Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus



Director(s) - Young Kyun Park (Action Dad, Super Zach), Jhonen Vasquez (Very Important House), and Hong-Seung Yoon (Death Bell, The Target)
Starring - Richard Steven Horvitz (Summer School, Shrek), Rikki Simons (Invader Zim, Mighty Magiswords), and Andy Berman (Psych, The Wonder Years)
Release Date - 2019
Genre - Action/Adventure
Format - Streaming (Netflix)

Rating (out of 5):

 

 

     Netflix is redeeming themselves in my eyes.  I've paid for Netflix every month for almost 8 years now and I have to say that every time I sit down to watch something I often find myself jumping over to Hulu instead.  However, that's changing with Stranger Things, the new Rocko's Modern Life special, and now the new Invader Zim film.  I watched Invader Zim some when I was in high school but I really got into the show when I was in college.  I always watched the same three movies while drinking but on a few occasions I would give Invader Zim a spin when I wasn't in the mood for Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, O' Brother Where Art Thou, and Black Dynamite. I was browsing Netflix yesterday when I saw the new Invader Zim special.  I had no idea this was a thing so I had to dive directly into it.   

     The film picks up sometime after the show ending with Dib locking himself in his room while he awaits for Zim's return.  He has let hygiene go and never leaves his room until that fateful day Zim reappears.  Dib has to pry himself from his chair and get back into shape before Zim can initiate phase 2 of his plan.  It is at this moment that Zim realizes that the Almighty Tallest actually sent him to Earth as a joke.  This sends him into a deep depression that results in Dib letting his guard down.  Zim capitalizes on his moment of weakness and uses his father's knew invention to teleport the Earth in the direct path of the Almighty Tallest's armada so Earth can be destroyed.  This causes a florpus which could destroy the Earth.  Dib enlists the help of his dad, his sister, and his father's clone Clembrane to stop Zim and take Earth back to it's rightful place in the galaxy. 

     I went into Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus with some pretty high expectations after watching Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling and I was not disappointed.  I didn't have that nostalgic connection with the show like I did with RML but I still enjoyed it just as much and this movie was just as fun as the show.  The voice acting sees the original cast back reprising their iconic roles with just as much passion as seen in the show.  The story for this one is just as wild and crazy that you would come to expect from the show.  It has it's disgusting moments, it's crazy sci-fi moments, and the same style of humor that made the show so much fun.  I did not find myself becoming bored with the film and when it was over I wanted more.  This a movie for fans of the show and a lot of dedication went into writing this one.  Finally, the animation is the same style as the show.  As soon as the film starts you find yourself back to the early 2000s just like when you watched the show originally.  Overall, Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus is for the fans of the show.  It picks up beautifully from where the show left off and gives the viewer everything they wanted in a follow up film.  Check it out now on Netflix. 





Lust in the Dust

Director - Paul Bartel (Clueless, Death Race 2000)
Starring - Tab Hunter (Polyester, Grease 2), Divine (Hairspray, Pink Flamingos), and Lainie Kazan (Harry and the Hendersons, Dayton's Devils)
Release Date - 1984
Genre - Comedy/Western
Tagline - "He rode the west...the girls rode the rest!  Together they ravaged the land"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

 

    When you look at other people from the area I grew up in and compare them to myself you will easily see that I'm very different.  I became obsessed with movies when I was younger but I could never find a particular genre to latch onto.  The horror obsession didn't start until my teenage years.  Until then I was watching anything and everything I could get my hands on.  I was in elementary school when I first discovered John Waters and Divine and their trashy cinema helped shape my taste in films.  In 1984 Divine starred in the western comedy Lust in the Dust with her Polyester co-star Tab Hunter for director Paul Bartel.  I remember watching the film as a kid but I don't remember a lot about it.  When Vinegar Syndrome announced the release I knew I needed this one with the sleeve for my collection so I ordered myself a copy. 

