genre.  I love seeing all the representation in horror and, honestly, some of my favorite horror and exploitation flicks over the last decade or so has been LGBTQ+.  If you haven't seen Fags in the Fast Lane then do yourself a favor and check it out!  Anyway, I've been reviewing the films of actor/director Christopher Wesley Moore for a long time now.  It started with his film Perversion and hasn't stopped.  A few weeks back I was asked by Moore to review his newest giallo inspired murder mystery Until You're Alone.  I wasn't able to get to it right away but I worked it into my schedule as soon as I could.  I want to thank Christopher for sending this one along for review!

     The film follows a man who returns home early to find a sex worker in his home along with his dead husband.  The police suspect him for the murder forcing him to track down the sex worker to get some answers.  He soon learns that he is not responsible for the murder but one of his regulars may be the one behind the string of deaths targeting gay men.

     I've reviewed a good bit of Moore's filmography and I've enjoyed most of his work.  With that being said, this is easily my favorite film of his.  I loved the characters, a lot of the story elements, and how well the story was put together.  Honestly, this may be one of my favorite indie productions of the year.  The acting in this one is very well done... for the most part.  Moore is a fantastic actor but I've met enough sex workers that also doubled as indie actors over the years and he was not that convincing as a sex worker.  However, he can fucking carry a scene.  He really gets into character and completely transforms into any character you throw at him.  The supporting cast is great as well.  We get some great performances from across the board on this one and if I was to take the time to point out every one I would be here all day.  The story for this one works.  Typically, I don't care for modern giallo style murder mysteries because it's damn near impossible to capture the look of the iconic films from filmmakers like Argento and Fulci.  However, Until You're Alone is not only able to do so but also add in current tech trends without making it the center of the story.  Horror films centered around niche social media sites, trends, and so on date themselves and are extremely goofy.  The sex work through cam sites and so on works for the little bit that it's used in the film and is a pretty clever plot point in the mystery.  We do have a few scenes near the middle of the film that does feel repetitive but it doesn't really take away from the overall film.  Finally, the film gives us several slasher-esque style deaths that gives us some make-up effects without going overboard.  While the kills are not that memorable or imaginative, they still fit the film very well and look great.  Overall, Until You're Alone is a movie that I can see a lot of genre fans getting behind.  It's a fantastic LGBTQ+ themed giallo that is not easily predictable and works.  I highly recommend it.  

Plankenstein

Director - Diq Diamond (Don't Drink and Drive: A Family Film, The Bunker)

Starring - Leilani Ramos (Potluck with Smooch), Amy Jennings (Paranormal Sh!t, True Tales of Terror), and Shane Chisum (The Tattoo Club: Curse of the Dragon, Static)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "A killer surf movie"

Format - Streaming (Tubi)

Rating (out of 5):

     I've seen a lot of movies over the years thanks to my connection with Horror Society.  I've seen some of the wildest films imaginable with movies featuring living placentas, murderous condoms, gay bikers that create a fight club, bigfoot with an STD, and so on.  A few weeks back I received a press release for the surfing slasher Plankenstein.  The film was released on Tubi and the team behind the indie horror film wanted to get the news out.  I shared it on the site and decided to add it to my watch list.  It looked fun and a movie that I could really enjoy.  

     The film follows a surfer, a cop, and the chief of police as they investigate a string of brutal murders along the beaches of popular surf spots.  

