They Live Inside Us

Director - Michael Ballif (2 Hours, The Witching Season)

Starring - James Morris (The Witching Season, I Don't Speak English), Hailey Nebeker (A Pug and Wolf Christmas, The Distant Echo: A Star Wars Story), and Stevie Dust (Riot, The Language of Love)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Every house has a story"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Everyone has their go to movies for Halloween.  For most John Carpenter's slasher defining classic Halloween is their go to while adding other films like Hack-O-Lantern, Death O'Lantern, Tales of Halloween, and so on to their annual rotation.  One film that I've added to my list of Halloween tales is Michael Ballif's The Witching Season.  The film not only flowed like a fantastic horror anthology but it perfectly captured that Halloween/autumn look and feel.  Soon after the film's release Ballif started working on his next film They Live Inside Us which was also another Halloween centered film.  I recently spoke with Michael and he hooked me up with a link to check it out.  Thanks Michael.

     The film follows Jake (Morris) who is a struggling author and his daughter Dani (Emily Broschinsky) who visit a supposedly haunted house to draw inspiration.  While he works on his story he finds himself become absorbed by his work but unable to finish his stories.  While he is working we find ourselves watching his stories come to life but once they end he finds remnants of the stories bleeding over into his life.  As he starts to break down mentally he soon finds his daughter missing and his stories are coming to life.

     No one can question Ballif's love for Halloween.  Both of his feature length releases are perfect for the month of October and if you don't add them to your monthly horror routine then you are surely missing out.  The Witching Season is damn near perfect but They Live Inside Us is.  I absolutely loved this movie and I will be adding it to my collection very soon.  The acting in this one is pretty solid.  The characters fit into the stories perfectly and the cast does a great job at making them stand out against horror stereotypes.  The story for this one takes something that has been tackled by other horror films but adds that Halloween twist to it.  There has been several horror films following horror authors that has their works come to life.  However, very few submerge themselves this deep into horror tropes.  The story really does throw everything at the viewer without having the story feel chaotic and unorganized.  It works very well all while without shoving Halloween down your throat.  You know it's Halloween and it feels like a Halloween without over doing it.  Finally, film doesn't disappoint in the way of make-up effects and masked killers.  We get some great practical effects and the make-up effects are out of this world.  There is some blood but for those of you looking for a new gory treat you will be very disappointed.  Overall, They Live Inside Us is a well put together horror tale that will not disappoint.  The atmosphere is absolutely amazing and the story works on so many levels.  Do yourself a favor and WATCH THIS MOVIE!

Death Toilet Number 2

Director - Evan Jacobs (Death Toilet, The Reckoning)

Starring - Isaac Golub (Black Friday, DV2) and Mike Hartsfield (Ultimate Target, The Riverbed)

Release Date - 2019

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "What you call hell, Brett Baxter calls the commode"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Early last year I was digging around on social media when I came across the no budget horror comedy Death Toilet.  This is the kind of movie that I love.  Movies often take themselves too seriously and try to pull off they don't have the budget nor know how to do so.  Movies that don't take themselves too seriously are the kind of movies that I live for.  When I got it in I checked it out and loved it.  It was cheap and funny.  When director Evan Jacobs announced a sequel I had to own it as well.  I sit on it a few months and with my October horror binge in full swing I decided it was time to give it a go.  

     The film picks up some time after the events in the first film.  Brett Baxter survived and successfully sued big toilet companies.  His life of fighting possessed toilets is behind him...so he thought.  His is priest and best friend comes calling he soon discovers that not only are toilets becoming possessed again but so are the showers.  

