Friend Request

Director - Simon Verhoeven (Welcome to Germany, Men in the City)
Starring - Alycia Debnam-Carey (Fear the Walking Dead, The Devil's Hand), Connor Paolo (Stake Land, Camp Hell), and Liesl Ahlers (The Challenger Disaster, Inside Job)
Release Date - 2016
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Evil is trending"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Horror can find its way into every facet of life ranging from dreams, prepping food to cook, summer camp, making love, and even social media.  Any and everything you do can be turned into a horror movie when enough thought is applied.  The internet and social media has been the center for several horror films in recent years with movies like Smiley and Unfriended.  For the record, Smiley is a turd on toast but I can't speak for Unfriended.  It could be a turd but I wouldn't know.  These films usually lack story and are just tossed together with a modest budget to make a quick buck.  Last year the movie Friend Request was released in theaters and I skipped it.  Honestly, I wanted to check it out but work and family life got the best of me.  I figured I'd eventually check it out.  Hell, maybe even have a double feature with Unfriended.  Not long ago I was sent the press release on the physical release of the film and I was able to score a review copy of it.

     The film follows Laura (Carey) who is a popular girl in college and on social media.  She befriends a new student named Marina (Ahlers).  Marina has no friends and Laura opens up to her.  They become friends on Facebook but Laura quickly discovers that Marina is odd.  One night Laura brushes her off to celebrate her birthday with her friends when Marina finds out and kills herself.  Soon she finds her Facebook profile sharing videos of her friends dying and the only thing connecting their deaths to Marina is that they became friends just hours before they die.  Now she must stop Marina's spirit from killing her friends before the police arrests her.

     I assumed this film was going to take the same route as Pulse where social media would be doing the killing.  In a sense that is right but the film offers up a little more than that.  I really liked the story and where it took me even though there was several questionable scenes scattered throughout.  The acting in this one is fun and the cast does a solid job but the problem is the characters are very one dimensional with the exception of Mirana.  Her backstory and her reign of cyber terror made the character stand out which, honestly, has nothing to really do with the cast but more of the writing.  The characters are easily forgettable and the viewer doesn't care if they die or not.  The story for this one has several things that I really enjoyed and a few that I just didn't care for.  I really enjoyed the popular girl falling prey to a supernatural presence that turns people against her.  I really liked that and I loved it even more when the witch storyline was added.  I love witches and anytime I see them in a film I get excited.  Sadly, adding this to social media did more than make the film feel cheesy.  It took it into the land of tacky which did knock it down a notch.  Finally, the film has plenty of practical and visual effects.  The practical looks good for what it is and most of the visual does but there is several scenes where the visual effects stands out and looks horrendous.  Overall, Friend Request won't be a movie people will be talking about in 5 years.  Hell, by summer the movie will easily be forgotten but it does have some entertainment value that I would recommend checking out.  Its not perfect but fun.  

It

Director - Andy Muschietti (Mama)
Starring - Jaeden Lieberher (St. Vincent, American Dad), Jeremy Ray Taylor (Ant-Man, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip), and Bill Skarsgard (Hemlock Grove, Atomic Blonde)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "You'll float too"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Horror has seen its fair share of horror icons over the years ranging from Bela Lugosi's Dracula, Boris Karloff's Frankenstein's Monster, Lon Chaney Jr.'s Wolfman, Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, and Tim Curry as Pennywise the Clown are just a few.  Everyone has that one fear and for most, horror fans and movie goers alike, that fear is clown.  Personally, I find it funny that people are afraid of clowns but I also understand irrational fears considering I'm over 6 feet tall and weigh 300 pounds but yet I'm afraid of being raped after watching American History X as a teen.  No clown has evoked more fear into movie goers as Tim Curry when he donned the clown makeup.  Now, his reign as king of the terrifying clowns is being tested by Bill Skarsgard and the new adaptation of Stephen King's It.  I was able to check the film out in theaters with the wife but my review schedule collided with work and I was unable to do so.  After news of the release was announced I reached out and was able to get a review copy.  Glad I did because I really wanted to review this film and share my thoughts on what I consider one of the best films of 2017.