     The film follows Rosie (Divine) who is travelling to the small town of Chili Verde in hopes of becoming a singer in the saloon.  She becomes lost in the desert and is saved by gunfighter Abel Wood (Hunter).  The two sleep together but they both have their own plans once they reach Chili Verde.  When they arrive they meet the owner of the saloon, Marguerita (Kazan) who is secretly searching for buried treasure that is rumored to be there.  Tensions come to a boil between Rosie and Marguerita and when an outlaw gang arrives at Chili Verde they learn that Rosie has a tattoo on her ass that could be the clue to where the gold is buried.  Abel stops the gang from killing Rosie and soon Abel, Rosie, Marguerita, and the leader of the outlaw gang find themselves in a Mexican stand off fight over the gold.

     I realized that this was one I had seen before when I was about 20 minutes in and I was reminded with how great this movie really was.  I admitted to being a Divine fan but I have to say that I absolutely love this movie.  I will be revisiting this one a few more times.  The acting in this one is great by the entire cast.  Divine gives an amazing performance along with Tab Hunter and Lainie Kazan.  Their characters are fun and the they do an amazing job and making them appear larger than life.  I also enjoyed the supporting cast as well.  I really enjoyed screen legend Geoffrey Lewis' performance as well.  I loved the cast and I loved how the characters were written.  The story for this one is rather generic.  I grew up in a house where westerns were spinning 24/7 so I can't say this is something I've never seen before... but adding Divine to anything makes it stand out.  The movie has some humor scattered throughout with some action and a fair amount of drama to keep it interesting.  Finally, there is no blood and gore in this one.  There is some fun sets and costumes but those looking for the red stuff will be extremely upset.  Overall, Lust in the Dust is a fun western comedy that I will soon be pairing with Wagons East.  It has laughs, a great cast, and some fun moments.  Highly recommend grabbing the blu now from Vinegar Syndrome.  



The La Llorona Curse

 



Director - Damir Catic (Dark Presence, The Lost)
Starring - Nichole Ceballos (The Lost), Parker Riggs (Dark Presence), Gabrielle Santamauro
Release Date - 2013/2019
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Hide the children"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

 

     I love when I get in indie horror flicks I've never heard of before.  The titles and artwork always draw out my imagination as I wonder what kind of movie it is I'm about to watch.  A few days ago I received The Curse of La Llorona and then a day later I received The La Llorona Curse from my friends over at Wild Eye.  These two were just begging for a double feature and I couldn't pass up the chance of watching these two back to back.  I once again want to thank Wild Eye for sending this one over my way to check out.

     The film follows a paranormal investigator and his cameraman as they work on their next episode.  This time they are investigating the La Llorona legend which takes them to the home where a father has his daughter locked away because he suspects she is possessed.  This seemingly harmless investigation then takes a dark and deadly turn that leaves the crew in danger.

     I have a hard time getting into found footage flicks.  There has been a few that I really enjoyed but I tend to dislike them for the most part.  In most, but not all, of the found footage flicks that I've seen there is people who are operating the camera or phone that don't know how it works.  This is obviously a plot device to show the viewer that this is a found footage film but it annoys the shit out of me.  Any found footage film after 2010 that follows someone in their 20s should NOT have this scene.  I also hate how found footage films have segments where the recording is messed up or distorted even though they are using equipment that is better than most of the filmmakers that make indie films are using.  I know they want it to look authentic and amateur but this shouldn't be a thing unless they are recording on tape.  There is just so many things that get under my skin with found footage flicks.  The La Llorona Curse is another clichéd found footage film that uses every trick in the book to try to be authentic.  The acting in this one is surprisingly decent.  There is a few scenes that made me feel awkward and uncomfortable watching but the film as a whole had actually surprised me.  The story for this one is a little jumbled and all over the place.  We go from a standard paranormal investigation found footage film to a possessed one with really no bridge between the gaps.  It was just tossed together with no coherency.  Honestly, it feels like the movie was intended to go a certain way but had to be changed during filming.  Finally, the film is not one for those looking blood and gore.  It is a character driven piece that focuses more on authenticity than effects.  Overall, The La Llorona Curse is a forgettable found footage film that does not feel complete.  Fans of the sub-genre may enjoy it but this is one that I couldn't get into.  