     I went into this expecting a lot of Frankenstein puns mixed with a lot of surfing.  Instead, what I was greeted with was a move that felt like it was intentionally trying to annoy you.  I made it maybe five minutes before I found myself wishing it would end.  I hate being that way especially for an indie movie but this one was one of the hardest films to finish that I've reviewed in sometime.  The acting in this one is very stiff at time with flat dialogue.  The cast seems to be having a lot of fun on set and that shows in a few scenes but the overall acting is fairly one dimensional.  The story for this one is a slasher meets island lore.  I was expecting more a Frankenstein story with a surfing theme but what we get is a slasher that doesn't really feel like one with some made up legend that doesn't really pull the viewer in.  The film feels like there is several decent enough ideas thrown out but none of them full builds up on them.  Honestly, a patchwork surf board killing tourists would have been a much more entertaining film than what we have here.  Finally, don't expect memorable deaths.  We have some prop body parts and some blood but that is the extent the practical effects.  We do have a few scenes with some horrible visual effects that stand out.  The deaths are not memorable or imaginative but they do make good use of the practical props.  Overall, Plankenstein is not the movie I was expecting.  In fact, it was damn near impossible to finish.  When I was putting my review together I saw a similar review on Letterboxd or imdb that said the film was "intentionally trying to piss off the viewer" and I somewhat agree with it.  I wanted to like it but it was all over the place and held together with chewed gum and cheap tape.  This is one you will want to skip.  

Dead By Dawn

Director - Dawid Torrone (Opowie Ci o Zbrodni)

Starring - Sylwia Boron (Bloody Date, Hold Tight), Monika Frajczyk (Leave No Traces, Green Border), and Adam Machalica (Planet Single, Raspberries)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I never know what to expect when I check my Horror Society email.  Am I going to get an email from a fan confused by what we do at Horror Society asking if they can get a role in a film?  Is it going to be a random actress asking for us to share their OnlyFans link?  Or, is it going to be a press release for a movie that I really want to see?  My emails can be pretty weird especially when I get the random off the wall emails from people that shouldn't have access to the internet.  However, I sometimes get emails to check out a movie that has really peaked my interest.  A few weeks back I received the press release for Polland's first giallo, Dead by Dawn.  The title, which also shares a name with the alternate title for Evil Dead II, really caught my eye with it's artwork.  I replied to the email and they were kind enough to send a link over for me to check.  

     The film follows a group of aspiring stage actors who visit an old theater that was once considered prestigious.  What they don't know is that a masked maniac is stalking the property killing everyone that is unfortunate enough to cross paths with them.  

     I went into Dead by Dawn excited to see a stylish and beautifully shot giallo but what I found was an extremely slow paced slasher with a lot of scenes that need trimmed down.  I seriously wanted to like this one but it wasn't meant to be.  It was painfully slow, uninteresting, and the slasher was very disappointing.  The acting in this one is easily one of the only redeeming qualities I could find in the film.  The characters are fairly forgettable and we don't have any outstanding performances but I liked the cast.  They really get into their roles and work well with each other.  The story for this one has an interesting premise but fails to put it all together into something truly enjoyable.  The film uses long, drawn out scenes with beautiful cinematography and locations to try to capture that giallo feel but it doesn't really give viewers the Italian mystery feel.  The movie is a slasher for the most part with an occult angle that is never fully explored as much as I would have liked.  I wish this was introduced earlier in the film and the mystery portion of the story played a bigger role.  Instead, we have a slasher flick that just doesn't have the fun that many slashers before it was able to deliver.  Finally, the kills offer up a lot of blood but they don't have the best practical effects or imagination.  The masked killer's weapon of choice is a meat cleaver but the deaths are unable to deliver on the imagination and originality that other meat cleaver killers, like 100 Tear, did before it.  Also, the killer's mask is pretty lame.  It's a mask covered in bright white eyes that does nothing for the scene.  Overall, Dead by Dawn just wasn't as fun as I had hoped it was.  It doesn't feel like a giallo.  Instead, it's a standard slasher where the killer has a stupid mask.  I want to recommend this one but I can't.  Skip it.    