     Death Toilet had me laughing and I love how simple, absurd, and goofy it was.  Most indie horror features refuse to just have fun which is what made this one so enjoyable.  It wasn't trying to reinvent the genre or make a name for itself.  Instead, it wanted to make the viewer laugh and it succeeded.  The sequel followed in the original's footsteps but lost wind pretty quick.  It had some fun moments but the gimmick just wasn't the same this time around.  The acting in this one is more of what you got in the first film.  The cast offers up some comedic performances and plenty of laughs but the acting is far from perfect.  Fans of Troma will know exactly what I am talking about and many of us come to love these kind of performances.  You may laugh at how the two leads ham up their scenes but you will never forget their performances here.  The story for this one is more of what we got in the first flick with very little story progression.  It was funny at first but the same jokes and almost the same scenes as the first film made this one a little less fun.  I love sequels when they progress the story further than the previous installment.  The rehashing of the first film just wears the joke of it all too thin.  Finally, the film is not a bloody flick but if you love cheap CGI explosions then you are in luck because this film is fucking full of them!  Overall, Death Toilet Number 2 is not as fun as the first film.  However, if you have some friends over and a few beers then you may actually enjoy yourself with this one.  

Vampires vs. the Bronx

Director - Osmany Rodriguez (Saturday Night Live, The Last Man on Earth)

Starring - Gerald Jones III (Blue Bloods, Miseducated), Jaden Michael (Odd Squad, Dora the Explorer), and Gregory Diaz IV (b00, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Format - Streaming (Netflix)

Rating (out of 5):

     Netflix and the fan film Never Hike in the Snow really helped get me out of the slump I've been in the last few days.  Aside from being sick I was feeling down by number of bad movies I've seen this month.  It seems like several movies were getting rushed to store shelves with no quality testing.  Regardless, this Halloween season has not been too kind to me.  Hubie Halloween and #Alive were solid watches so I turned to Netflix again for something else.  This time I took a dive into Vampires vs. the Bronx and was not disappointed.

     The film follows three youths in the Bronx that are watching all the businesses they grew up visiting close when a giant corporation moves in and buys them out.  They attempt to raise money and save the Bronx but soon learn that the corporation taking over their neighborhood is actually a front for a clan of vampires that want to turn their homes into  their nests.

     I had heard a lot about this one and how many were comparing it to films like The Lost Boys and The Goonies.  I can kind of see where they are coming from with those comparisons but this one wasn't like those to me.  It was it's own movie but I really enjoyed what it delivered.  The acting in this one is solid but I found myself not caring for the characters at all.  The three youth's the film follows is likable enough but all the subsequent characters are really hard to like.  You find yourself almost wanting them to get bit on the neck.  The story for this one is pretty straight forward but follows the same story as so many 80s and 90s movies aimed at children.  We follow a group of kids who must stop the wealthy bad guy from buying their neighborhood.  We have seen so many movies dealing with this same story following someone rich like a businessman, bank, and so on from buying someone's grandparent's home, apartment complex, town, and so on.  The only flipside to this one is that the bad guys are vampires.  I actually enjoyed this little spin and hope that we follow these three in more hijinks like this.  Finally, this one does have some blood but nothing too crazy.  The practical effects work but my favorite part of the film was the make-up effects and design of the vampires.  That is one of the few aspects that did remind me of The Lost Boys.  Overall, Vampires vs. the Bronx is a fun watch you can throw on with your kids and enjoy yourselves.  The film has some blood and light language but a perfect Halloween watch for the whole family.  Check it out.  

     

Never Hike in the Snow

Director - Vincente DiSanti (Never Hike Alone, Last Broadcast)

Starring - Thom Mathews (The Return of the Living Dead, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives), Vincent Guastaferro (Vampire Mob, The Beast), and Bryan Forrest (Lazarus Rising, Ultraman X: The Movie)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "A Friday the 13th fan film"

Format - Streaming (YouTube)

Rating (out of 5):

     It may be October but social media is ablaze with Friday the 13th thanks to Scream Factory.  Their monumental release of all the Friday the 13th films, remake, and Freddy vs. Jason has horror fans chomping at the bit.  I finally got my set in so I can share in on the excitement but this Halloween season just doesn't feel like Halloween.  Jason is running rampart and to add to it the popular fan film Never Hike Alone has released their follow up Never Hike in the Snow.  I was not a fan of the first fan film but I decided to give the second one a chance.  