 



The Curse of La Llorona



Director - Michael Chaves (The Maiden, Chase Champion)
Starring - Linda Cardellini (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Scooby-Doo), Roman Christou (The Making of a Movie Monster), and Jaynee-Lynn Kinchen (NCIS: New Orleans, Enchanted Christmas)
Release Date - 2019
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "From the producers of "The Conjuring" Universe"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

 

     I spend a lot of my time watching no budget indie horror flicks.  At least 90% of my movie watching within a week is no budget indie horror.  I love these movies and no one can question my support for these filmmakers but I sometimes need an escape.  After a no budget binge I often toss in a theatrical release to relax.  I'm a huge fan of The Conjuring universe.  I love the first two films and The Nun has it's moments.  However, Annabelle was shit and I have yet to see the sequels but when I saw the trailer for The Curse of La Llorona I knew I would be checking it out.  When I received word that it was getting a physical release I had to reach out for a review copy. 

     The film follows social worker Anna (Cardellini) who is a single mother struggling with the death of her husband who was a police officer that died in the line of duty.   She is assigned to another single mother who has not sent her two sons to school.  When she arrives at the home she finds the mother disheveled and the two young boys locked in a small room.  She removes them and takes them back to an orphanage where they die that night from apparent drowning.  The mother blames Anna for her children's death and prays to the spirit of La Llorona to take Anna's two children.  That very night her children is visited from La Llorona and the curse begins forcing her to go outside of the church to save them before La Llorona can drown them.

     I'm not going to lie, I went into this one very excited.  As I stated earlier, I'm a huge fan of the first two films and The Nun had some fun moments but The Curse of La Llorona just didn't do it for me.  It was painfully paint by numbers that is predictable with absolutely no suspense.  The atmosphere is perfect for a supernatural tale but lacked the suspense that makes them so much fun.  The acting in this one is great.  I really liked Linda Cardellini and her character.  She is so likable and her character pulls the viewer in.  You become attached to her character and she does a phenomenal job with her emotional range.  I also really liked Raymond Cruz's performance.  His character is a little hard to get behind but he still delivers a solid performance.  The main focus of the film is the two children portrayed by Roman Christou and Jaynee-Lynn Kinchen.  Horror based around children is big now with Stranger Things and It dominating pop culture.   Sadly, these two do a great job but their characters have zero personality.  Most horror films centered around children give me anxiety but this one did not.  I don't blame the actor but I do blame the writer for writing the most uninteresting characters in movie history.  The story for this one stays somewhat true to the folklore around the Weeping Woman but does take some liberties like most movies do.  The story is actually very entertaining but misses it's mark after the same approach is applied to it as all the other films in The Conjuring universe.  It is painfully predictable and moves in the same manner as the other films.  You know everyone survives because that's how the other films ended.  No sense of dread or suspense can be established because the viewer knows exactly how it ends.  Finally, the visual effects we get are great and I loved the look of La Llorona.  The film does lack blood and gore but we do get a genuinely creeping spirit that would be unforgettable in any other film.  Overall, The Curse of La Llorona is not a solid entry in The Conjuring universe but that doesn't deter me from checking out the other films when they are released. 





The Visitants

 



Director - Rick Sloane (Hobgoblin, Blood Theatre)
Starring - Marcus Vaughter (Nightmare Sisters, Sorority House Massacre), Jordana Capra (Hired to Kill, After Midnight), and Joel Hile (Deadly Friend, Surf Nazis Must Die)
Release Date - 1986
Genre - Sci-Fi/Comedy
Tagline - "There goes the neighborhood"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     I absolutely love the 80s.  It was such an awesome fucking decade.  The music, the movies, the fashion, and everything else is just so fucking enjoyable to me.  I love when I toss in a movie from this decade and getting lost in the scenes.  Just staring at the backdrops of each scene to see everything from that time period.  These movies are such a nostalgic rush.  Sometime ago Vinegar Syndrome released a Rick Sloane double feature with Blood Theare and the sci-fi comedy The Visitants.  I was extremely excited to check out Blood Theatre but The Visitants was the real gem in this set.  Once again, thank you Vin Syn for sending this one over. 