He's Watching You

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

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

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

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

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

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

Big Bad Betty

Director - Justin Sulham (Night of the Werewolves, Black Vulture)

Starring - Zach Palica (Dead Note, Everyday), Paul Ogletree (Southern Nightmare, Snake Creek), and Katrina Solo (The Mick, You Can Do Better)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "It's dinner time, and you're the main course"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Indie creature features are a weakness of mine.  Slashers and zombies are my preferred sub-genres but a no budget monster movie will always get my attention.  I grew up watching drive-in era monster movies with my grandma while my dad was out of town and that is one of my fondest memories growing up.  I still watch monster movies when I can and often look through hashtags on Instagram and Twitter looking for some that may have slipped by me.  A week or so ago I was contacted by filmmaker Justin Sulham to check out his indie monster movie Big Bad Betty.  I wasn't able to get to it right away but I did add it to my list to check out as soon as I could.  I want to thank Justin for reaching out to me and I apologize that it took so long for me to get this one to you.  

     The film follows a young woman who visits her late grandfather's horse ranch after his death.  She takes a group of her friends with her with plans on restoring it to sell or keep in her family.  However, an innocent time with her friend turns deadly when they uncover letters that her grandfather may have sired a sheep hybrid.  Unbeknownst to them, he really did make a sheep hybrid named Betty that has a taste for blood.  Now, Betty is stalking them and one by one they are ripping them apart.

     Big Bad Betty is a solid monster movie that does struggle a lot with it's own identity.  I enjoyed it for what it is but there was a few things that made the film fall short from being something that really stood out from the crowd.  Don't get me wrong, it's an entertaining movie but it does trip over it's own feet before it gets going.  The acting in this one is a bit uneven but still fun to watch.  The cast works great together but some of the scenes are a bit awkward.  I don't know if it's the inexperience showing or if these scenes were rushed.  Regardless, it's not bad acting but it does vary from scene to scene.  The story for this one struggles with finding itself but is still able to pull out a decent creature feature with a slasher vibe at the end of the day.  We have a few scenes that tries to establish that grindhouse look and feel that I can get behind.  We then move into a few scenes that was inspired by 80s cinema that I also enjoyed.  However, these nods to classic cinema trends does not run the length of the film.  They are random and out of place.  Honestly, I would have enjoyed if the film would have found one and stuck with it.  The same can be said about the characters.  Most of the characters are rather grounded and down to Earth while a few, not many, are meant to be used as comic relief.  Sadly, the humor doesn't really find it's mark which makes these character feel out of place.  These oddball characters feel like they are straight out of a Chris Seaver film while lacking his sense of humor.  With that being said, I really liked the set up of the story and what the monster really was.  It was different and worked as a modern slasher, as well as, a monster movie.  You can tell Sulham really loves the genre and wanted to contribute to the history of horror.  Finally, the film has some bloody scenes and a wild looking creature.  I love the look of the creature and how deformed it's appendages are.  The kills are very violent and fit the film very well.  We get a lot of blood and some decent effects but those looking for creative kills and memorable gore will be a bit disappointed.  Overall, Big Bad Betty is a fun monster movie inspired slasher that works for a late night watch with some beer or a good edible.  It's bloody, violent, and scratches an itch you didn't know you had.  Check it out!

New Fears Eve

Director(s) - Eric Huskisson (13 Slays Till X-Mas) and P.J. Starks (Volumes of Blood, The Preylude)

Starring - Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp, Christmas Slasher), Dave Sheridan (Scary Movie, The Devil's Rejects), and Hannah Fierman (V/H/S, Dead by Midnight (Y2Kill)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "The doctor will slay you now!"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Just a week or two ago I made the remark in a review that there wasn't enough New Years themed horror titles.  We have a couple slashers and a zombie movie from the 80s along with a couple random ones that popped up here and there over the last ten years or so but nowhere near as many Halloween or Christmas themed horror titles.  I said this in the review I wrote for Screw Year's Eve and I was not expecting to get an email a few days later from director P.J. Starks for his newest slasher New Fears Eve.  I've known P.J. for several years now after befriending him when he was promoting his horror anthology film Volumes of Blood and was looking forward to checking this one out.  I want to take a moment to thank P.J. for reaching out to me to review this one!

