Deadlock

Director - Roland Klick (Supermarket, Dear Fatherland Be at Peace)

Starring - Mario Adorf (The Devil Strikes at Night, Devil's Paradise), Marquard Bohm (Satan's Brew, Spider's Web), and Anthony Dawson (Dial "M" for Murder, Dr. No)

Release Date - 1970

Genre - Western

Format - UHD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Vinegar Syndrome has brought so many films to my attention that I had never heard before through their exploitation, horror, and sci-fi releases.  This is a company that I quickly fell in love with and eagerly await their monthly releases like a child waiting for their parents to return home from work.  Not only have they turned me on to hundreds of movies I had never heard of before but now they are bringing even more entertainment our way with their partner labels.  Sometime back Vin Syn posted the pre-order for the UHD release of the 1970 German western Deadlock from their new partner label Subkulture USA.  I had never heard of the film nor the company before but if Vin Syn has a hand in it then you can bet your ass I'm going to check it out.  Once I found a small window of opportunity in my work schedule I worked it some time to check it out.

     The film follows a man who finds another man wounded and towing behind a suitcase filled with cash.  He leaves the man to die in the desert with a bullet hole in his arm but he doesn't.  He follows the man home to retrieve his suitcase.  Eventually the two bounce back and forth as they fight over the cash but a third man arrives which completely changes everything.

     Honestly, I didn't know what to expect from Deadlock but I was giving it a chance considering Vin Syn was attaching themselves to it.  The movie was not a disappoint.  A little long winded and repetitive but I still enjoyed it.  The acting in this one is pretty well done.  The cast is relatively small and relied heavily on the three lead's and the way they interact with one another.  The characters are pretty generic for a western especially by the early 70s but the cast sticks with it resulting in some fun performances.   The story for this one is straight forward and plays heavily on the spaghetti westerns from the 60s.  We get some moments of action, drawn out scenes, and story progression.  With that being said, it does repeat itself several times without giving the viewer something new to grab on to.  Also, the movie does drag on at times which will try your patience.  Some of the scenes could have been trimmed down a good bit to help with pacing.  Finally, the film has blood but don't expect a gorefest.  It's focus is on story and character development over blood and gore.  Overall, Deadlock is a fantastic first time watch that I enjoyed.  It's not perfect and some may say it's better than it actually is but I enjoyed it.  I recommend snagging a copy and checking it out for yourself.  

The Power

Director - Corinna Faith (Nature, The Beast)

Starring - Mark Smith (Burke and Hare, Wild Child), Marley Chesham, and Rose Williams (Reign, Curfew)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Fear the darkness within"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Shudder just keeps giving horror fans exactly what they want.  After joining Shudder's streaming service earlier in the year I've found myself getting excited for their releases through RLJE Films.  Some are duds but a good majority of them have been absolutely phenomenal.  Sometime back Shudder released The Power on their streaming platform and many genre fans were praising it on social media.  I never did get around to checking it out but when RLJE sent over the DVD for me to review I couldn't wait to check it out.  It's not often that I look forward to spinning a film that most people enjoy but the trailer and artwork really caught my interest.  I want to thank RLJE for sending this one over!

     The film follows a young nurse who wants to dedicate her time at the local hospital in hopes of finding some sort of family that she never had growing up as an orphan.  However, what she soon discovers is that the hospital is harboring a dark secret that can be traced back to the administration.  Soon she is fighting for her life while a dark presence reveals itself to her while it seeks revenge.  

     I was really digging the artwork and trailer for The Power but I didn't expect this film to have the choking atmosphere and classic horror tension like it did.  This film is marvelous on many different levels and I can't wait for my next visit.  Stop reading this review right now and head to Shudder where you can check it out.  The acting in this is great.  Rose Williams makes the film and she goes all in for her performance.  She has several intense scenes where she fully dedicates herself to the performance.  I was extremely impressed by how far she was willing go which adds another chilling aspect to an already terrifying film.  The supporting cast only adds to this stellar performance.  The story for this one is something we haven't necessarily seen before but the incredible atmosphere and tension, mixed with the amazing cast, comes together to create something that is not only an import film but an import modern genre film that must be seen.  The film has perfect pacing, smooth dialogue, and the tension comes to a boil damn near perfectly.  I really enjoyed how this one was written and the twist was not expected.  Finally, the film has some pretty fun practical effects with some blood.  It's not the most gruesome scenes I had scene but they were still enjoyable.  Also, the film has some pretty impressive visual effects as well.  Overall, The Power is a must see for horror fans regardless of your favorite sub-genre.  It was a lot of fun and I know most of you will enjoy it as well.  Check it out.  

