Plank Face

 



Director - Scott Schirmer (Found, The Bad Man)
Starring - Nathan Barrett (The Flash, Supernatural), Brigid Macaulay (Headless, Psycho Street), Alyss Winkler (Space Babes from Outer Space, Slaughterhouse Slumber Party)
Release Date - 2016
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Freedom is wild"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

 

 

     I collect movies.  I've done so for well over 25 years.  I was a kid when I started my movie collection when I would grab random movies at Walmart, K-Mart, and other places.  I would grab random movies like Air Bud, Space Jam, Conan the Barbarian, Jason Goes to Hell, and so on.  When Goosebumps was being released on VHS my focus from movies to horror began and soon I was all over horror VHS.  I pretty much collect all horror and over the years I've collected several movies from Scott Schirmer, Brian Williams, and Ellie Church but I never got around to watching them.  That changed recently when I decided to take the time to work through some of my collection.  After watching Harvest Lake I decided to toss in another 2016 horror flick. This time Plank Face was up and I have to say that I enjoyed it a little more than I did Harvest Lake. 

     The film follows Max (Barrett) and his girlfriend Stacey (Ellie Church) who are camping in the woods when Stacey is attacked and raped by a man.  Max is knocked unconscious and awakens in a cabin hidden deep in the woods.  The cabin is home to an older man that is dying, his wife, and two younger women.  He is chained and one of his feet is nailed to the floor to prevent him from escaping.  He is force fed the old man's testicles when he dies and is forced to have sex with the two young women.  The three try to break him down to make him one of their own and over time they succeed.  They test his dedication to his new family by bringing him Stacey and an ax.  He must choose between them or his beloved.

     Plank Face is a bit of a slow moving horror drama that I actually enjoyed.  I wasn't sure I was going to like it but this one was actually very entertaining and I can see myself giving this one another spin in the distant future.  The acting in this one is fucking great.  The roles are very demanding and the cast absolutely delivered with their performances.  Nathan Barrett was fantastic as Max/Plank Face.  His character has to undergo so many changes emotionally that his role had to be draining but he does a fantastic job.  The supporting cast is fantastic as well.  Brigid Macaulay and Alyss Winkler also have very demanding roles and they killed it.  This is the first film that I have seen of Alyss Winkler and I have to say that I am becoming a fan.  These two young ladies had to bring feral characters to life while presenting themselves in a sexual manner at times.  They both did fantastic jobs and their scenes were highly entertaining.  The story for this one is not a slasher like the name suggests.  Most horror fans would hear the name Plank Face and see the artwork where the lead is wearing a mask and assume it was a slasher.  Plank Face is anything but a slasher.  At least 90% of the film flows like a dark drama where Max is broken down until he submits to the family.  The scenes are rather drawn out and slow but you are fascinated by where the story is going so you don't mind the slow pacing.  The brutal sex scenes and the gruesome deaths are entertaining but the real focus is how Max adapts to his new life and what he would do if presented with a chance to leave.  Finally, does not shy away from blood but the film does not focus much on the carnage itself.  The effects we do get are great but they are easily forgettable especially when the viewer starts focusing more on what is going on in the scene and not just the blood.  Overall, Plank Face was not the film I was expecting but god damn was it fun.  If you have not checked this one out then I highly suggest you do so.  



Harvest Lake

 



Director - Scott Schirmer (Found, Plank Face)
Starring - Jason Crowe (Cannibal Cop, Volumes of Blood), Ellie Church (Headless, Amazon Hot Box), and Dan Nye (Bong of the Living Dead, The Legend of Wasco)
Release Date - 2016
Genre - Horror/Fantasy
Tagline - "Become one with nature"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

 

 

     I get a lot of movies in for review but there is so many more that I buy for my collection but never get the time to watch for fun.  I remember several years ago people in the horror groups were raving about the horror film Found.  It looked interesting so I grabbed it when I saw it on the shelf at Walmart.  I never found the time to watch it until Forbidden Films did a follow up spin off in the film Headless.  I was asked to review it by someone attached to the film and I agreed.  I tossed in Found and quickly realized that it was not a film for me.  Headless, however, is one of my favorite horror films of the last 10 years.  It was so much fucking fun.  I started collecting the Forbidden Films, Bandit Motion Pictures/Mostly Harmless Pictures, and any other film company that Brian Williams and Ellie Church is associated with.  I've collected several of these films over the years and decided it was time to finally work through them.  The first film on the chopping block is the 2016 erotic dark fantasy film Harvest Lake directed by Scott Schirmer who also directed Found.  