     The film follows a small group of friends who work for a company ran by a complete douchebag and his suck up manager.  They are gearing up for their annual New Year's Eve party where several people were laid off before hand.  However, as the night gets going, people begin getting knocked off by a murderer wearing a plague doctor's mask.  

     New Fears Eve is a slasher codirected by Eric Huskisson and P.J. Starks.  I've been familiar with Starks and his work for many years now but Huskisson is fairly new to me.  I reviewed Huskisson's 12 Slays Till X-Mas a year or so ago and, sadly, I wasn't a fan of the film.  It had a few moments that I liked but the overall film was a bit underwhelming.  The same can be said about New Fears Eve.  I was really excited for this one but I just couldn't get into it.  It had some moments but the overall movie just wasn't for me.  The acting in this one is solid.  The cast does a great job at getting into character but there is a few scenes where the dialogue is a bit forced or has no emotional range.  This doesn't happen during the entire film and is only confined to a few scenes.  I don't know if the filming was rushed or what but these scenes do stand out.  The story for this one is exactly what I would expect from a film centered around New Year's Eve.  New Year's Eve is nothing more than a reason to get together and party so it makes sense that almost every film centered around the holiday focuses on that aspect.  New Fears Eve is no exception and I respect that.  However, while the film gives us a solid premise and takes great care as to give us a decent slasher story, it struggles with giving the viewer likable characters.  The characters are extremely cliched, especially for a horror comedy, which made it difficult for the viewer to associate with any of them.  I've said this a few times throughout the year and it may be because I'm old and hateful but I was really hoping many of them met a tragic end at the hand of the plague doctor.  Finally, the film has several really graphic death scenes.  The effects look great and are easily the highlight of the film.  I would have loved to see more gore but the deaths do fit the slasher film very well and that's all any genre fan can ask for.  Overall, New Fears Eve has a story that I was expecting with some kills that looked great but the characters are so unlikable.  This has nothing to do with the cast and their acting ability but it does make it difficult to finish.  I seriously wanted to like this one but it wasn't for me.  

Screw Year's Eve

Director - Richard Tanner (Earth Girls Are Sleazy, Mother Noose Presents Once Upon a Nightmare)

Starring - Sushii Xhyvette Holder (Sushii's Sex Seance, Pandemic Thirst), Jessa Jupiter Flux (OnlyFangs, Curtains for Christmas), and Danielle Page (Strip Club Massacre, Zombie Horror)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Seasonal and holiday themed slashers have always been a favorite of mine.  Sure, I love almost all sub-genres of horror but I've always been particularly fond of slashers even before I found myself obsessed with the genre.  You can find slashers for every holiday.  We have a few for birthdays, Arbor Day, Independence Day, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Hannukah, and so on.  I love the fact that we have so many slashers for Halloween and Christmas but it has always bummed me out that we only have a handful of slasher flicks to dig into for New Years.  A couple has popped up in recent years but before those we were stuck watching the same few films over and over.  A few days back I was contacted by director Richard Tanner to review his new film Screw Year's Eve.  I was familiar with this one and graciously accepted the chance to check it out.  Thanks Richard for sending this one over!

     The film follows a young woman with a wealthy father who decides to throw an 80's themed New Year's Eve party in one of his warehouses.  The small town doesn't celebrate New Year's Eve anymore after a horrible prank gone wrong many years before but shrugs off the superstition.  The DJ sets up for the night and she gets ready with her friends before the party starts but once the music drops, so does the bodies.  One by one they are brutally murdered before she learns who the killer is and her family's ties to the horrible accident all those years before.