     The film is set during Camp Crystal Lake during the winter months. A teenager has gone missing and when the police start investigating they find Tommy Jarvis who is still warning people about Jason Voorhees.  

     I wanted to like Never Hike Alone but it was painfully dull and just did not feel like a Friday the 13th film.  The last few minutes of the short was entertaining but it wasn't enough to save the film.  However, Never Hike in the Snow is way more entertaining and feels a little more like an authentic Friday the 13th film.  The acting in this one is pretty solid.  The characters are pretty cliched and standard slasher stock but they move the film along nicely.  Also, DiSanti was solid as well for Jason.  His mannerisms were pretty in tune with that classic Jason movement.  The story for this one, or lack there of, is pretty much Jason killing someone and the police scramble to find them.  Pretty straight forward but solid especially for a fan film.  Finally, the film hits you with some pretty impressive practical effects.  The kill at the beginning of the film is a fucking blast and the practical effects are top notch.  Overall, Never Hike in the Snow had redeemed itself.  I was not a fan of the first but I can see myself watching this one again if the opportunity presented itself.  Great effects and solid Friday the 13th atmosphere makes this one enjoyable.  

#Alive

Director - Il Cho (Jin)

Starring - Ah-In Yoo (Punch, Six Flying Dragons), Shin-Hye Park (Call, My Annoying Brother), and Bae-soo Jeon (The Wailing, Night of 7 Years)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "You must survive"

Format - Streaming (Netflix)

Rating (out of 5):

     I was feeling a little down.  I've been binging horror movies over the course of the month and many of them have been huge disappointments.  I recently had my heart broken when I tossed in the Australian horror film Cult Girls.  I had a few more I needed to review but I decided to take a break from movies that was sent my way for review to watch a few new releases on Netflix.  I know so many new releases hit Netflix this month but I decided to go with one that was released a few months back and that was #Alive.  

     The film follows streamer Oh (Yoo) who awakes one day to find that people are becoming infected and turned into flesh eating monsters.  Unable to leave his apartment he soon finds himself dehydrated and starving.  He tries to kill himself but is stopped by another survivor in the complex across from his.  They begin a friendship and try to meet up in order to survive the zombie apocalypse.

     I recently found myself rejuvenated with zombie films after watching Train to Busan and it's follow up Peninsula.  The Walking Dead has ruined the sub-genre for me but watching Train and it's sequel made me want some more.  #Alive really filled that void that I was looking for.  It was a great zombie flick that I seriously hope gets a physical release later.  The acting in this one is solid.  The roles are almost personal due to how the film was shot.  The cast is isolated and has to carry the scene by themselves for most of the film.  They do a fantastic job while creating character identity and emotion.  The story for this one is nothing we haven't seen before but incorporating the modern touches does make a little more appealing to a different demographic.  Having a video game streamer isolated and fighting to survive is, honestly, a brilliant and simple addition to a sub-genre that is so oversaturated that it's damn near impossible to find something unique.  Though the scenes mostly revolve around one person it does a great job at holding your attention and not feel boring.  Finally, the film is full of impressive make-up effects and plenty of blood.  The zombies look great and leave a lasting impression while the blood and carnage needs to be seen to truly appreciate.  Overall, #Alive is a fantastic horror film.  If you have Netflix I highly suggest you give this one a go.  You will not regret it.  

Cult Girls

Director - Mark Bakaitis (The Hellfire Club Melbourne, Narcosys)

Starring - Saara Lamberg (An Audience with the Devil, Horror!), Jane Badler (V, Offspring), and Dean Kirkright (Charlie's Farm, Blood Hunt)

Release Date - 2019

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Sleepwalk children, into the valley of death"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     This October has been a little bit of a let down.  Some of the movies I've looked forward to watching the most has been huge let downs.  I wanted to like so many of these movies sent my way for review but I can't like them all.  A few weeks ago my friends at Umbrella Entertainment sent me over the films The Last Wave and Cult Girls to review.  The Last Wave was a very entertaining thriller that was not what I was expecting.  I was very much looking forward to Cult Girls but I found myself not enjoying it like I had hopes. I still want to thank Umbrella for sending it my way!