The Demon Inside

Director - Joey Moran (Pals, The Z Virus)

Starring - Joseph Rene (Dead of Night, Between Hell and a Heartbeat), Madeline Thelton (Big Bad, Furious in Alabama), and Chloe Lee (The Secret: Dare to Dream, Minari)

Release Date - 2017

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "His sins brought the demon to life.  Now it wants his daughter"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I hate how horror fans never give indie productions the same attention they do bigger releases.  Don't get me wrong, I love a good popcorn horror flick but indie productions tend to have more heart and originality.  Sure, they may pay tribute to other films that inspire them but they typically take an idea and make it their own.  A few days ago I was contacted to review the 2017 horror release The Demon Inside which was streaming for free on Tubi.  I had never heard of this one and was really looking forward to checking it out.  

     The film follows ex-con Sam (Rene) who lives with his wife and daughter but one day their life is tossed upside down when they discover that something sinister has taken residence in their home. Not knowing what to do next they turn to reality television show Ghost Killers for answers but soon realize that their evil presence is actually a demon and not a ghost.  Soon blood begins to flow leaving Sam to face his own demons before his family is ripped apart.  

     The Demon Inside caught my eye with the poster.  The title is a little lame and I don't mean to be so rude about it but as someone that has spent most of his life searching for horror releases I can safely say that this title is one I would skip on title alone.  The artwork really pulled me and the movie didn't disappointment.   The acting in this one is inconsistent.  Some of the cast delivers a more grounded performance that fit the style of the film but some of the other performances felt a little flat and almost lazy.  I liked the characters but some of the cast felt like they were there for the experience and not fully dedicated to their roles.  The story for this one is pretty straight forward and simple.  I liked it but there was some aspects that I could have lived without.  I liked the reality show investigating the house and having a lead with a dark past.  However, all the scenes establishing him as a family man over does it. Just one or two scenes to drive the point home would have sufficed but having it take up the first 30 minutes of the film is a bit overkill.  This results in some long, drawn out scenes that really does very little for the actual story.  Some of these scenes could have been trimmed.  Finally, the film has some seriously bloody moments that I was not expecting.  The practical effects looks absolutely phenomenal and the deaths are always unexpected.  They pack a punch and stand out.  Honestly, the effects are my favorite part of the film.  Overall, The Demon Inside doesn't have the most appealing title but the film itself is a must see for genre fans.  I really enjoyed it and if you give it a chance then I'm sure you will too.  Check it out.  

CarousHELL the 2nd

Director - Steve Rudzinski (Red Christmas, A Meowy Halloween)

Starring - Steve Rimpici (Easter Casket, CarousHELL), Aleen Isley (Super Task Force One, Captain Z & The Terror of Leviathan), and Terrence Lee Cover (Feaster Sunday, Guardia de Male 2)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "He'll see you in heil"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener) 

Rating (out of 5):

     A few years ago director Steve Rudzinski released the slasher CarousHELL and it was one of my favorite films of the year.  Hell, it's a movie I still recommend to genre fans to this day.  I love Steve's imagination and the movies he releases always work regardless of what kind of genre he's aiming for.  When Steve announced a sequel I was all about it.  I couldn't wait to see where he was going to take us but when he hit me up to review it you can bet your sweet ass and half a tit that I was ready to dive into it.  Thanks Steve for always supporting Horror Society!

      The film follows Duke the carousel unicorn who is roaming town to town looking for answers when he discovers that he is the father to a little unicorn named Robbie.  The Nazis responsible for his creation hear about Robbie as well and put a plan in motion to kidnap Robbie and use him as bait to capture Duke forcing him to come face to face with the evil forces that created him and others like him.