     The film follows a group of youths that are bullied at school and all have a troubled home life of some sort who come together as reluctant friends.  One of The Losers, Billy (Lieberher), lost his brother some time ago and is determined to find the missing body which he believes was washed down the storm drain.  Their adventure in the sewer quickly turns deadly as they band together to stop an evil presence from feasting on children like it has done every 27 years for centuries. 
     I like the original It mini-series but I've always heard that it had distanced itself from the original novel.  I have not read the original work from King so I have nothing to base that on but I do enjoy the mini-series.  With that being said, I was skeptical of the new film once I heard Skarsgard was cast as the iconic Pennywise.  I was familiar with Skarsgard after watching the Netflix original series Hemlock Grove and felt he would lack the charisma that Curry brought to the role.  However, after finally watching the film I have to say that he nailed it.  Sure, the humor isn't there like in the mini-series but Skarsgard was absolutely brilliant and made the film a lot darker that the other incarnation.  This leads me to the acting which was fantastic.  Most horror films and shows centered around children are sometime awkward to watch due to their inexperience.  This cannot be said about the cast.  These amazing young actors absolutely nailed it and are even more enjoyable to watch than the young cast in the original mini-series.  Their characters are so enjoyable to watch and many of you can even relate to their struggles and hardships.  With that being said, the real star of the film is Bill Skarsgard.  His portrayal of Pennywise is downright chilling.  His performance was absolutely brilliant.  He didn't bestow a fear of clowns in me but god damn he made me a fan.  The story for this one is a little different that the mini-series and more in tuned with the book (from what I've been told about the book).  The story has amazing pacing and plenty of character development and suspense to keep you glued to the screen.  The characters are well written and work very well with the story.  Finally, the film has a surprising amount of blood and solid practical effects.  There is more blood than I was expecting and some amazing practical gags that I would have expected the studio to cut costs and use CGI.  There is some visual effects scattered throughout that actually looks pretty well done and should last the test of time.  Overall, It was fantastic.  It was easily one of the best films of 2017 and the hottest release of 2018.  Check it out.  

Brawl in Cell Block 99

Director - S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomahawk)
Starring - Vince Vaughn (True Detective, Anchorman), Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter, Quarantine), Don Johnson (Django Unchained, Machete)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Action/Drama/Crime
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Sometime last year I was sent the western horror flick Bone Tomahawk from director S. Craig Zahler.  The film was a hit among horror fans for its unique story and amazing cast.  I was skeptical at first about checking it out but eventually my curiosity got the best of me and I tossed it in.  I was very surprised by the film and it quickly became one of my favorites for the year.  A few weeks back I received news that Zahler has returned to behind the camera with a new effort starring Vince Vaughn.  This excited me and confused me.  Typically, I'm not a fan of Vaughns but Zahler is an amazing filmmaker so I couldn't wait to see where this one was going.  Lucky for me I was able to get a review copy of Brawl in Cell Block 99.
     The film follows Bradley Thomas (Vaughn) who is forced to run drugs for a friend after he loses his job.  He moves out of the suburbs and into a nice home after he has done several drops for his friend Gil and eventually becomes his right hand man.  Bradley's wife is expecting and he is able to work out a deal to have three months off when the baby is born if he takes two goons from their new contact on his next drop.  The drop turns sour and the goons get into a gun fight with the police resulting in Bradley's arrest.  He is sent to prison for 7 years and after his first day he is sent word that the new contact Gil has had kidnapped his wife and will kill her if he doesn't kill one of their men in prison.  Bradley is sent in motion to kick ass until he is sent to cell block 99 in a maximum security prison.  Fight after fight he makes his way there only to learn it was a set up and his only option is to once again use his fists to save his unborn child.
     I honestly didn't know what to expect from this one and I was not prepared for how violent the film was.  The film hit hard and never let up.  The acting in this one is so so.  I've never been a fan of Vaughn and even in this film its hard for me to see him actually acting.  In almost every movie I've seen him in he acts like your uncle who has never been married and likes rubbing his success in your family's face.  In Brawl he does limit his dialogue but when he does talk he just doesn't feel committed to his role.  The same can be said about the fight choreography.  When Vaughn is hurting someone I can't help but get excited by the brutality and effects but the hand exchange is sloppy making for an awkward watch at times.  I was not sold on Jennifer Carpenter either.  She has no conviction in her role and just spits dialogue out like she's getting paid by the word.  The only cast member the brought their "A" game was Don Johnson who absolutely killed it.  He never lets me down and I would love to see him take on more roles like this.  The story for this one is fantastic.  It does get slow at times but the pacing of the film does not render it.  In fact, those slow scenes have just as much story being told as the more fast paced ones.  The film is very story driven and it has a great story to tell.  Finally, this is one bloody crime drama.  The fighting scenes may be awkward but they are very rewarding.  The kills and gags we do get are fantastic with amazing practical effects.  It may not be that gory but there is plenty of carnage for the most depraved horror hound.  Overall, Brawl in Cell Block 99 is a phenomenal film.  The acting is questionable but the story is one for the exploitation lover.  I cannot recommend this one enough.  Check it out.  