     I'll be honest about this one.  I went into it thinking it was a zombie flick of sorts.  I knew from the few posts floating around social media that it was a slasher flick but the artwork I had seen prior to viewing the film made me think that the killer was undead or supernatural.  That was not the case at all.  What we do have here is a solid slasher that doesn't try to look like an 80s slasher but does use a clever plot device to get fans into the nostalgia feel while delivering the traditional slasher story.  It's not a perfect film but it's entertaining as hell.  The acting in this one is a bit uneven but it's not the worst I've seen.  Some of my favorite actresses in the indie scene appear in this one.  We have Angel Nichole Bradford making a small appearance.  She does a solid job but in her role but it is short lived.  We also have a short but unforgettable performance from Niv Aranea.  Her character doesn't have a lot of screen time either but she makes the most of it.  Her character is one of the highlights of the film and brought a lot of laughs once she was sloshed.  With that being said, Sushii Xhyvette Holder, Jessa Jupiter Flux, Danielle Page, and Jon Devlin (Erecting a Monster, Phallacies) make the film.  Devlin brings in some humor and once shit goes off the rails he is able to flip his character completely around.  I've been reviewing films of his for several years now and I love seeing how he uses all this experience in new roles.  Sushii and Jessa absolutely nail their roles as well which is what was expected.  These two are indie horror icons and always go above and beyond with their roles.  This time the pair are matched with Danielle Page who is fairly new to me but she delivers just as big a performance as everyone I had previously mentioned.  She has several credits already under he name on imdb and I will be checking those out as soon as I can.  The supporting cast is solid as well and I would be here all day if I took the time to credit everyone for the great performances.  The story for this one is the traditional slasher formula set against a New Year's Eve party.  We have someone that was wronged several years ago, in this case it was a prank gone wrong, who is now picking people off one by one.  We don't have a masked killer but we do have a Krueger inspired sweater and a Misfit's Devilock hairstyle which somewhat makes up for that.  The premise of the film borrows from the classic slasher My Bloody Valentine where a horrible accident prevents the town from celebrating a holiday only for a group to disregard warnings only to die one by one.  That's one of my favorite slashers so I really enjoyed this one paying tribute to it.  Finally, the film has several deaths with a lot of blood but they are not really that memorable.  We get one super fun death featuring Niv Aranea's character that will stick with you for days after watching but the rest are easily forgettable with some minimal but decent practical effects.  Overall, Screw Year's Eve is not a slasher trying to capture that 80s look and feel.  While so many slashers try and fail to do that, this one uses a clever idea to host an 80s themed party and let nostalgia run with our imaginations.  It features a great cast and caters specifically to those of us that love the classic slasher formula.  This is one I highly suggest checking out!

     

Harvest Brood

Director - Joe Meredith (South Mill District, Variant)

Starring - Cidney Meredith (Variant II, Teratomorph), Robin File, and Anthony Leroy

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (YouTube)

Rating (out of 5): 

     Several years ago I befriended artist and filmmaker Joe Meredith on social media after I saw several posts for one of his films.  I can't recall which film that was exactly by this point but I do know that I've been fortunate enough to review all of his films up to this point.  Well, that was until he released his newest film Harvest Brood for free on YouTube during Halloween.  I quickly shared the news on the site at the time but I wasn't able to check it out immediately due to the fact that I had already planned out my October horror binge.  However, I did toss it on my watch with for immediately after.  I'm glad I did because this one may just be my favorite film of his.

     The film is a documentary about a small town in Alabama that experienced a killing spree in 2006 with connections to local lore surrounding a strange family deep in the woods.

