cartrektccom Reviews

Bloodthirst (2023)

A surprisingly fun blend of Mad Max meets Blade.

[8/10 · 10 February 2024]

This is another fun indie movie from Mahal Empire. From past experience, their movies range in quality substantially. However, Bloodthirst truly stands out as one of their better ones.

It is set in a post-apocalyptic world a la Mad Max. The exact nature of the disaster that led to this scenario is not explained. However, the great camera work of Michael Su (who also directs this feature) truly helps to build the world and make it and the pockets of survivors believable to the audience. Added to this backdrop are groups of wandering vampires tribes who, like Blade, are able to operate in the daytime and hunt down and feed on some of the survivors.

Given the low budget that this movie was filmed with, one might expect that it would be extremely low quality. However, due to some solid acting talent and great camera work, score and editing, this movie gives a feeling of being much bigger in scope and feels very rich.

Now, don't get me wrong. Some of the practical effects were a little weak and this was not my favorite role for Tara Reid who I felt did not really pull off being the vampire queen. I also felt the final showdown was extremely predictable and would have played better if that battle was more drawn out.

On the other hand, there were some solid acting standouts. Unlike many indie movies, where big name actors are often only utilized in one scene, the star power was well used and had major screen time throughout the movie. Robert LaSardo truly plays up his role as the leader of the vampires. He is cold, scheming and calculating when called for but violent and passionate when angered. Sarah French is also solid in her role as a hardened survivor. However, Costas Mandylor absolutely stole the show with his role as the tough, wise and no nonsense vampire hunter, John Shepard, who we follow across the desolate landscape in his quest to rid the world of vampires.

All in all, if you love the vampire or post apocalyptic genre, there is a lot to love about this movie. Also, a final scene definitely leaves this movie open for a sequel which I have fingers crossed will happen at some point.

The 3rd Channel (2023)

A solid fan sequel to Halloween III, hampered by it's ending

[6/10 · 15 December 2023]

The 3rd Channel is a fan movie based on the controversial Halloween III: Season of the Witch. I honestly enjoyed John Carpenter's original more than the other movies in the Halloween franchise so I thought this fan film was worth checking out.

The movie started out very strong. I loved that many of the same filming locations were used from the original movie which really helped to quickly pull fans into this new story. The initial character development worked well and the eerie off kilter shots sold the horror very well and the "big brother is watching you" aspect. The soundtrack and background ambience were amazing in setting the tone although, at times, the volume level was set too high and made some of the dialogue very hard to hear.

Until about 5 minutes before the end of the movie, tension was successfully built and we became invested in the protagonist Jessica Kelly, who inherited the somewhat sinister Shamrock factory, and the mysterious advisor who guides her in her new role. Little snippets are revealed and we wonder if she is going to overcome the creeping horror or become a willing part of it.

However, we never get to have those questions answered as the last five minutes is very non sequitur. We never hear any more of Jessica's story and are instead presented with an ending intended to be a shocking twist but was not earned in any way, seeming only tangentially related to the original plot. It's almost as if there is about 20 minutes of missing plot to get from point A to point B. And this is truly sad. What was an 8 or 9 star movie throughout was decimated by it's far too sudden and unsatisfying ending. The film quality went down and, instead of the great practical robotics shown earlier, we get some very out of place cgi that doesn't match. Likewise the great camera angles ,editing and sound track from the lead up to that point is suddenly abandoned. I get the impression that perhaps the budget ran out so they had to stitch together what they had and perhaps intended more story to tie it all together.

Ignoring the unjustified ending, Michelle Blasky, who wrote and directed this fan film, is clearly an extremely talented individual and cinematographer. This is her first movie outing and, given that, she is definitely a rising star to watch out for in the future. In spite of it's flawed ending, take a look at this movie so, when you see what impressive stuff comes from her in the future, you can say that you saw her career develop and bloom right from the beginning...

Fang (2022)

A Phenomenal Psychological Horror

[9/10 · 26 November 2023]

So, where to begin unpacking "Fang". Simply put, it is one of the best horror movies I have seen in a long time. To be clear, I don't mean that this is one of the best indie movies I have ever seen. No, what I am stating quite plainly is that it is better than 90% of ALL horror movies I have ever seen, full stop (even from major studios, in spite of it being a grassroot funded indie movie). This is made even more impressive by the fact that Richard Burgin, who wrote, directed, casted and acted in the movie (as well as composed the soundtrack) was able to pull off this masterpiece as his very first feature length movie.