     The film follows four twenty-somethings who go out to a cabin hidden deep in the woods for a weekend birthday getaway.  They meet a hitchhiker when they arrive and invite him for the party they are having that evening.  Their seemingly harmless weekend of swimming, relaxing, sex, and mild drug use takes an unexpected turn when something lurking in the woods infects them with a strange substance that turns gives them an insatiable appetite for sex. 

     Harvest Lake, like most of the other Forbidden Films and Bandit Motion Pictures/Mostly Harmless Pictures, is one I had heard a lot about from the horror community.  People were praising the film for it's sexuality and eroticism while giving fans a story that is a little different.  I liked the film but I'm wondering if I watched the same movie that everyone else watched.  The movie I tossed in was Cabin Fever with lots of dry humping and Lovecraftian lore.  Don't get me wrong, I truly enjoyed the film but the film is not as erotic or different as I was lead to believe.  The acting in this one is great.  I'm a fan of Jason Crowe and he never disappoints.  He always gives his role everything he has and Harvest Lake is no exception.  He was great and his scenes really stand out.  I also enjoyed the rest of the cast.  Ellie Church has a knack for bringing to life strange and unusual characters so it was different seeing her take on a more serious role.  With that being said, Tristan Risk just wasn't doing it for me.  The characters she portrays is always the same with little changes done to the personality.  She's not a bad actress but she rarely steps out of her lane so to speak to give viewers something different.  The story for this one was not what I was expecting.  Fans went on and on about how sexual and sensual this film was but this film has just as many sexy scenes with nudity as your typical slasher.  This may be because I'm desensitized to nudity from years of watching sexploitation and sleaze but the movie just wasn't what I was told by horror friends.  Sure, the story is centered more around these scenes so they are more relevant but nothing horror fans have never seen before.  Also, the story put me in mind of Cabin Fever but with a sexual twist.  Finally, this is not a bloody or gory flick.  In fact, you can argue it's horror but in reality its a dark fantasy film.  The effects we get are great and I loved the creature design but those looking for a bloody film will be disappointed.  Overall, Harvest Lake was highly entertaining.  It has a great cast and the story definitely has some fun moments but I don't see myself revisiting this one any time soon.  Check it out. 



Invaluable

 



Director - Ryan Meade (Bong Fly, Cosmos Locos)
Starring - Tom Sullivan (The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II), Betsy Baker (The Evil Dead, Witches' Night), and Josh Becker (Army of Darkness, Evil Dead II)
Release Date - 2014
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "The true story of an epic artist"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

 

 

     When I was a kid, around 5 or 6, my mother forced me to watch movies.  She was mentally ill and a few years later should would walk out of our home in the early morning hours leaving my sister and I there alone.  She attached herself to religion like most with mental health issues and forced my sister and I to watch certain movies over and over again.  Two of those movies were Gold Told Me To and Evil Dead II.  I have no idea why we were forced to watch these movies but she would constantly play these two tapes over and over again.  By the time I was a teenager I had seen the film several hundred times and could watch it 100 more just like it was my first time.  Several years back director Ryan Meade worked with effects artist Tom Sullivan on a documentary about his involvement with Sam Raimi and the first two Evil Dead films.  Invaluable is one I had been meaning to grab for sometimes and I recently was able to grab a copy to add to my collection.  Glad I did because it was a very enjoyable documentary. 