     The film follows a young girl who is part of a cult.  She is rescued by police one day but her family is able to escape with other members of the cult.  Sometime goes by and she is unable to find her family but news of a hermit that is a local legend among the metal scene has insight into the cult setting her on a quest to find him and eventually her family.  

      I was so excited for this one.  I had been looking forward to checking it out all month but the movie was just a mess in my opinion.  It didn't know what kind of movie it wanted to be which created a somewhat confusing viewing experience.  Honestly, I feel like this is the low point of the month.  The acting in this one is decent at times and at others it comes across as rushed and not in character.  A few of the scenes are very well acted and the characters are very well written.  Sadly, most of the film just feels like the cast is saying their dialogue so they can push it through to the next scene.  The story for this one looks great on paper but the execution is extremely messy and unorganized.  The movie moves at a snail's pace and the character's dialogue is painful to sit through.  Finally, if you want a bloody flick this Halloween season then this one is not the one for you.  The movie relies heavily on the cult and imagery, which is succeeds with, but doesn't offer up much in the way of the red stuff.  Overall, Cult Girls has some beautiful imagery and cinematography but is struggles in every other aspect.  Skip it.  

The Last Wave

Director - Peter Weir (The Truman Show, Dead Poets Society)

Starring - Richard Chamberlain (The Towering Inferno, Nightmare Cinema), Olivia Hamnett (Return to Eden, The Ripper), and David Gulpilil (Crocodile Dundee, Mad Dog Morgan)

Release Date - 1977

Genre - Crime/Thriller

Tagline - "Hasn't the weather been strange...it could be a warning?

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Halloween is fast approaching and my month long horror/Halloween binge is going smoothly.  I've watched some great horror flicks, as well as, a few Halloween themed movies that satisfied.  Sadly, I've also seen a lot of duds over the month.  A few weeks ago my friends over at Umbrella Entertainment in Australia sent over a couple movies for me to check out.  The first I put on the chopping block is the 1977 thriller The Last Wave that was just released on blu.  Thanks Umbrella for sending it my way.

    The film follows a lawyer who was tasked with defending five aboriginals who are accused of murdering one of their own.  However, something else is at play here when freak storms and rumors of a long forgotten tribe start to take hold.  Did these five men murder the man and are they connected to his long forgotten dreams he had when he was younger?

     I knew this one wasn't a horror flick when I tossed it in but hearing that it was a thriller with a supernatural like twist I decided it would fit in nicely for this Halloween season.  It was a fun murder mystery with some great atmosphere.  It was well worth my time.  The acting in this one is absolutely insane at how good it is.  Chamberlin and Gulpilil are fantastic in their roles.  I almost feel bad for Gulpilil for being typecast as aboriginals but it does make sense.  He's an amazing actor and his performances never fail to entertain.  The supporting cast was just as entertaining and all the characters moved the story along as they should.  The story, at it's heart, is a murder mystery that is centered around ancient aboriginal tribes that are linked to dreams the lawyer had as a child.  The freak weather and supernatural atmosphere only adds to the overall story element.  With that being said, a lot of the scenes have additional segments that seem to draw out.  They are rather boring and stretches the film out longer than it needs to be.  Finally, those of you wanting blood and gore will surely be disappointed.  The film is very story and character driven and not one that focuses on bloodshed like most modern horror tales.  Overall, The Last Wave is not something you would to typically spin during October but if you are looking for something with some seriously dark atmosphere and a very rich story I highly recommend picking this one up.  The blu looks great and leagues better than the trailers I have found on YouTube.  It's a very nice release and fans of thrillers will really enjoy this one.  