So, without spoilers, what made me so impressed with this movie? First, is the incredible acting talent on display. Dylan LaRay plays the part of an autistic man called Billy who is living at home with his mother (played by Lynn Lowry) struggling with late stage Parkinson's and her inevitable mental decline. The story follows Billy directly so, naturally, every scene includes him. Without beating the audience over the head, there are many tells that reveal the autistic nature of Billy but without any info dumps or exposition. It flows naturally as we see the strain on his life as fate seems stacked against him. Impressive as his performance is, Lynn Lowry steals every scene she is in with her phenomenal job of showing the debilitating effects of late stage Parkinson's. As somebody with Aspergers, I recognize many of the little tells and personality quirks that mark someone as a "little different" on the autism spectrum. Also, though I was not close, my father too died of Parkinson's and I can absolutely attest to that struggle as they want to maintain their dignity but begin to lose themselves. Certainly, an incredible amount of research and homework must have been done to convincingly recreate this within the fabric of "Fang". Although these two actors stood out, there wasn't a bad performance to be found anywhere. Every character seemed natural and realistic in their portrayals and motivations.

Next, the camera work was exquisite. Low wobbly angles served to unsettle the audience as well as sharp cuts and brief flashbacks to keep the heart racing and tension high. This was complimented by some incredible sound mixing, background effects and creepy, clawing, musical score which becomes more offkey and unnerving as the movie progresses. The color pallete was absolutely amazing too.

Now, I always like to be fair and talk about negative aspects of any movie I review. I admit that with "Fang", this is very difficult. However, there are several small things that jump out. First, there is a scene where Billy picks up some lockpicks and suddenly becomes an expert in using them within the space of, at most, several hours. This is simply not reasonable as such a skillset would require even the most talented person to spend weeks in learning. Also, there were a couple of spots where makeup was clearly glued on and not as convincing as the rest of the movie which was meticulous in drawing the audience into the characters. These minor flaws were the only reason I elected to score the movie as a 9 instead of a 10. In reality, I would have given it a 9.5 if such an option was available.

In summary, this psychological thriller is a very different take on the were-creature genre and leads the audience deep down the rabbit hole. It is intelligent, emotionally powerful, thought provocative and you will leave wondering what just hit you.

My Fair Zombie (2013)

A hilarious zombie spoof of My Fair Lady

[9/10 · 13 November 2023]

As a teenager, I loved the original 1964 movie "My Fair Lady". As I grew older, the ridiculousness of it became more apparent and I liked it less, feeling that Eliza Dolittle really got the rough end of the deal.

However, I saw a trailer for "My Fair Zombie" and it looked pretty darn funny. After all, what could be better than a victorian themed musical set in London? That's right, adding zombies to it!

Thus, on the basis of the trailer, I tracked down and ordered a copy. I was not disappointed.

The first thing I have to say is that, going in, I understood it was a pretty low budget indie movie. Thus, my expectations were pretty low. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the costuming was top notch and they had really worked on the accents to duplicate those showcased in the original movie it was spoofing. The acting of the three main protagonists was spot on.

For those not familiar with "My Fair Lady", the basic premise is that two gentlemen make a bet that a young, poor lady from the lower rungs of society can be trained so that she can pass as a lady in polite society. With "My Fair Zombie", they take the premise that packs of zombies are routinely wandering the streets of Victorian London and the bet is made instead that one of these zombies can be turned into a lady. As might be imagined, this leads to some ridiculous and absolutely hilarious situations such as Eliza getting hungry and "snacking" before the training kicks in. The actress playing the part of the zombie Eliza Doolittle was absolutely phenomenal as she slowly evolved from a typical zombie with limited vocabulary ("Brains" and "Raaaawwhhh") to a full fledged lady. I particularly enjoyed a scene recreated from the original movie where they are trying to teach her a wider vocabulary and proper elocution. Trying to get her to say "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plains". Naturally, she ponders each word carefully and then, with perfect comic timing and expression, proclaims excitedly "Brains!". It was epic and really helped to highlight the ridiculousness of the source material but was extremely funny with the addition of a zombie in this roll. Without spoilers, I also liked the revised ending of "My Fair Zombie" and felt Eliza came off in a slightly better position than the original movie. Also, a more fitting fate was inflicted on one of the protagonists that gave Eliza a lot more power in this retelling than the original.

I admit to being confused at all of the "1" ratings. I suspect that they were part of a negative publicity campaign by someone with a grudge since no actual reviews were left, just the poor ratings. Regardless, "My Fair Zombie" was true to the original source material and, in my mind, improved upon it with the additional comic elements added by a zombie invasion. The comedic elements were spot on and the production value high. If you are looking for a gorefest, this movie is not likely for you. If, however, you are looking for a phenomenal spoof of "My Fair Lady" but improved by the comedic zombie elements, give it a watch. You surely won't be disappointed.

Spyfall (2014)

Great Spy Spoof That Tickled My Funny Bone

[8/10 · 9 November 2023]

I got this movie as a free bonus with another purchase. Going into the movie, I didn't expect very much. After all, they were giving it away for free so how good could it be, right? The answer, surprisingly, was pretty darn funny.

"Spyfall" makes fun of the spy genre in much the same way "Airplane" made fun of the disaster movie. Sure, there was a lot of dialogue that felt forced but there were so many moments that I found myself chuckling at and belly laughing uncontrollably. The principle protagonists were Mike Hawk and agent Pi. If you say that quickly, it sounds a little like "My Cock" so, naturally, that verbal pun was played into heavily. Sometimes they beat the spy stereotype over the head such as when a lady is in bed with Mike Hawk congratulating him on his prowess before being joined by multiple women in the same bed and room. Other times, the stereotypes are turned on their heads such as the principle goons failing, not through stupidity, but due to being extremely intelligent and overthinking things. Naturally, the main villain gets tricked into monologuing and revealing an increasing ridiculous plan for world domination.