     The documentary focuses on the life and work of effects artist Tom Sullivan.  Sullivan showed an interest in stop motion and sculpting at an early age.  This stuck with him and while attending college he became friends with Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, Bruce Campbell, and several others.  It was then that Tom got involved in doing effects and artwork for Sam and other local directors before they moved on to The Evil Dead and Evil Dead II.  We also get a closer look at Sullivan's home life and how working on these iconic films strained his relationship with his wife who then passed away. 

     I've been a huge fan of Raimi's Evil Dead Trilogy for as long as I remember.  I grew up living on Evil Dead II regardless if it was a forced watch or not.  I watch all three films several times a year and now Ash vs. Evil Dead is something I often revisit when I finish the show.  Everyone gives credit to Raimi, Campbell, and the rest of the cast for giving the world these amazing films but it's Sullivan's hand and skill that makes the movies so fucking enjoyable.  This documentary was a long time coming and very deserving.  The interviews in this one are great and highly informative but we seem to be seeing things one sided.  We have Sullivan going through his life and career in great detail but then we jump to others that have worked with him for short spurts of their interview but not all of them are able to deliver an interview that in depth.  Some are at conventions or festivals and are quickly answering questions in between greeting fans.  It's great that we are getting all this camera time with Sullivan but it would be more beneficial to have these individuals confirming all these aspects of Sullivan's life.  With that being said, I fucking love all the little stories and behind the scene scenarios that Sullivan was giving viewers.  I've met him several times at Cinema Wasteland and he is such a kind soul so hearing his stories on the screen only adds to my admiration.  The documentary approaches each topic chronologically.  We move year after year through his life which really makes it easier for the viewer to enjoy that way.  We learn so much about Sullivan that we would never know from just watching the small featurettes that typically accompany the film on the special features.  Finally, this one is edited together very nicely.  We get smooth transitions between topics and the addition of archival interviews, videos, and unreleased videos makes it a very informative and fun watch.  Overall, Invaluable is a must for any Evil Dead fan.  The movie doesn't focus on the effects and how he did it but so on the man that rarely gets the credit he truly deserves.  This one is a must see for any horror fan.  Check it out.  

 



Twelve Pole Manor

Director - Sam Hodge (Glam, Nocturnus)
Starring - Joshua Adkins (Nocturnus), Hannah Ruth Boyles, and Travis Robinson (Glam, Nocturnus)
Release Date - 2017
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "The house that never sleeps"
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I always find it impressive when I discover a filmmaker from within my home state.  It is difficult to do anything artistic in this great state unless you count skipping on your responsibilities and chasing highs as art.  I grew up in the poorest county in the state, McDowell, which is also considered the poorest county in the country.  Once I moved further up state I realized that the state is not filled with addicts that would rather steal from you than help you.  The state is actually home to so many talented individuals just looking for mediums to express themselves.  Last year I befriended West Virginia filmmaker Sam Hodge who had wrapped his first feature film Twelve Pole and was working on his new short.  I was trying to do an indie horror event with a local theater and partnered with him and another WV filmmaker for a double feature of their films.  I really wanted to check out his film but I couldn't make the event and then became so bogged down with reviews that I couldn't find the time.  That changed when my friends over at Wild Eye released the movie on DVD under the title Twelve Pole Manor.  Now I could finally check out Sam and crews' hard work.  Thank you Wild Eye for sending this one my way.

     The film follows a group of men who purchase an old house in hopes of doing some minor repairs and flipping it.  One of the men and his girlfriend decide to stay in the home one weekend before the repairs begin but some thing strange happens.  His girlfriend becomes panicked and leaves him there alone.  When his friends arrive after the weekend they discover him completely out of character and short tempered.  They suspect his attitude has something to do with his girlfriend leaving him and proceed to work on the home.  Things take a dark turn at that point when another one of them becomes easily angered and this time he takes his anger out of his friends using any weapon he can find to inflict pain. 