     CarousHELL is one of Rudzinski's more popular horror titles so there was a lot riding on a follow up.  I have to say that the film was a lot of fun and one I was not expecting.  This was a huge fucking gamble on Rudzinski's part and he did a fantastic job with a story that I believe was penned by actress Aleen Isley.  The acting in this one is great.  The voice acting is top notch.  I love the voice of Duke and how Rimpici was able to deliver such an emotional range by just using his voice.  I couldn't imagine someone else voicing this character.  I also enjoyed seeing Isley as Isla along with Terrence Cover as the love torn nazi.  This is probably my favorite performance from Cover to date.  His "sex" scene had me laughing so hard I thought I was going to pass out. (look, I didn't forgot you this time!).  The characters are a lot more memorable and the cast does a fantastic job bringing them to life.  The story for this one does dive deeper into the backstory of Duke while bringing us even more characters to enjoy.  I liked the story for what it's worth and how it's so much different than the first film but a little part of me was looking forward to the slasher film I thought I was getting.  Regardless, I liked this new direction it went and look forward to where it is going to take us.  Finally, it wouldn't be a sequel to a killer unicorn film without the unicorn killing people.  The deaths we get look absolutely fantastic with some great practical effects.  The kills do come at the hooves of Duke which adds a little humor to the already impressive effects.  Overall, CarousHELL the 2nd is not the follow up I was expected but holy fuck did I enjoy it.  It was a lot of fun and I found myself laughing at this more than I expected.  Rudzinski is such a versatile filmmaker and I can't wait to see what he brings us next.  

Cruel Summer

Director - Scott Tepperman (Nightblade, Hell's Bells)

Starring - Ashley McCain (Black Creek, Timepiece), Bridget Linda Froemming (Table Dance, So, I Guess I'm a Superhero), and H. Marie 

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Ever have a killer idea?"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Most of you may have noticed how much I love a good slasher.  We get a fun killer, usually masked, with a straight forward story with a small sometimes predictable twist and some blood and boobs.  Slashers are my go to when I'm looking for something to watch when I don't have something on my plate to review.  A few days ago my friend and filmmaker Sean Donohue tagged me on a post from director and actor Scott Tepperman.  Tepperman was looking sites to cover his newest slasher Cruel Summer.  I'm not one to turn down a new slasher so I agreed to check it out.  Thanks Scott for allowing Horror Society and myself the opportunity to check this one out!

     The film follows a group of college friends who plan a murder mystery party at a relatives house as one last get together before they go their separate ways for the summer.  However, their night of booze and pretend murder takes a dark turn when members of their group go missing one by one before they realize they are involved in a real murder mystery. 

     I was born in the mid-80s and grew up in the 90s so a lot of the slashers of my childhood were Scream clones that just didn't do it for me.  As an adult I started to appreciate these types of slashers a little more but I'm still a classic slasher fan.  It's understandable why so many indie filmmakers take on slashers.  It's a simple formula that just requires a cast, a decent location, and blood.  Cruel Summer does a solid enough job at giving the viewers a modern slasher that pays tribute to the golden age of slashers but there is still plenty of room for improvement.  The acting in this one wasn't bad but I found myself just not caring for the characters or their personalities.  What I like about slashers is there is always that one or two characters that stand out.  Sadly, we don't really have that here.  The cast does the best with what they were given but I would have liked to see a little more time spent on character development and characters that actually stood out.  The story for this one does us the standard slasher formula but takes liberties with certain aspects.  The film follows a group of young adults as they are butchered one by one by a masked killer that is eventually revealed that he is killing because he was wronged some years gone by.  This is a staple of my favorite slashers, however, I wasn't a fan of the killer.  The killer was extremely dry and could have remained faceless for most of the movie.  In fact, the movie would have been more effective with he was a true masked killer until the reveal at the end.  Aside from that, we get a lot of dialogue heavy scenes that does very little to progress the story along.  Some of the scenes could be cut to help the flow of the film without compromising the story.  Finally, the kills are what sold me on this one.  These deaths are fucking brutal and make use of some seriously impressive practical effects.  I found myself rewinding several times because I was so fucking impressed by how well they were done.  These deaths are a must see for genre fans and the film's saving grace.  Overall, Cruel Summer is a movie that has some room to grow but the bloodshed we see is something that will stick with you days after watching it.  It's uneven but well worth the time.  Check it out.  