In terms of the filming, some effects were very bad, but intentionally so, making them even funnier. Some of the visual gags must have taken many times to get right. Indeed, the blooper reel is also hilarious.

The sound mixing was also well done and the soundtrack was very reminiscent of what might be found on a Bond movie, including the sexy opening credits (after the obligatory opening scene that sets the 'punny' tone of the movie to follow).

All in all, this is now my second favorite spy spoof behind another one called "Top Secret" (which I also highly recommend after you watch "Spyfall").

If you have a sense of humor, "Spyfall" is a great way to spend an hour and a half and brightening your day. If you don't have a sense of humor, watch it anyway and it will likely break your veneer. I dare you not to laugh.

Aftermath (I) (2024)

A Beautiful Piece Of Art With Solid Acting. Powerful and Touching

[9/10 · 23 May 2023]

This is one of those reviews that is extremely hard to write. Not because there is anything bad to say about the movie. Far from it in fact. Instead, the problem is telling the readers enough without giving away any major plot elements.

So, what can I say about the plot? Well, it follows a young woman called "Kate" (played by Fruzsina Nagy) who wakes up in the woods with no memory of who she was nor how she got there. She is quickly beset upon by mysterious masked attackers with an unknown agenda as she struggles to regain her memory and piece together why she is being targeted by them.

This movie is well written and intelligent. It is a very high concept movie so, if you like mindless violence and action, it may not be for you. However, if you like deep, intelligent and thought provoking stories that make you examine yourself too then "Aftermath" is definitely that movie.

The audience is immediately captured by the mystery surrounding the young woman. Most of the plot is revealed to the audience through powerful dialogue between "Kate" (Fruzsina Nagy) and "Bubba" (Edward Apeagyei). Their acting range is absolutely phenomenal in covering emotions such as fear, moments of humor to release tension, determination, pain and so much more. Sci-fi elements such as drones, holoprojectors and forcefields help strengthen the dystopian feel. Good use is also made of some more well known actors in support roles such as Eric Roberts as a behind the scenes mastermind or Simon Bamford as the voice of one of the mysterious masked assailants.

A special shout out has to go to Gergo Elekes who both co-directed with Jozsef Gallai and also composed an incredibly atmospheric soundtrack that strengthened and built dramatic tension in almost every scene. The sweeping vistas and creative shots from odd angles also helped to sell the mystery and confusion of the protagonists to the audience.

The finale was deeply touching and I dare you not to have a tear in your eye as it plays out. It raises deep moral questions about society and whether we SHOULD do something, just because we can or perhaps we would instead be morally bankrupt if we had the power to do something but chose not to.

Ordinarily with a movie review, I list some good things, some bad things and some more good things. However, in this movie, it is hard to find anything to criticise as it is a near perfect blend of dialogue, excellent camera work and sound mixing, solid action and stunts and so on. If there is any criticism, it is that earlier in the movie, the audience may think there are a few plot holes. However, as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that these were not plot holes at all but intentional elements that, looking back in retrospect, built towards that deeply emotional and touching final act.

All in all, if you like intelligent independent cinema, I cannot recommend this movie strongly enough. It is simply an artistic delight to behold and both intelligent and thought provoking. Well worth the hour and twenty minute run time.

Polite Society (2023)

A Wacky But Unexpected Gem You Shouldn't Miss

[9/10 · 19 May 2023]

"Polite Society" was one of those movies that I had never heard about nor had any plans to see. I was looking for a random movie to watch at the local movie theatre a few afternoons ago and happened to see the trailer for this one which looked completely crazy. On that basis, I figured it was worth a try to kill a few hours.

Boy, was I glad I did. I've not had such fun watching a movie on the big screen for a VERY long time. The movie is set in England and follows two indian sisters, one of which wants to be an artist and the other a stunt double. Stylistically, it feels like a combination of "Bend It Like Beckham", "Scott Pilgrim" and a Bollywood movie epic. The interplay between all the characters is very believable and fluid, particularly between the younger sister and her best friend co conspirators and also her immediate family. The costuming is exquisite and colourful. The fight choreography is top notch in the ever crazier and implausible fights and shenanigans that somehow never seem out of place.

Also, there are a lot of campy elements that would be perfectly aligned with a Bond movie, complete with epic villains, mad scientists, unbelievable technology along with espionage and over the top plans that would be right at home in a "Mission Impossible" movie.

In summary, the plot of the movie is completely implausible and takes ever increasing wild and ridiculous leaps. Weirdly, however, it somehow just works out perfectly and is tied together by some solid and believable acting, amazing fight scenes, fourth wall breaking, a wicked sense of humor and an absolutely beautiful palette of costuming, color and sound. You will not go wrong if you decide to check out this movie. Two thumbs way, way up!