     I'll be completely honest here.  I was looking forward to checking this one out and the film did not disappoint.  The movie was just as dark and gory as I was hoping but that doesn't make this one perfect.  It did have some flaws and room for Sam to grow as a director.  The acting in this one is hit or miss.  I really enjoyed Joshua Adkins as the lead.  He does a fantastic job in his role and gives it everything he has.  I also enjoyed Travis Robinson's performance.  I'm sure he is a nice man to be around but he has the look and mannerisms to really pull off the killer in the film.  I could see this guy taking on a more serious role as a serial killer or slasher and absolutely killing it.  Director Sam Hodge has a role in the film as well.  He does a solid job in his role but his character is so flat and generic that he doesn't really stand out like the others.  The rest of the cast does a decent job as well but they do show their inexperience.  The story for this one immediately reminded me a lot of The Amityville Horror which both focus on couples in a haunted house suffering from nightmares and the other one acting out of character or possessed in a sense.  The comparisons don't end there but those are the biggest two.  With that being said, this film is way more violent than I was really expecting.  The brutality is not spaced throughout the film which would have helped with the pacing.  Instead, we get all the carnage on the last leg of the film.  My biggest complaint with the film is the dialogue heavy scenes scattered throughout the film.  I like horror films that take the time to develop characters and provide back stories but Twelve Pole has several scenes that is dialogue rich that offer very little for the story.  They are basically filler to stretch out the film's running time.  Twelve Pole would be hard to beat if this was trimmed down and the murder was evenly spaced throughout the film.  Finally, this film has several death scenes that make use of some great practical effects.  We get some great gore and a lot of fucking blood.  In fact, we get way more blood than I was expecting.  The kills don't offer up anything new or anything we haven't seen before.  However, what we do get is unforgettable.  Overall, Twelve Pole Manor starts off rather slow but kicks like a 12-gauge once we hit the last portion of the film.  You come for the supernatural horror film and stay for the gore.  This is one I highly recommend you check out because you will not be disappointed.  

 



Savage Harbor

 



Director - Carl Monson (A Scream in the Streets, Please Don't Eat My Mother!)
Starring - Frank Stallone (Rocky, Death Blow: A Cry for Justice), Christopher Mitchum (Tombstone, Summertime Killer), and Karen Mayo-Chandler (Explorers, Beverly Hills Cop)
Release Date - 1987
Genre - Action/Crime
Tagline - "Alone they're dangerous, together they're a nightmare"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     No one can question my love for horror.  I love the genre and I've dedicated so much of my time to the genre.  Nine out of every ten movies I watch are horror.  However, horror is not why I started writing reviews.  I wanted to review old action and exploitation films that people have forgotten or was released in obscurity.  That is why I love Vinegar Syndrome so fucking much.  They don't re-release well known horror films.  Instead, they focus on fringe horror films along with exploitation and action flicks.  Recently, they announced a new series of releases under Vinegar Syndrome Archive series.  Their first two releases was the 1977 horror film Evil Town and the 1987 action flick Savage Harbor aka Death Feud.  After watching Evil Town it only made sense to dive on into Savage Harbor.  Thank you Vin Syn for sending this one my way!
     The film follows two fisherman who return to port after spending six months at sea.  Joe (Stallone) is just looking to relax while Chris (Mitchum) is looking for some strange.  Joe meets a young woman who is a recovering addict that has deep ties to a local crime boss.  The two hit it off and become engaged before Joe and Chris return to sea for several more months.  In the mean time, the crime boss has kidnapped Joe's fiancé and forces her back on drugs and prostitution.  When Joe returns to port he begins searching for her which prompts her pimp of a boss to hire a hitman to kill her and make it look an accident.  Joe finally finds her but the timing is too late and she is run down by the hitman in a semi.  Joe, now heartbroken, enlists the help of Chris to bring the crime boss down for taking away his love.