The Lawnmower Man

Director - Brett Leonard (The Dead Pit, Man-Thing)
Starring - Jeff Fahey (Legends of Tomorrow, Grimm), Pierce Brosnan (Hammer's House of Horrors, Mrs. Doubtfire), and Jenny Wright (I, Madman, Near Dark)
Release Date - 1992
Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi
Tagline - "God made him simple.  Science made him a god"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     About 6 years ago or so I was getting an order together on amazon.com when I came across the DVD for the 1994 schi-fi horror film Brainscan starring Edward Furlong before he started looking all weird.  It was super cheap so I tossed it in the cart.  Since then I've bought a few box sets that included the film resulting in me having more copies of it than I should but I honestly like it.  Not long after getting my first copy of the film I was talking with a friend and he told me to check out The Lawnmower Man starring Pierce Brosnan.  I laughed at his suggestion.  I had never heard of the film before but the thought of Brosnan in a horror film made me laugh.  Shows how much I actually fucking know.  Sometime back Scream Factory released this sci-fi thriller on blu and was kind enough to send a copy my way.  I'm glad they did because I thoroughly enjoyed it.
     The film follows scientist Dr. Angelo (Brosnan) who is working on a virtual reality with primates for the military when one of his test subjects escape and makes its way to simple minded gardener Jobe (Fahey).  Jobe believes he is a comicbook hero and tries to protect him but fails as the security working for Dr. Angelo's employer guns him down.  Dr. Angelo thinks he has lost all his research with the death of his monkey but finds an unlikely specimen in Jobe who in some aspects has not matured mentally out of child hood.  What starts as a simple experiment with Jobe quickly gets out of hand when he believes he has become a god.
     I knew The Lawnmower Man was going to be cheesy sci-fi fun but I did not expect liking it as much as I did.  The movie is cheesy and very dated but it offers up a very enjoyable watch.  The acting in this is fantastic.  I grew up during the Brosnan era of Bond so I know what he is capable of in front of the camera.  He's an amazing actor and it's cool seeing him in films before he took on the role of 007. With that being said, the real star of the film is Fahey.  He absolutely shatters all expectations with his role as Jobe.  The character is very demanding and delivers a performance of a lifetime.  The supporting cast is great as well but no one can touch these two in the film.  The story for this one Is pretty cheesy when you consider it in today's context.  A man who is mentally stunted is put through a virtual reality training where he gains special powers that most humans do not.  It sounds stupid when you say it out loud but it works very well as a movie.  The story is very character driven and very effective in that regard.  The viewer can really get into the characters which only adds to the story's appeal.  Finally, the film is full of visual effects but these do fall short.  The film was released in 1992 so the effects are very dated and do not stand up well over time.  There is no gore or blood but a but tone of visuals.  Overall, The Lawnmower Man is a must for any sci-fi fan.  Fans of Brainscan really need to check this one out!  

The Houses October Built 2

Director - Bobby Roe (The Houses October Built)
Starring - Brandy Schaefer (Ally McBeal, Bluelove), Zack Andrews (The Houses October Built), and Mikey Roe (Side Effects, Wicked City)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     

     Halloween is a magical time for horror fans.  It's the one time a year they can indulge in their fears and not be ridiculed.  At this time haunted house tours, haunted hayrides, and extreme haunts are are popular among fans and thrill seekers alike.  A few Halloween seasons back the film The Houses October Built became a popular film on Netflix and among horror fans.  I tried giving it a watch but couldn't make myself sit through it.  A few weeks back I got word that a sequel was about to be released.  I wasn't too excited for this release but I know several fans of the original wanted to see it.  When I was asked to check it out I decided to give it a chance.  Sadly, it was just more of the same.