Craving (2023)

Get your fill of blood, guts and a solid story in this stylish splatter movie

[9/10 · 13 March 2023]

This is a crowdfunded indie horror movie, filmed on a shoestring budget. As a result, you might reasonably expect it to be amateurish with sub par acting and effects. However, your expectation would be very wrong. The writer and director J. Horton has somehow combined an 80s style gore fest with a solid and stylish character driven crime thriller.

Without spoilers, the main plot takes place in a rural bar. The initial interaction between the bar patrons and bartenders is solid, believable, dialogue. We get a strong insight into the motivations of the characters such as a recovering addict, sweet and innocent bartender, friends verbally sparing over a game of pool and so on. With the sounds of gunshots from outside, this leads to the introduction of a group of desperate heroine addicts taking refuge in the bar from a third group with unknown but apparently violent motivations. Naturally, it wouldn't be a good gore fest without the introduction of solid and extremely fun monster to top it all off.

For the most part, the movie is very dialogue and character driven. In this, it excels. Every actor has a unique personality and their own motivations come through clearly. Each character is memorable and nobody seems to be filler or background. The plot has a slow burn to build dramatic tension for about 2/3 of the movie. However, the final third of the movie is a high octane gore fest ride with the accelerator pedal pushed firmly to the floor without letting up.

What I found particularly clever was that the entire main plot takes place within the confines of a bar. However, the writing was so good that this location did not feel constraining to the audience. Much of the plot was revealed to the audience through flashbacks. The make up was solid and all the actors in these flashbacks genuinely appeared to be decades younger. What was also cool was that as the audience learned about the different interwoven backstories, they gained sympathy for both the innocent bar patrons, the heroine addicts and the apparent "bad guys". Everybody has horrible events in their past and it is clear that they all think of themselves as both the victims and heroes in their own stories. I love a movie where you can simultaneously gain sympathy for both the "good guys" and the villains of the story. That is way better than weak two dimensional villains that you might see in other movies.

As the movie builds to a climax and the final horror unfolds there are some extremely creative kills and most of the practical effects are solid. The monster is a bit lumbering but extremely creative and definitely unique compared to similar monsters seen in other movies. It has elements of the werewolf genre and a certain amount of Frankenstein thrown in. It is hard, however, not to have a certain amount of sympathy for the monster. The transformation scene is absolutely amazing given the very low budget of this movie.

Special note should also be taken of the phenomenal use made of lighting and also the powerful and atmospheric background music and sound effects. You can actually feel some of the kills just because the sound effects sell them so well. Admittedly, some of the practical effects fall a bit short such as guts being pulled out which was just hilarious. However, a head being ripped off, spine and all, was incredible. Either way, Robert Bravo did a phenomenal job with the creature effects and gore.

As with all good horrors there was a great, somewhat expected, twist ending but the final payoff was extremely satisfying.

The final fun twist was in the closing credits themselves which were absolutely epic in their violence and humor. If possible, they presented an almost greater gore fest than the final sequences of the main movie itself, leaving the audience laughing in glee while simultaneously being grossed out by the spectacle of it.

On the whole, this is some of the most fun I have had watching a horror movie for a long time. If there is any complaint it is that the slow burn to setup the final act was perhaps a little too slow and the gore fest finale over too quickly. Nonetheless, this is a much more fun experience than other big budget movies I've recently seen such as "Halloween Ends" (which was weak sauce at best) or other indie horrors such as the recent high profile Winnie the Pooh crossover "Blood and Honey" (great gore and shock value but lacking in actual plot).

So, go ahead and watch this movie and you will not be disappointed. You know you can't resist, right? After all, you have to satisfy that "Craving"... (sorry, couldn't resist! :-p )

Bermuda Island (2023)

Great indie horror in the style of "Lost" falters at finish line

[7/10 · 4 March 2023]

This is another crowdfunded indie movie from the Mahal Brothers and directed by Adam Werth. Being crowdfunded, it was filmed on a tiny budget compared with what is typically coming out of Hollywood these days. That being said, the production value was surprisingly good. They were able to film it mostly on location in, I believe, Puerto Rico. Thus, there is some beautiful camera work and a great background environment for the actors to work within.

In brief, without spoilers, there were several plots threads that led the audience into the movie. First, we get a solid action sequence where a sting operation leads to the capture of a high value drug lord (played to the hilt by Noel Gugliemi). We are introduced to most of the cast at the airport as they are waiting to board a flight. Other than a few bits of acting that felt a bit forced, the interactions between the various groups, couples, family units etc were all pretty believable and worked well to invest us in the different personalities and characters in play. Naturally, this is the flight where the FBI is also transporting the drug lord so it is no surprize to the audience that no good can come of that later...

The movie very much feels inspired by the TV show "Lost". A weird storm comes out of nowhere, downing the plane. This was probably the weakest point of the movie with Tom Sizemore really underutilized as one of the flight attendants and also some uninspiring CGI work that could have used a bit more time on it as the plane crashed.