     The story for this one follows a high school student who discovers that his neighbors are aliens who was sent to Earth 30 years ago to gather information on the planet before their forces invade the planet.  He finds them using a ray gun and tells his science teacher who then asks him to get his hands on it.  The student steals the ray gun and the aliens have to retrieve it at all costs.
    
     The Visitants is a bit of a black sheep on this release.  The film's poster is the reverse side of the blu artwork but the discs make no mention of the film.  Hell, I didn't realize it was in the set until I carefully read the special features.  With that being said, this movie was the highlight of this release.  I love movies centered around Halloween and those campy sci-fi comedies from the 80s are always fun.  The acting in this one is not perfect.  The characters are not traditional characters.  Instead, we are given characters that are goofy and unpredictable but the cast does a decent enough job.  The scenes are fun and that's all you can really ask for.  The story for this one blends 80s coming of age comedies with 50s and 60s sci-fi.  It is a bit of a simple story but I liked it.  The movie has a fun speed to it and a lot of camp.  I know many don't care for the film but I had a great time.  Finally, you will not be happy if you go into this looking for blood and gore.  We get some cheap sci-fi props and some DIY effects here and there but these are not the focus of the film.  Overall, The Visitants is just stupid fun.  If you are looking for an obscure 80s movie for your next late night watch then look no further.  Check this one out. 

 

 



Blood Theatre

 



Director - Rick Sloane (Hobgoblin, The Visitants)
Starring - Mary Woronov (Night of the Comet, Warlock), Jenny Cunningham (Record City, Christiana), and Jonathan Blakely
Release Date - 1984
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Who will survive opening night"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

  

     Slashers from the 80s will always have a spot in my home.  I absolutely love slashers and any from the 80s are like crack to me.  I can't get enough.  Even if the movie sucks I still find myself enjoying certain aspects of it.  I get even more enjoyment when I come across an 80s slasher that I had never seen before.  Sometime ago Vinegar Syndrome released a Rick Sloane double feature that included his first feature film.  The 1984 Movie House Massacre would later get retitled as Blood Theatre which is not as cool as Movie House Massacre if you ask me.  Either way, I was excited to check this one out.  Thank you Vin Syn for sending this one my way.

     The film follows the employees of the Spotlite Theater who recently acquired another location that was closed due to a killing spree but they were not told about that by the owner.  They attempt to clean and reopen the theater but they unaware that the killer from before still stalks the theater. 

 

 

     I have a weird love for slashers.  I have fun even with the bad ones.  With that being said, Blood Theatre was all over the place.  I love goofy and cheesy horror films so I can usually look through generic characters and plots to find value but Blood Theatre is a slasher that doesn't know what it wants.  The acting in this one is solid but definitely has room for improvement.  The characters are extremely clichéd and flat but the cast still tried their best.  Some of the performances fall short but a majority are still enjoyable to watch.  The story for this one is a little confusing and struggles to find what kind of film it wants to be.  In a few scenes we get items flying off the shelves or being thrown around the room that felt like it was setting up for a strong supernatural setting but that falls out the window in the last portion of the film when we get the standard slasher fair.  The film almost feels like two different movies flowing together inside a theater before meshing together at the end.  Honestly, I enjoyed the first portion of the film a lot more than the slasher portion.  The slasher portion was just thrown together with no thought applied to it whatsoever.  Finally, the film has several deaths but they use camera tricks and camera cuts with minimal effects.  The viewer doesn't really get to enjoy the typical slasher deaths that they come to love.  Overall, Blood Theatre is a slasher that misses it's mark.  The first 45 minutes was actually very entertaining but that goes down hill once the murders start.  It does get bonuses points for being set at a theater but not enough to redeem it. 