The Amityville Harvest

Director - Thomas J. Churchill (Check Point, Lazarus: Apocalypse)

Starring - Yan Birch (The People Under the Stairs, Death House), Keavy Bradley (Xenophobia, The Shadow Behind You), and Ashley Cacho (Mystic Being, Go Faith Yourself)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "They're in his house, but he's in their heads"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     October is for cheap horror movies and even cheaper beer for many genre fans.  I, somewhat, feel that way.  I love cheap, no-budget horror flicks but I watch those all year round.  When October hits I really want to dive into films centered around Halloween.  Sadly, this year doesn't look like that's going to be a thing.  Instead, with production companies taking time off for Covid we find some indie productions hitting store shelves.  Smaller crews, most of which are close friends and family, are still working during this time and distribution companies are snagging these flicks up to put on store shelves.  I recently received The Amityville Harvest in for review.  I knew nothing about it but I'm always open to new horror flick.  I want to thank Lionsgate for sending this one over.  

     The film follows a small film crew who travels to an old family owned funeral home that had been in the family for decades.  This straight forward shoot starts out weird when one of the crew goes missing and then they struggle with getting the owner Vincent (Kyle Lowder) on camera or mic.  His family's dark history soon reveals itself and everyone discovers what he really is.

     I'll be completely honest here.  I wanted to like this movie.  I really did.  There was so many things in the story that I liked that was pretty clever and unique but these little nuggets were spread over a a shitty movie.  These aspects were literally the peanuts in the turd.  I wanted to like it but I can't, in good conscience, write a positive review for this film.  It was bad.  The acting in this one is so uneven that I thought it was a joke at first.  Kyle Lowder delivers one of the most impressive performances I've seen in an indie production.  His portrayal of Vincent, the centuries old vampire and mortician, literally made my skin crawl.  It is a true travesty that this character and performance was in this film and not something of better quality.  I also enjoyed Sadie Katz performance.  She wasn't on Lowder's level but she still delivered a well grounded and genuine performance.  Sadly, the remainder of the cast was a little awkward at times and not as fun to watch.  The story for this one had a lot of ups...and a lot of downs.  I really loved the funeral home angle with the elaborate back story that tied it in nicely as a vampire tale.  Sadly, there was several moments scattered throughout that just didn't work.  The civil war zombie/ghosts angle was brief but slightly confusing.  Also, some of the scenes have absolutely nothing to do with the story.  Characters just walk into a room to talk and then we move on.  It's clear they are there to fluff the film's running time but they drag the pacing of the film down greatly.  Finally, the film has some bloody moments.  Some of the scenes rely heavily on visual effects but we do get a few practical gags along with some solid practical make-up effects.  Overall, The Amityville Harvest feels like a rushed and chaotic mess that, honestly, had a solid story if it was to be fully explored.  This is a movie that the team really needs to take another crack at later.  Sadly, this one needs to be skipped.  

The Haunting

Director - Jan de Bont (Speed, Twister)

Starring - Liam Neeson (Taken, Clash of the Titans), Catherine Zeta-Jones (The Phantom, Titanic), and Lili Taylor (The Conjuring, Hemlock Grove)

Release Date - 1999

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Some houses are born bad"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     The late 90s and early 00s was the years I was really coming into my own in respect to the type of horror flicks I enjoy.  These were the years that I was introduced to Idle Hands, Thir13en Ghosts, Bones, and a few more that I would constantly watch.  I had been renting Full Moon and Troma flicks for years by this point as well so a lot of the bigger budget horror thrillers didn't look that appealing to me.  In 1999 The Haunting received a remake starring Liam Neeson from Twister and Speed director Jan de Bont.  I remember when this film was originally released and I didn't want to check it out.  Honestly, it looked like it was going to be a big budget snoozefest.  When I recieved the press release for the blu I was going to skip on reviewing it but a close friend told me to give it a shot.  I was reluctant because we have very different tastes in horror but I caved in.  Wish I wouldn't have.