Naturally, the survivors have to try to work together with personality clashes and drama before the horror elements take over and we learn that there is more afoot than it just being a deserted island. The acting was surprisingly solid and there were several standout performances. Greg Tally plays an over the top thespian who is absolutely hilarious and steals every scene. Wesley Cannon does a phenomenal job in his role as an FBI agent as he descends into madness. Sarah French also shines as a kick ass, take charge, heroine who is not going to take crap from anyone.

Now, the movie does have a big twist ending. This ending was well played out but in context with the rest of the movie, it made zero sense and appeared completely out of left field. Don't get me wrong, I generally love a good twist ending in most movies. However, the character interactions that led up to this twist ending made no sense and appeared to have no motivation. Essentially, with the twist ending in mind, it would have made sense to simplify many of the earlier plot elements to lead to that point. The final antagonist made life considerably more complex for themselves with no apparent reason or strategy. Obviously, my review is intentionally vague here to avoid spoilers.

In summary, a great low budget movie in the style of "Lost" that feels to be quite a high production value. The acting was mostly solid as were the practical effects. What could have been an A+ movie was reduced to a still enjoyable C+ / B- due to a final plot twist intended to be clever but not well conceived.

Xanadu Hellfire (2022)

A feel good urban fantasy filled with comedy and kickass women!

[8/10 · 23 February 2023]

Xanadu Hellfire is one of those movies that somewhat defies description and it took a surprisingly long time for me to decide upon a title summary that did it justice.

So, without spoilers, what is Xanadu Hellfire about? Well, the title character Xanadu is a powerful female warrior from a desolate future dystopian desert wasteland with sweeping vistas, wandering tribes and imagery like Mad Max. Through a magic portal, she is drawn into our time. She becomes a friend and mentor to 8 year old Ruby and her single father that evokes the feel of The Karate Kid. As might be expected, trouble follows her from the future into our world and she, and her new friends have to try and save their town and put everything right again. At this point, the movie is reminiscent of both Dungeons and Dragons and the movie Clerks, all rolled into one.

There are so many elements to cover so I will first start off by addressing some of the things I didn't like about the movie before moving onto some of the things I absolutely loved.

OK, so what's not to like? First, the initial premise was a little wonky. Xanadu herself is setup to exist in a dystopian future near the end of the 21st century. Back in our time, Ruby and her close friend Becky are both obsessed with comics that detail the legendary adventures of this Xanadu character. How on Earth did Xanadu become legendary if she wasn't going to be even born yet for 50 more years? Surely, it would have made more sense for Xanadu to have been a heroine from the distant past and hence why she was a legend in the comic books?

Next, there was very little plot, urgency or stake in the movie for the audience. The actions of both the protagonists and antagonists have very little real consequences. Indeed, rather like the A-Team, there can be massive destruction and nobody gets hurt. I believe this would appeal more to a younger audience where they can appreciate the adventure without giving it too much thought. Indeed, the primary target appears to be 10 year old girls who I think would especially love the plot and characters.

This brings me to the third and final negative aspect of the movie. It does not appear to know who it's target audience is. Although the plot is simplistic and tailored to a younger audience, it is filled with swearing and less than savory language. Personally, I found the language believable in context and was not offended by it. Indeed, I found it hilarious. However, I can definitely see some parents struggling with showing the movie to their young children with the amount of "colourful" vocabulary the children use, flipping off people etc.

OK, so what's to like about this movie? Wow. So very, very much.

First, the movie is visually beautiful. As the movie opens, we get to see epic vistas of the dystopian wasteland filmed from overhead with a drone. The costuming of the different warrior factions is varied and colorful and truly impressive given the micro budget this indie movie was filmed with.

Next is the music score. During fight scenes, sweeping vistas, training montages and more, we are enveloped in rich and vivid music that feels like it is from a Lord of the Rings movie. At a couple of points including the closing credits, we get some amazing heavy foot pumping metal from Benjiphonik.

The acting of all the major characters was also solid (although some of the support characters not so much). Aria Surrec (Ruby) and Chloe Sligar (Becky) perfectly play off each other as 8 year old friends who take no nonsense. Ruby's father (Ryon Thomas) also makes believable the cool dad doing his best and the chemistry between them is perfect and really makes you feel they might be a real family. Likewise a similar great chemistry exists between Xanadu and her sister Raven.

The movie is one, non stop, comedy fest of visual humor and one liners, Is it ridiculous? Absolutely. But I found myself laughing nonetheless and you likely will too. I loved the cameo role of Bloodsucker Jones from the movie of the same title.

The thing, above all that I loved about the movie was it screamed female empowerment. Every major character (bar the dad of course) was a strong female role model (or kick ass villain). The characters of Ruby and Becky were an absolutely unstoppable team and would take no crap from bullies or anyone. Xanadu showed that you can be a tough skilled warrior but still keep a kind spirit and innocent appreciation of the world. Her own mentor in the training montages was a skilled martial artist. Raven played a believable but likeable villain. Her two henchmen (henchwomen?) played comic relief to her "straight guy". Even they were wielding massive power. Essentially, the movie very much drove home the point that, as a woman, you can be anything you want to be.