     Joe Meredith has a style of his own.  His movies and art is very unique and instantly recognizable with his movies being some of the most visceral that I've been fortunate to see.  Honestly, South Mill District is a film I often recommend to genre fans looking for something on the gruesome side of horror.  Harvest Brood did not disappoint.  I'm not really a fan of mockumentaries and found footage but this one holds your attention from beginning to end very well without the dull dialogue and pretentious acting.  The acting in this one is very well done.  We do get some of the acting that you would expect from a found footage type film with small talk and not a lot of emotional depth.  Luckily, these scenes are few and far in between.  The rest of the film is acted very well with some seriously fantastic performances from a cast with very little experience.  The story for this one is the kind of movie that I love with a family deranged mutant living in the woods killing people that cross their paths.  I've lived in Appalachia my entire life and any film with that kind of story instantly has my attention.  However, there is only so many ways you can spin a story like this so giving it the mockumentary spin to it does make it stand out from the rest.  With that being said, it's not as dull and boring as most other faux documentary and found footage flicks that I've reviewed in the past.  The film does a great job with the pacing and doesn't leave a lot to our imaginations.  Finally, the film is just as gruesome as I've come to expect from Joe and company.  We have a lot of fantastic practical effects that looks great.  If you've seen one of Joe's films then you know exactly how amazing his effects look and this one is no exception.  Honestly, I have no idea why this film is still on YouTube and not flagged.  Overall, Harvest Brood is another great film from a filmmaker with a true love for the genre.  The film doesn't do anything revolutionary for the genre but it does deliver on everything many of us love about horror.  I highly recommend checking it out.  

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.  

Clown in a Cornfield

Director - Eli Craig (Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Zombieland)

Starring - Katie Douglas (Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey, What Would Jesus Do?), Aaron Abrams (Hannibal, The Watchful Eye), Carson MacCormac (Shazam!, Zombie at 17)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Are you afraid of Frendo?"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     One of the last few years I was in college, which doesn't seem THAT long ago, I rushed out to my local WalMart at midnight to snag a copy of Tucker and Dale vs Evil.  I was going to snag a copy at FYE when they opened but I was too impatient at the time and decided to hit up WalMart instead knowing that they stocked new releases at midnight.  I fell in love with the film and since then I've collected shirts, posters, and a few random things like hats, beanies, and so forth for the film.  It's one of my favorite horror comedies and one of the best parodies of the cabin in the woods sub-genre to exist.  With that being said, director Eli Craig hasn't really contributed much to the genre since then aside from what looks like a made for television movie, or television show pilot, spinoff of Zombieland that I need to track down.  That was until now when he helmed the Clown in a Cornfield adaptation.  I'm not one to go out of my way to see a killer clown flick but I'm always open to them.  Killer Klowns from Outer Space and Stephen King's It are among my favorite movies, so I always give the sub-genre a chance especially when I saw that it was Craig behind the camera on this one.  I want to thank Shudder for sending over the review link for me to check out!

     The film follows a teenager girl and her windowed father who move to a small town.  The town is known for it's corn syrup factory and it's mascot Frendo.  However, the times are tough for everyone and the town is starting to fade.  Some of the local youths have turned Frendo into an urban legend with their found footage style YouTube series depicting Frendo as a serial killer.  However, their lucrative hobby turns deadly when they start going missing one by one as they are stalked by someone dressed up as Frendo.  It's up to those left alive to find out who is behind the killing and why.  

     I went into this one knowing very little about it.  I knew it was based on a young adult novel by Adam Cesare but that was the extent of it.  However, as I prepare for the review I discovered that Cesare wrote Last Night at Terrace Lanes which I recently watched.  I was not a fan of that film and that would explain why I didn't really care for Clown in a Cornfield.  The film has a few moments I liked and loved seeing Will Saso and Kevin Durand but the movie just wasn't for me.  The acting in this one is great.  Honestly, this probably has the best acting I've seen this year.  The cast is great and it was awesome seeing Saso and Durand taking over the role of the villains.  Honestly, I would have loved the film if it was focused more on them and their secret Frendo cult instead of the teenagers.  The story for this one has some things that I enjoyed and a lot that I didn't.  I'm going to blame it on my age, but a lot of the characters are not likable.  It's not a problem of the cast, but how they were written.  They have shitty personalities and extremely difficult to connect with.  The teens are meant to be a bit unlikable and their past actions have caused a lot of issues in the small community but with that aside, it's difficult not to want to watch them all die.  Also, the film doesn't do a good job at hiding the twist as to who the killer is.  We have some foreshadowing that gives away more than it should which ruins the big twist near the end.  There was a few things that I did like.  I really enjoyed the idea of teens turning a local mascot into a serial killer in a found footage YouTube series.  I also liked that local cult of adults who despise the youths. Finally, the film has some solid practical effects and gnarly deaths.  The deaths are not the wildest I've seen but they are enjoyable enough for me to recommend the film on just that alone.  I don't see myself revisiting the movie again but I may toss it in and fast forward to these bloody bits.  The effects are fantastic and the kills fit the film but they are not that imaginative.  Overall, Clown in the Cornfield is a film with a story meant for young adults turned turned horror with unlikable characters and a predictable story.  It does have some great looking deaths but nothing that will stick with you especially if you are an everyday horror fan.  I recommend the film for the deaths but that is it.  