Baby Oopsie

Director - William Butler (The Resonator: Miskatonic U, Power Rangers Wild Force)

Starring - Libbie Higgins (Weedjies: Halloweed Night, Trailerville USA), Justin Armistead (She's the Anchor), and Jill Bartlett (The Intern, Punk'd)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Time to put baby down!"

Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     While the pandemic put a strain on a lot of businesses it especially hit the movie industry the hardest.  Sets, locations, and production houses were forced to shut down and making a film with limited staff, six feet apart, and masked up is damn near impossible.  However, some movies were able to pop up here and there.  A few weeks ago I was shocked when Full Moon announced the release of their newest Demonic Toys' spin off Baby Oopsie from director and actor William Butler.  I was interested in seeing checking it out and a few days back Full Moon sent over a review link to check it out.  Once again, I want to thank Full Moon for hooking me up.  

     The film follows Sybil Pittman (Higgins) who is an avid doll collector with a web-show with a decent following.  She lives with her emotionally abusive mother and one day she receives a strange package with a damaged doll inside.  She is able to restore it and soon adds it to her collection.  However, this is no ordinary doll.  This is Baby Oopsie from the demonic toys murders that took place in the early 90s.  Soon Baby Oopsie is killing everyone that has wronged Sybil and when the bodies pile up she is forced to stop it before innocent lives are claimed.

     Being able to pull off a feature length film during all this mess is very impressive.  It's even more impressive when the film is actually good.  Modern Full Moon flicks could go either way.  They could be funny and clever with some laughs and deaths or they can be extremely flat with humor that doesn't hold up.  With that being said, I fucking loved Baby Oopsie.  It was very enjoyable and a lot more fun than it should have been.  The acting in this one is great.  I absolutely loved the entire cast and the characters they created are anything but generic.  I absolutely loved Higgins as Sybil.  Her awkwardness and comedic delivery made for a really memorable performance.  The same can be said for Armistead's performance.  I loved the unusual casting and the characters they delivered.  The story for this one is a loose sequel to Demonic Toys but it can be enjoyed by genre fans that have yet to see the 1992 Full Moon classic.  It serves as a great new jumping point while giving the fans something new to latch on to.  It does a great job as establishing new characters with the old while giving fans something new to look forward to.  Some of the scenes do drag on a little bit too long but it doesn't take away from the overall film.  Finally, the film makes good use of practical effects and beautiful puppets.  We get some bloody kills that sometimes happen off screen or was only in frame for a quick second but they did deliver some fun practical effects that you would expect from Full Moon.  Overall, Baby Oopsie was a lot of fun and the movie I didn't know I needed.  It was very enjoyable and I look forward to where this story is going to take me next.  

Nightmares

Director - John D. Lamond (Felicity, True Files)

Starring - Jenny Neumann (V, Hell Night), Gary Sweet (Hungry Ghosts, Dust Storm), and Nina Landis (Komodo, Neighbours)

Release Date - 1980

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Many motion pictures promise you terror but this one is truly frightening!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

      I've met several reviewers over the years that took on the rather ambitious task of reviewing every slasher to come out of the 80s.  I've subscribed to several YouTube channels that attempted the task along with a few blogs that tried.  Many of them tapped out after several years but it was fun reading and watching their thoughts on these films I had never seen or heard of before.  I've been fortunate enough to review some of those slasher since then after they received a mass release from companies like Shout Factory, Vinegar Syndrome, Umbrella Entertain, and so on.  A few weeks ago Umbrella Entertainment announced the blu release of Nightmares aka Stage Fright.  I had never seen this one before but I was familiar with it after seeing a few YouTube reviewers talking about it.  I reached out to them and they were kind enough to ship a copy my way for review.  Thanks guys!

     The film follows a little girl who is inadvertently responsible for the death of her mother when she was young.  Now, she has changed her name and is an aspiring stage actress.  Mentally, she has moments where she breaks down and to make matters worse someone is going around and killing members of the cast.  