In summary, the movie is well filmed and targeted mostly to a younger audience. The language is questionable but also hilarious. The visuals are awesome with the soundtrack even more so...and women can do anything they set their mind to!

Valentine Bluffs (2023)

A fan film leagues better than most commercial movies out there.

[10/10 · 17 February 2023]

I love fan movies. Normally, they are rough around the edges but you can still appreciate all the love that went into making them. "Valentine Bluffs", on the other hand was so far above the level of a traditional fan movie that I would have been absolutely convinced it was a heavily funded movie from a large studio, had I not known what a tiny crowdfunded budget they were able to achieve it with.

So what is "Valentine Bluffs" all about? You may remember a cult classic slasher movie from the 1980s called "My Bloody Valentine". This fan movie is intended as a direct sequel to the original set about 40 years later. It does a phenomenal job of capturing the feel of the original. Obviously not a spoiler, as he's all over the poster, but the miner is back as the principle slasher villain of the film. The basic premise is that Peter's mother, Sarah, has died and he is trying to track down his estranged father to pass on the bad news. This brings him and his girlfriend to the town where the original movie events happened 40 years ago. Unsurprisingly, as the Valentine's Day party takes place, murder and mayhem ensues.

From start to finish, the acting is top notch. There are one or two lines that fall flat but most character interactions are fluid and believable and do not feel forced in any way. Good use is made of Lloyd Kaufman who is hilarious as the corrupt mayor of the town. However, even the background characters all help to improve the overall ambience of the small town where the events take place. Most of the character motivations are sound (except for one that I will cover later in the review)

The practical effects and make up were also extremely well done with some very creative, believable and extremely entertaining kills. Good use was made of lighting and the sets they had available. Although much of the action was at night or set in a real coalmine, the action was well lit and clear to follow.

What really helped to sell the tension and keep me fully engaged in the movie was the absolutely phenomenal sound mixing. The music was placed perfectly to add to each scene without overwhelming the dialogue or feeling out of place. The ambient sound effects added just the right amount of creepiness and helped to sell the practical effects as bones were crunched, flesh was torn and a very bad day was had by all.

Another aspect I thoroughly enjoyed was that the various characters and victims all had logical reasons for being where they were at the time. Most horror movies (including high budget ones) suffer from the victims doing stupid stuff that no person in real life would ever do. However, in the case of "Valentine Bluffs", the characters, for the most part, took quite reasonable actions which still led to them being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This really helps to keep the audience immersed and invested in the plot.

There were some great gotcha moments and subversion of the audience expectations which were, for the most part, very entertaining. However, I felt the reveal of the actual killer was a little abrupt and could have benefited from an extra line or two of dialogue explaining that character's motivations, which simple was not done. Also, right around the same time, we learn about the last victim's death yet the movie, up to that point, leads us to believe that this victim survived their ordeal. Again, a few seconds to explain this would have been helpful. Other than this 30 seconds or so of the movie which was inadequately explained, everything else was absolutely stellar and top notch. If I was able, I would take off 1/2 a star for these minor gripes. However, as I cannot, the perfect 10 rating stands and is absolutely deserved.

In summary, it is extremely hard to make a movie that perfectly captures the vibe that it intends. "Valentine Bluffs" is one of the rare few that raises itself to that high bar. Truly a "diamond in the rough" and an absolutely epic testimony to the love of the fans who turned it into a reality. "Valentine Bluffs" will almost certainly develop it's own following and likely become a cult classic in it's own right. Enjoy!

Notzilla (2020)

The "Not" Godzilla Spoof We've All Been Looking For

[9/10 · 26 January 2023]

I just watched this movie and it was absolutely hilarious. If you love movies like "The Naked Gun", "Hotshots", "Top Secret" or "Airplane" you will be laughing your ass off for this entire Godzilla spoof movie. Given the low budget, they did a phenomenal job.

To start with, "Notzilla" was clearly filmed on a much lower budget than some of the aforementioned parodies above. However, rather than shying away from this fact, writer / director Mitch Teemley leaned right into it. The movie absolutely takes pride in that fact and constantly makes just as much fun of itself as it does the kaiju film genre in general.

From beginning to end it is a non stop barrage of absolutely awful puns, literary references, cheap shots, word plays, visual humor, sexual innuendo and ridiculous caricatures. Individually, any of these things would have been enough to torpedo another movie. However, put together, it is an absolute masterpiece of how brilliant a B movie can be.

And have no doubt, this is indeed a "B" movie but intentionally so. Somehow, it still manages to faithfully reproduce the style of the various Godzilla and other kaiju films. Ridiculous model vehicles are filmed from close up to make them (badly) look normal size. The monster "Notzilla" clearly has a zipper going up and down it's front to make fun of the old movies. Best of all, in battle scenes against the "monster", all the army shots were comprised of plastic soldiers arranged on the battlefield as might be seen on "Toy Story". The monster rips up trees that are very clearly on tiny foam landscapes. But, this is a stroke of genius too because it is EXACTLY how those old monster movies actually look when you watch them.