     The film takes place a year after the first film with the four young men convincing their female friend to go on another extreme haunt tour across the U.S.  She reluctantly agrees but with each stop they hear about an extreme haunted called Hellbent.  Before they know it they find themselves at Hellbent and things are not what they seem.

     I didn't care for this film but my dislike of it should be confused with this film sucked.  I can see what the film is trying to achieve.  Sadly, it's not for me.  The story is predictable and worst of all...it's not horror.  It's hypothetical.  The acting in this one isn't that great.  The cast doesn't have a lot of experience in front of the camera and times of distress they have a hard time making it feel convincing.  Some of their small talk does lead me to believe that most of the cast is friends outside of filming but once the story takes series turns the cast struggles to make it feel genuine.  The story for this one is more of the same but with two very predictable twists.  Following people who go through haunted houses is honestly not that entertaining.  Hell, going through haunted houses is not that fun either so I don't want to spend my time watching someone else go through them.  The film comes to an end with a twist followed by another twist which is basically two pranks that can be seen from space.  Finally, no gore in this one.  We do get some effects and blood but in the context of the film they are not that entertaining.  Overall, The Houses October Built 2 is not the film most horror fans are looking for.  Fans of haunted attractions and mockumentaries may enjoy it but if you want a real horror flick I would recommend checking out something else.  

The Devil's Candy

Director - Sean Byrne (The Loved Ones)
Starring - Ethan Embry (The Walking Dead, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle), Shiri Appleby (Fear Itself, Roswell), and Pruitt Taylor Vince (Constantine, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)
Release Date - 2015
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "We are his pawns.  His demons on Earth"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm an odd duck when it comes to horror.  This is something that has been commented on several of my reviews in the passed.  People often think I'm paid off to give bad movies good reviews.  This is the farthest from the fact.  I like what I like and years of watching no budget horror films has shaped my taste in movies.  That's why I rarely rush out to buy a flick that most horror fans love.  These films usually just let me down which is funny when you think about it.  Horror fans are the most conceited fans there is.  They mock and scoff at most horror films while pissing on each other about how the genre lacks originality anymore.   What I'm trying to say is most horror fans will bash a remake or sequel, even if its good, just because of what it is but most of these movies they like just because they are "original" usually sucks.  When fans starting ranting and raving about The Devil's Candy I had no desire to check it out.  I assumed it was more hype than quality and decided to skip it.  That changed after speaking with the folks over at Scream Factory.  They were kind enough to send a review copy my way and I'm glad they did.  The movie was fantastic.

     The film follows struggling artist Jess Hellman (Embry) who just purchased an old farmhouse in the Texas country for his family.  He tries to start over and get somewhere with his work but something in the home is unnatural.  He keeps hearing voices and continuously blacks out while painting to find dark imagery replacing his work.  To make matters worse, the son of the elderly couple that lived their previously is now stalking his daughter and has been killing kids around town because the devil has been telling him to.  Now Jesse must fight to protect his family from a madman while keeping the devil out of his own head.
     I knew The Devil's Candy was a horror film set against the backdrop of metal.  Most of you know me and know my love of metal so this was cool.  However, I was a little let down that the story itself didn't have metal integrated more.  Lets face it, the film would have worked if Ethan's character was an account who was obsessed with Culture Club and only painted as a hobby.  It was cool while we had it but it would have been better if it had a bigger role.  The acting in this one is fantastic.  The stars of the show is easily Ethan Embry and Pruitt Vince.  Both are fucking fantastic.  I had no idea Embry was Jesse Hellman until the end credits rolled.  He completely disappeared into character and blew my fucking mind.  This mother fucker nailed it.  I can't say the same about Vince.  As soon as I saw him I knew it was him but his performance made my fucking skin crawl.  He was brilliant and his character gave this father chills.  The supporting cast does a solid job but no one is on their level.  The story for this one is very effective and incorporates several fun elements that horror fans love.  We have the metal angle that was underutilized.  We then jump into the Satanic angle with the kid killer tossed in for good measure.  All these come together to make a very unique experience that offers up something for every horror fan.  Finally, the film does have several deaths but most are done off screen due to the nature of the acts.  The effects we do get to see on camera are fantastic.  Some are very brutal and swift which brings about a great savage feel to the film.  Overall, The Devil's Candy lived up to the hype.  The film was brutal and the cast was outstanding.  This movie has to be seen.