     I'm not going to lie, I was extremely excited to check this one out.  I absolutely fucking love slashers and it's a rush when I get one in I had never seen before to review.  Sadly, not all slashers were created equally.  Nightmares was one that I just couldn't get into.  It had a few moments that I enjoyed but just couldn't deliver on the style and characters that make so many slashers enjoyable.  The acting in this one was a little underwhelming.  The characters lacked personalities and a lot of time they would blend into the background.  I'm used to slashers having at least one or two characters that the viewer could attach to.  However, here we get extremely cliched and one dimensional.  The cast doesn't try to do do anything memorable and several scenes were lazily done.  The story for this one has that slasher like story but somewhere along the way the cast and crew lost track of what they were doing resulting in a heavy film that doesn't do anything to stand out from the other slashers of the decade.  It looks like a rushed production that was intended to cash in of the slasher craze of the early 80s.  Finally, the film has plenty of blood and some boobs.  The death scenes have a lot of blood, and at times a lot of skin, but don't expect great practical effects and memorable kills.  Overall, Nightmares just didn't do it for me.  I was really looking forward to it but it was a film that offered up very little for the viewer aside from some skin.  Slasher fans may want to check it out but this is one I can't recommend.  

The Mad Magician

Director - John Brahm (The Twilight Zone, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour)

Starring - Vincent Price (Theater of Blood, The Hilarious House of Frightenstein), Mary Murphy (Circle of Fear, My Favorite Spy), and Eva Gabor (Green Acres, The Rescurers)

Release Date - 1954

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Astonishing!  Astounding! Amazing!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

    

     Vincent Price is one of my favorite actors from the black and white age of horror.  He never lets me down but there has been a few times where he was brilliant but the film was not as entertaining.  When Umbrella Entertainment announced the double feature of Price's The Tingler and The Mad Magician I was really excited to check it out.  The Tingler is one I've always enjoyed but I had never seen 1954's The Mad Magician before.  It was a fun flick but an easily forgettable one as well.  

     The film follows Don Callico (Price) who has spent his life creating illusions for several of the world's biggest names in stage magic.  However, after dedicating so many of his years doing this for other people he has decided to star in his own stage show.  Sadly, his big day is ruined when his boss stops the show and confiscates his newest act.  Heartbroken and destroyed, he sets out to kill all those people that has ruined his dreams and broke his heart.

     The Mad Magician is enjoyable but it's not as fun as other films he has been in.  You would think that I would enjoy this a lot more considering it was a proto-slasher but the way in which it was done distracts the viewer.  I wanted to love it as much as I do his other films but it wasn't as fun.  The acting in this one is actually pretty fun.  Price delivers a stellar performance as always while channeling different personalities.  Honestly, aside from the hallucination scene in The Tingler, this is probably his most ambitious performance that I had seen.  The supporting cast is entertaining but they don't touch Price.  The story for this one is similar to the classic slashers several decades before they were trendy.  We follow someone that was wronged as they seek out and murder those that did him ill.  The film works for the most part but I'm not much of a fan of the magic back drop.  Nothing about the film feels terrifying or menacing.  In fact, the only reason I enjoyed the film was because of how over the time Price was in the film.  Finally, like most films of the mid-50s, this one is not gruesome of bloody.  We get a few camera tricks and fun camera angles but The Mad Magician lacks atmosphere and bloodshed.  Overall, The Mad Magician is fun for a first time watch but it doesn't really hold up well nor does it deliver on the chills that other 50s classics starring Price does.  It's worth at least one watch but that's it.  

The Tingler

Director - William Castle (House on Haunted Hill, 13 Ghosts)

Starring - Vincent Price (Last Man on Earth, Edward Scissorhands), Judith Evelyn (Thriller, Rear Window), and Darryl Hickman (Baywatch, The Nanny)

Release Date - 1959

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Terror is just over your shoulder"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I often said that I wanted to live through the golden age of drive-in cinema with all the grindhouse and exploitation double features that would play.  However, if I could really pick a time in cinema history to visit I would have to go with the years that William Castle was unleashing his gimmicks to packed theaters.  Going to one of his movies was an experience and I'm sure it was one that many didn't forget.  Hell, I love his gimmicks even now.  The Tingler is by far one of his most popular gimmicks and one that Vincent Price fans eat up.  I've always enjoyed this one and when I saw that Umbrella Entertainment was releasing it with another Price film I knew I had to revisit it.  I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send a copy my way.  Thanks guys!

     the film follows Dr. Chapin who is studying the effects of fear on the human body and his obsession with this has lead to the discovery of a creature called the tingler.  When you scream it paralyzes the creature allowing it to drop free of your body, however, if you do not scream or unable to scream it is able to feast on your fear.