The acting is, surprisingly, top notch. Obviously, the basic premise of the movie is utterly ridiculous. However, each of the characters is almost a living, breathing, stereotype. The actors themselves do a phenomenal job of selling to the audience that they really do live and exist within that crazy and ridiculous world. Essentially, although intentionally stupid, they show remarkable emotional range in the delivery of their dialogue and the visual gags. Even the character names themselves normally contain jokes. For instance, we have the brilliant overlooked female scientist "Dr. Shirley Yujest". We have her boss that is the most self absorbed misogynist narcissist called "Richard Blowheart". Of course, when you say that name quickly or abbreviated, you get a good idea how it matches his caricature.

There's also a huge amount of fourth wall breaking that is absolutely hilarious and clearly took a lot of thought in the script to make it come off as smoothly as it did. For instance, they make a big fuss about being in a secret deep underground facility. When the monster escapes, it leaves a monster shaped hole to the outside world. One of the actors notices this and then they get into discussing this obvious plot-hole in the movie. Multiple other times, text will appear at the bottom of the screen for scene setting which the actors will apparently see and it either gives them ideas or leads to great visual gags as they interact with the text.

All in all, this is perhaps one of the most ridiculous movies I have ever seen. Every bad joke you can imagine finds it's way in and you are constantly groaning with how bad they are. However, I challenge you not to laugh. And this is where the movie is an absolute masterpiece. Everything that should be bad about it is somehow magically transformed into a strength and it comes together as a work of comic genius and timing. OK, it's no "Spaceballs"... but it's close and definitely on a tiny fraction of the budget. Enjoy!

Werewolf Cabal (2022)

A fun comedy horror... or is it?

[7/10 · 7 December 2022]

There's a lot going for this indie movie and, given the limited budget, I feel the filmmakers did a great job. The acting was, for the most part solid. The sound effects were great and the ambient background music very effective. Additionally, the werewolf transformations were simple, yet effective.

There were a few well known actors that I felt were, perhaps underutilized such as one of my personal favorites, the great Vernon Wells, himself.

Without spoilers, the movie started with some great comedic dialogue and this light tone continued throughout most of the movie. It didn't take itself seriously and it had a light and fluffy tone that was hilarious while still maintaining some horror elements. This silliness continued to the actual werewolf itself. The transformation was fun and effective while the actual werewolf costume was ridiculous but intentionally so. The comedic timing of the actors was great too. Antonia Whillans (Charlotte) and Derek Nelson (Michael) did well, individually, as the main protagonists. Although, I could not fault their individual acting chops in any way, I was unconvinced by the forced chemistry required of the plot. Mostly this is because the character of Charlotte was demonstrated to clearly be in love with someone else. However, it wasn't made clear if she was toying with the Michael character or had genuine feelings for him too. Jon-Paul Gates did a phenomenal job as a struggling priest and his part was definitely a show stealer and epically hilarious in a "did he actually just do that?" kind of way. I absolutely loved the light comedic tone throughout most of the movie.

Then, for the final quarter of the movie, it changed from it's previous comedic tone to trying to be a fairly serious slasher movie. Again, other than the werewolf costume itself, the serious part of the movie was filmed and presented well. Essentially, we ended up with two different movies. A light and fluffy comedic horror and a serious attempt at a slasher movie. Both parts worked well individually but put together was a rough transition and I really wish it had maintained it's comedic tone throughout the entire movie.

On the whole, I enjoyed the movie a lot but it was tainted slightly by the jarring change of style at the end. On the whole though, entertaining and worth watching at least once.

It Came from Somewhere (2022)

A Love Letter To 50s Sci-Fi Creature Features

[7/10 · 14 November 2022]

This is such a fun idea for a movie so it definitely drew my attention. Most modern movies try to bedazzle the audience with special effects and complicated stories and dialogues. "It Came From Somewhere" stands out from the crowd as a very refreshing change of pace. It is filmed in the old 4:3 aspect ratio in black and white. The footage has also been dirtied up to make it look like you are watching an old creature feature from the 1950s. Obviously, to complete the illusion, it is filmed using the typical 1950s filming techniques of cheap sets made with discarded materials, cheesy dialogue and only one or two takes before calling it a wrap.

Now, this style of filming is not for everyone. Objectively, the story makes little sense and, very clearly, some of the models of the UFO could probably have been filmed better. Likewise, occasionally the shots catch filmmakers disappearing off the side or corner of the frame as they didn't get out of the way in time.