     My favorite action films can be compared to my favorite horror films.  I tend to love the cheesier of the genres with characters that are usually clichés for the genre.  Savage Harbor was everything I enjoy about 80s action flicks and I had a lot of fun with it.  The acting in this one was fun at times and funny at others.  Frank Stallone's character had me in stitches.  He is so uptight and stiff that it was extremely difficult to take him seriously.  He's trying so hard to be a hard ass that it comes off as a parody of late 80s action films rather than an authentic late 80s action film.  I'm glad he was offered this role because the film wouldn't be as fun without him.  Also, I really liked Christopher Mitchum's performance.  His character was great and he did an amazing job making the audience love him.  I actually preferred his character over Stallone's.  The supporting cast is solid as well.  Some were scene stealers but overall they worked out very well.  The story for this one feels like it was written as a romantic drama before it was scraped for an action film.  A seaman meeting a young woman with a troubled past and the two fall in love.  He works with her and makes her life better only for it to be turned upside again.  This is something that would make a solid romantic drama.  At least, that's how it looks to me and then we add the kidnapping portion and the Stallone antics and we have an unforgettable action film.  I honestly think this was written as one style of film before Stallone was attached and the studio wanted to cash in on his relation to Rambo.  It works though because I had a lot of fun with it.  The pacing does slow down a bit in some of the scene but if you stick with it you will find yourself enjoying it.  Finally, the film does not shy away from gun shot wounds but that is the extent of it.  We get a little blood and some realistic gun shot wounds but that's it.  Overall, Savage Harbor is an underrated 80s action flick that has some unintentionally funny moments with a great cast and a smooth story.  Check it out now on blu from Vinegar Syndrome. 

 



Evil Town

 



Director(s) - Curtis Hanson (8 Mile, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle), Larry Spiegel (Spree), and Peter S. Traynor (Death Game)
Starring - James Keach (National Lampoon's Vacation, Walk the Line), Dean Jagger (Game of Death, Shaft), and Robert Walker Jr. (Easy Rider, Star Trek)
Release Date - 1977
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "The place where terror dwells"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

 

 

     Vinegar Syndrome is a company that continues to deliver on obscure and unique films from the 70s, 80s, and early 90s.  Every month they release 4 or so movies and most are those are movies I have never heard of before.  When they do release a movie I had heard about before it is still something I had never seen due to it's obscurity.  A few months back Vin Syn announced a new line of films under their new Vinegar Syndrome Archive collection that will find their way into brick and mortar stores.  The first two films released as part of their VSA run is the 1977 horror film Evil Town and the 1987 action film Savage Harbor.  Evil Town is one that I had heard about but never actually seen.  Thank you Vin Syn for sending this one my way to check out.

       The film follows a small town that is occupied by elderly residents that kidnap young tourists that visit them to take to the local hospital.  The doctor there then extracts a liquid from their brains in hopes of achieving immortality.  In doing so he leaves his victims as mindless zombies that he locks away in the hospitals basement.  Stuck in the middle of this evil town is two couples who are having van troubles and are now forced to run for their very lives.

     About eight years ago I was very active in the Upcoming Horror Movies' message board when someone shared the poster for this film.  It was the artwork that featured the evil doctor holding his syringe while holding the woman.  I actually liked the image but as soon as I voiced my opinion on the poster I was hit with keyboard warriors who decided that because I thought the poster was cool that I had bad taste in movies.  If those fucks only knew.  Evil Town is a movie that I assumed was bad from how people talked about it in horror groups but I actually enjoyed it.  I can see why it gets hate but I honestly liked it and can see myself tossing it in again for a late night viewing.  The acting in this one is solid for the most part.  I actually enjoyed the entire cast with the exception of Dean Jagger.  The cast works great together and I liked the drive-in era characters that are generic but fit the story very well.  Sadly, Dean Jagger just seems so confused the entire time.  He has the passion behind his delivery but he just seems off the entire time.  The story for this one is the culmination of three different movies I believe that was edited into one.  It does seem a little jumbled at times but is still a fun watch.  The movie slows down at times but the story still holds your attention.  I can see myself checking it out again as a double feature with Nightbeast.  Finally, this is not a bloody one.  For a movie titled Evil Town you don't get a lot of evilness or blood.  We get some practical effects but nothing that really stands out for most horror fans.  Overall, Evil Town may not feel like a complete film but it is still fun for a late night watch.  Flaws aside, I really enjoyed it and recommend grabbing a copy on blu from Vinegar Syndrome.  





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.