     The film follows three insomniacs who are invited to an old mansion for a study.  Their doctor invites them under false pretenses.  He has them believing they are there to be treated but the doctor really wants to experiment on them with fear.  A simple excersice in fear turns deadly when the mansion they are in becomes alive and something sinister living in the walls reveals itself.

     A lot of the horror crowd praises 1999's The Haunting for its atmosphere and tension but I fail to see what they are referring to.  The movie has a decent enough story going for it but when it was all said and done I found myself drifting off to sleep.  I'm going to assume that this one is a tough one to watch and not that I've been over doing it on horror lately.  The acting in this one is a little underwhelming.  This is an all star cast and the characters and performances we get are rather bland.  The characters are so forgettable and in some of the scenes they feel as if they are just there to collect a pay check instead of delivering great performances.  The story for this one has so much potential.  Having insomniacs pushed to the limits and then put through a horrifying trial only to be surprised by a real life haunting could have worked.  However, the predictable haunting and drawn out scenes made this one a bit of a chore to finish.  In fact, the second this flick was over I went ahead and went to bed.  I couldn't stay awake.  Finally, this is not a bloody flick but if you want some of the most laughable CGI and a house coming to life then this film is everything you've ever wanted.  Overall, The Haunting was a huge disappointment.  The movie had a solid plot but the execution, acting, and overdramatic scenes made it miss it's mark.  The horrible CGI is made even more laughable by the remastered release.  The blu looks good and I absolutely adore the sleeve but the movie itself was not that good.   

Drop Dead Gorgeous

Director - Michael Patrick Jann (Daybreak, Reno 911!)

Starring - Kirsten Dunst (Interview with a Vampire, Spider-Man), Ellen Barkin (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Faerie Tale Theatre), and Allison Janney (The Addams Family, Ma)

Release Date - 1999

Genre - Comedy

Tagline - "The battle between the good and the bad is about to get ugly"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in high school I remember seeing the 1999 mockumentary Drop Dead Gorgeous at the local video store but I never had the desire to watch it.  Some of my movie friends talked about how funny it was but, honestly, the idea of watching a comedy about a beauty pageant really didn't sound like something I would enjoy.  Fast forward about 15 or so years and I've discovered that I love a lot of these quirky 90s comedies that time has seemed to forgot.  When I received a review silicit for the blu release of Drop Dead Gorgeous I decided to finally pull the trigger on it.  I requested a copy and WB was kind enough to send one my way.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a small town that is gearing up for a beauty pageant while a documentary film crew films everything.  The crew films the judges, contestants, and those responsible for the pageant as strange things happen like the death of the all-star female who was everyone's choice to win, to the deaths of others involved.

     When I made a post about watching this film for the first time on Facebook I had several friends comment on the post talking about how awesome the movie was.  This made me really excited to finally check it out but I was quick to see that the movie was not nearly as funny as everyone lead me to believe.  The film did have a few laughs and fun characters but I found myself becoming bored with it fairly early on.  It was fun but I don't want to ever watch it again.  The acting in this one is great.  The entire cast is fantastic and the characters really do make the film.  Most mockumentaries fail to give viewers entertaining characters but this cast does a phenomenal job.  The story for this one is simple, straight forward, and grounded but it is also boring at times and very, very predictable.  The characters do their best to hold your attention but the scenes become very dry and super boring.  The simple story would work if there was a little more going on in each scene rather than the purposely and brilliantly done awkward interviews.  Finally, the film is not one for those of you looking for blood and gore.  There is a gag with some make-up effects that was rather impressive but no bloodshed for you sick fucks.  Overall, Drop Dead Gorgeous has some funny moments and is overflowing with memorable characters but the scenes are so dull at times that you will feel yourself drifting away from the movie.  The blu looks great but the lack of supplemental material will not make it a must own for avid fans.