     

 



Death O'Lantern: The Remake



Release Date - 2019
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

 

 

     I randomly get messages from people asking me for indie horror film recommendations.  I cover so many indie films at Horror Society so I often draw a blank but one name that I'm consistent in recommending is Chris Seaver and his many indie labels.  His Low Budget Productions, Midnight Kids Productions, and Warlock Home Video are all something that I avidly collect and have done so for many years.  Several months back I saw a post on Instagram that Warlock Home Video had remade one of their more popular slashers Death O'Lantern.  I had to own a copy so I reached out to the page and ordered a copy.  I'm glad I did because I absolutely enjoyed this one.  I haven't laughed that hard at a movie in a long ass time. 

     The film follows three friends that are part of a horror club in Sleepy Hollow.  Their love of horror and death has them getting involved in a murder and their investigation uncovers the old legend of Stingy Jack who has to kill 6 kids in order to become human again.  He was summoned by a local witch who has a hatred for Halloween after he mother was murdered on the day many years ago.  Now they must stop him before he get the 6 kills and in order to do so they must enlist the help of the toughest girl in town and the ancient magician Ichabod Crane.

     I've watched my fair share of Low Budget Pictures and all of the Midnight Kids Productions and Warlock Home Video releases and I have to say that this ties with The Weirdsies as my favorite film from their catalog.  This one was packed with laughs and hilariously raunchy dialogue.  The acting in this one is fun.  Warlock Home Video has a way of giving viewers unforgettable characters.  The acting may not be perfect but the characters are always entertaining and over the top.  They really have fun with their characters and it shows in each scene.  I do have to say that I was a little upset when I popped the disc in and was not greeted with the warlock that is a typical intro for the other Warlock releases.  The story for this one is mostly what we got in the first two films but with some added here and there to make it stand on it's own.  The portions that was taken from the previous films was still funny but the additional elements is what made this one so fucking funny.  Finally, the film has several on screen kills.  They use classic movie techniques and practical effects that are far from perfect but their intent is to deliver additional laughs.  The kills are modeled after classic slasher kills but with a Seaver twist.  Overall, Death O'Lantern: The Remake is a no budget horror comedy that delivers everything I love about indie horror.  Fans of sleazy slashers will want to check this one out. I highly recommend it.  





The Slit Mouthed Woman and Other Tales

 



Director - Dustin Mills (Applecart, Her Name Was Torment)
Starring - Joni Durian (Devil's Trail, Halloween Spookies), J. Ania Lupa (The Hornet's Disciples and the Scars She Left, Horndogs Beach Party), Haley Madison (Space Babes from Outer Space, In Memory Of)
Release Date - 2019
Genre - Horror
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

 

     I've been writing reviews for about 8 years now and 6 of those have been here at Horror Society.  Sometime around 2014 I found Dustin Mills' film Puppet Monster Massacre on Amazon and grabbed a copy.  This looked like a movie right up my alley and it damn sure was.  I fucking loved the film.  I searched him out on Facebook and became friends with him.  It was around this time he was running a crowdfunding campaign for Easter Casket.  From this point on I was a fan and followed his career closely until the last few years when Facebook changed their algorithm.  I rarely see his posts now and there it times movies are released and I miss them.  Several months ago Mills' released the short anthology The Slit Mouthed Woman and Other Tales.  I ordered it and was finally able to finally check it out.  I'm glad I did because it was another fun one from an very talented filmmaker.  