     The Tingler is one of the more popular Vincent Price films but, honestly, it's not one of my favorite.  There is several more of his films that I would prefer over this one.  With that being said, this is probably my favorite gimmick of Castle's where he would have theater employees scare movie goers by sneaking up behind them with the tingler.  The acting in this one is great.  Price has never let me down in a film and this one is probably his most out there performance.  Watching him scream and hallucinate is a highlight of the film and completely out of character from his other work.  The supporting cast is fun as well with some unintentionally funny moments coming out of their serious approach to such a silly story.  I really enjoy the cast in this one and the characters they delivered.  The story for this one is obviously written around the gimmick that Castle had created. It works from a marketing stand point and as a late night creature feature it has some fun moments.  I really enjoyed the silly side of this film and when you look at it from the gimmick stand point you can't help but smile thinking about all the people in a theater finding themselves being spooked by employees.  It's clever all around and the movie is so enjoyable.  Finally, the film has blood but nothing too crazy.  However, it does have some creature feature fun with the tingler crawling around an old theater terrorizing the audience.  I loved the look and it has that 1950's b-movie charm.  Overall, The Tingler is such a fun film.  It's a silly story but the cast and idea behind it makes for such a good time.  Fans of classic horror or Vincent Price should really check this one out.  

The Proposition

Director - John Hillcoat (Ghosts... of the Civil Dead, The Road)

Starring - Ray Winstone (Cold Mountain, Sweeney Todd), Guy Pearce (Memento, The Time Machine), and Emily Watson (Corpse Bride, Red Dragon)

Release Date - 2005

Genre - Western/Crime

Tagline - "This land will be civilized"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I grew up in a western household...mostly because my dad was a huge western fan and what his hateful ass said goes.  He would watch any and every western he could get his hands on but he would make an exception to watch 70s and 80s action flicks if I pestered him enough.  I never did catch on to the western fad but I did watch a few over the years that stuck out with me.  Tombstone is one that I always find myself gravitating towards along with Young Guns.  A few years back I snagged The Proposition on DVD for cheap at Wal-Mart and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.  It had been some time since my last watch but when Umbrella Entertainment announced the blu release I was quick to jump on it.  I want to thank UE for sending a review copy my way.  

     The film follows the outlaw Charlie Burns (Pearce) of the Burns gang who finds himself captured by Captain Stanley (Winstone).  Stanley offers Charlie a proposition.  Charlie can bring in his older brother Arthur and their younger brother will not hang in 9 days.  However, if he fails to bring in Arthur in that time then his younger brother will walk to the gallows.  Charlie has no option but agree, however, he recruits Arthur and his gang to get his brother out of prison but things in town have since changed in Charlie's absence resulting in more drastic changes happening among the brothers.  

     The Proposition is a fantastic western drama with one of the best casts I have ever witnessed along with a story that works extremely well.  I've always been fascinated with the fact that this one was written by Nick Cave and directed by John Hillcoat who also directed The Road.  The is one of the most underrated westerns and a film that I highly recommend to any movie fan regardless of their preferred genre.  The acting in this one is absolutely amazing.  Not only does Pearce, Watson, and Winstone deliver unforgettable performances but we also get performances from Danny Huston, John Hurt, Noah Taylor, and many more that deserve recognition.  This cast seriously delivers and the characters stick with you days after watching it.  The story for this one is pretty straight forward western set against the backdrop of the Australian outback.  The character development is unlike any movie I had seen before and when you mix that with the simple yet unpredictable story you find yourself pulled in and unable to let go.  The movie is a literal roller coaster with a lot of ups and downs with an ending that I was not expecting.  Finally, the film has some blood with minimal practical effects and some CGI that really impressed me.  One scene in particular looked really well.  It's a great headshot that really stood out from the rest of the film.  Overall, The Proposition is a gritty and violent Australian western that is dangerously underrated.  This release from Umbrella should be on everyone's must own list. Snag it because you will not be disappointed.