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

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

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

Release Date - 2024

Genre - Horror/Comedy

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

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

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

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

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

Fear Street: Prom Queen

Director - Matt Palmer (Calibre, The Gas Man)

Starring - India Fowler (The Strangers: Chapter 1, The Trail), Suzanna Son (Red Rocket, The Idol), ad Fina Strazza (Paper Girls, FBI: Most Wanted)

Release Date - 2025

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Drop dead, gorgeous"

Format - Streaming (Netflix)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm a product of my childhood.  I had one of the most iconic childhoods and was fortunate enough to live through what I would consider the most radical decades.  I was born in the mid 80s and grew up through the 90s.  I was introduced to Goosebumps by R. L. Stine when I was in third grade.  This opened the door to Christopher Pike, Stephen King, and so on.  However, my love for R. L. Stine never faltered.  I soon sought out his other series like Fear Street, Ghosts of Fear Street and so on.  He was my introduction to horror and I wouldn't be who I am if it wasn't for him.  In 2021 Netflix released the Fear Street trilogy.  The three films released a week apart and instantly became my favorite horror films of recent years.  Sadly, it took a few years before we got another installment.  Hell, I knew the film was coming but I had no idea it was released until I saw people posting about it on Facebook.  I quickly made time to check it out.

     The film takes place in 1988 as the senior class of Shadyside High prepares for their annual prom.  The popular girls in school work together so that their leader, Tiffany (Strazza), wins.  School outcast Lori (Fowler) enters the contest in hopes of winning so she can overshadow her past.  The students, especially Tiffany, often harass her.  Lori's father was murdered and her mother was trialed for the crime but was acquitted.  As time counts down to the crowning, the prom queen candidates are murdered one by one by a masked killer.

     I went into this one thinking about how amazing the original Fear Street trilogy was.  Sadly, this one is no where near as good but it was still worth a watch especially for the kills.  The acting in this one is great.  The characters, though cliched, was very well portrayed.  The dialogue felt natural, the characters pull out the correct emotions from the viewer, and the characters that was meant to be disliked is really unlikable.  While no one performance stands out, the film has an excellent cast.  The story for this one is very predictable.  It has cliched characters with a lot of detail and character development.  However, the film itself is very predictable.  As soon as the murders start you immediately start suspecting who the killer is and as the film progresses it becomes painfully clear who the real killer is.  Don't get me wrong, it's a decent straight forward slasher inspired by 90s slashers but you know what's going to happen before it does.  Finally, the film has several memorable kills with some knockout practical effects.  The kills are very unexpected and deliver a serious amount of blood that I honestly didn't think Netflix had the ball to give us.  The film is worth the watch for the death scenes alone.  Overall, Fear Street: Prom Queen is a film that you can enjoy for the fun kills but the predictable slasher story is not that imaginative or memorable.  I enjoyed it but I know a lot of the genre community will not because I am a little biased.  Fans of the books or R.L. Stine might want to check it out with an open mind.