     The segment The Slit Mouthed Woman follows a young married woman who is having an affair with another woman.  Her jealous husband finds out and kills her lover before disfiguring his wife with a pair of shears.  Now another young woman suspects that someone was following her and her roommate tells her the story of the Slit Mouthed Woman.  She laughs at the idea but that night she is visited by the disfigured woman and she is asked a very important question; is she pretty?
     I'm a huge fan of Dustin Mills.  His movies are always gorgeous, sexy, and intriguing.  He always brings something different to the table and his films really stand out against other indie horror flicks.  His last flick wasn't for me but that is the first film of his that I grabbed that I was not a fan of. I can't say that about many filmmakers.  The Slit Mouthed Woman and Other Tales was a fun short with several other shorts that were not as fun as SMW but still very enjoyable.  The acting was great.  We get performances from several prominent Ohio actresses.  Erin R. Ryan was great as the Slit Mouthed Woman.  She is extremely beautiful and skilled in front of the camera.  She made this performance her own and did a fantastic job with it.  She was not as benevolent as I was expecting but her sexy approach to the character still worked.  We also get great performances from Joni Durian and Haley Jay Madison.  Both have been is several films I've reviewed over the years and they never disappoint.  The supporting cast is solid as well.  Mills' has an eye for beauty and talent and this film is just another example of that.  The story for this one flows very well for the running time.  We get a sleazy take on a fun urban legend that fits right at home with other releases from Crumpleshack Films.  It does get rather slow in a few scenes but Mills' livens these up with some nudity which pulls the viewer right back in.  Finally, the film has several death scenes.  The gore isn't there but we get plenty of blood with some great practical effects.  The kills are rather generic but we do get some solid practical effects that at least make them fun.  Overall, The Slit Mouthed Woman and Other Tales is just what fans of Dustin Mills need while they are waiting for his next feature film.  He's an amazing filmmaker and this is just another prime example of why he has so many fans.  Check it out. 



Bigfoot Country

 



Director - Jason Mills (Beyond the Line, The Changing of Ben Moore)
Starring - Darren Andrichuk (Murder Box, Phantom), Kiana Passmore (3 Hours till Dead, Alone We Are Not), and Hans Potter (DC's Legends of Tomorrow, The Valley of the Rats)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     Horror has so many amazing sub-genres that are, sadly, subject to exploitation.  If a horror movie makes money then you can expect to see dozens, if not hundreds, of copy cats come out of the woodwork.  I'm a product of the 80s but I would give anything to have been born in the late 60s to live through the 70s when the drive-in was the thing to do.  All the classic monster, sci-fi, and exploitation films that played on those screens.  This was the golden age of bigfoot flicks.  So many classic sasquatch movies was released during the 70s.  Their success spawned so many horrible films that the sub-genre is now known for the shitty bigfoot costumes and the cheesy effects.  This is something that has continued to this day with several poor quality bigfoot flicks hitting store shelves a year.  Recently, I received the 2017 bigfoot flick Bigfoot Country in for review.  I had never heard of it before receiving it for review but I can never turn down a bigfoot flick.  

      The film follows four twenty-somethings that decide to go camping in the country.  They stop for lunch on the way and are warned not to camp in the woods but they refuse to listen to the man.  That night they find themselves being stalked by something hairy in the woods.  One of them has a gun and shoot at the creature which only angers the beast.  They split up and run but soon find that was a mistake and regroup only to find that the woods is full of other hairy beasts that want nothing more than to turn them into a snack.
     I hate giving a movie a negative review especially if it was sent to me but I refuse to lie.  Bigfoot Country was a rough one to sit through.  I try to always look at the positive for any movie but it was really difficult to find something with this one.  The acting in this one made me laugh a few times unintentionally.  The cast really gives their performances everything they have but in several of the scenes it comes across is overdramatic and comical.  Many of the more suspenseful scenes lose their affect due to the cast over doing it.  The cast really needed some direction.  The story for this one is one we have seen so many times especially in the bigfoot sub-genre.  Most of these films follows a group camping in the woods and are then harassed or stalked by bigfoot and we spend the majority of the film watching them try to escape the woods.  Nothing new here.  Sadly, the film struggles to find it's footing as well and we watch characters that you want to try to escape the bigfoot you only get a small glimpse of.  It is clear the team was just trying to throw together a quick film to sell over quality.  Finally, if you want blood and gore you will be disappointed here.  We get a little blood but most of the death take place off screen and the effects we do get are minimal.  Overall, Bigfoot Country was a struggle to finish.  I can usually find something positive with every movie I watch but this one is just so tossed together and rushed that I failed to find anything.  Crypto fans may want this one for their collection but this is one I can't recommend.