If this is all you see in the movie however, you are entirely missing the point. This movie is a faithful tribute to the pioneering works of great directors and visionaries from the classic 1950s creature features. Watching this movie, it is very clear that they were influenced heavily by the works of Roger Corman such as "The Day The World Ended" or "It Conquered The World", Edward Wood's "Plan 9 From Outer Space" or Jack Arnold's "It Came From Outer Space"

When you compare "It came From Somewhere" to these earlier movies that led the charge on modern sci-fi, you will see that the team at Acrostar have written an original story that faithfully reproduces all the little quirks that made these old movies the cult classics they are. Every little wart you see in the movie is a direct nod to previous work of all these sci-fi titans of filmaking from the 1950s. And this is the point when it comes into focus the absolute genius and masterpiece that "It Came From Somewhere" is. These "flaws" were clearly intentional and all written in and carefully filmed and edited to duplicate stylistically those flaws in the original inspiration. It thus is an absolute love letter to the works of Corman et al.

Without spoilers, the basic plot is that an alien spacecraft gets shot down outside a small midwestern town. A group of teenagers decide to investigate and get caught up between an escaped alien monster and the UFO pilots trying to recover it.

Everything seen in the movie is period accurate for the 1950s from the classic cars on the streets, through the costuming to the houses and furniture. The language and idioms used by the teenagers (for the most part played by older actors as was common in the 1950s) is also period appropriate. It is very tongue in cheek of course and very much makes fun of itself.

Although most of the actors do a wonderful job of recreating the feel of a 1950s creature feature, a couple of perfomances are noteworthy. Beth Metcalf plays the trigger happy alien "Quasar" and steals most of the scenes she appears in with her dry, monotone and alien delivery of her lines. One funny nod that had me chuckling was when the actress is seen briefly playing one of the panicked villagers, gets shot by Quasar and then we see Quasar doing a weird double take before moving on to "business as usual". I love little hidden, easily missed, jokes like that and this movie has lots of great little easter eggs if you pay attention.

The other scene stealer was Delilah Hefner who played the younger sister "Mary". Honorable mentions also have to go to Magdalena Conway who played "Patty" and Bill Russell who did a fine job as the narrator "Grimwell".

Also of particular note is the incredible score from Tony Parsons. The music feels exactly like it escaped from the 1950s and enriches the movie in a way that is impossible to put into words. It has to be felt to be understood.

What the team at Acrostar achieved is made even more incredible by the miniscule budget and timeframe it was filmed within. My understanding from chatting with a couple of the cast is that it was filmed in it's entirety over the course of just four days with a total budget of about $4000. That is absolutely insane and a true testament to the incredible film making skills and dedication of the crew.

In summary, this movie is not for everyone. However, if you love the old 1950s sci-fi classics, you will absolutely love this movie. As a movie in it's own right, I rate it as a 7/10 for entertainment purposes. However, as a love letter to all these old movies and tribute to the era, it is absolutely spot on and a work of absolute genius that I would rate 12/10.

Death Count (2022)

Indie Horror Done Right

[9/10 · 13 November 2022]

I've seen a couple of movies now from the Mahal brothers and each time I was expecting something "blah" and each time was surprised in a positive way. Obviously, going forward, I should probably expect more and set my expectations higher when I see their name attached.

To start with, I'd like to state that I am reviewing this as a low budget Indie movie. Obviously, compared to multi-million dollar franchises such as "Saw", this one has quite a few rough edges. However, comparing it to other similar low budget movies, this one is an absolute gem and could well develop a cult following like "The Toxic Avenger" or "The Evil Dead" or other similar low budget classics.

Without spoilers, the basic synopsis of the plot is that a group of people all wake up to find that they have been captured and individually imprisoned by an unknown captor calling himself "The Warden". The rules are simple. Their plight is being transmitted live onto a website where their very survival is dependent on getting votes and "likes" from all the viewers of the website.

On the face of it, one might expect that this would be a simple and predictable gore fest. Certainly, if that is what you are looking for, you will not be disappointed. Given the extremely limited budget, the practical effects are phenomenal. Don't get me wrong. It is clear that some of the injuries and expected body count are all practical effects. However, except for a couple of weaker ones, most are solid and believable and compare favorably to much higher budget productions.

However, the movie proves to be much more than just a body count and develops into quite a clever storyline. There are a few points where the audience is "led down the garden path", so to speak, only to have our expectations overturned with several intertwined "gotcha" reveals. The ending does not play out at all as might be expected for this genre of horror but it is entirely satisfying nonetheless and definitely leaves the audience with an "Ooooh" moment and wanting more. The plot also askes some very deep questions about society in general and our desire to watch the misfortune of others and both be disgusted and entertained by it simultaneously.

There were some great acting performances from everyone and some well utilized actors we would all recognize. The show stealer was Costas Mandylor (yes, from the original Saw movies) in his role as The Warden. His delivery was spot on in his depravity and callousness. Sarah French also put up a solid showing and mostly helped to drive the plot from the point of view of all the victims / captives. Robert LaSardo was also on his game but possibly under-utilized. Michael Madsen was convincing as a detective investigating the ongoing race against the clock to save the victims. However, his was perhaps the least convincing character in context of the plot (as I will mention in a moment).

Was the plot perfect? Of course not. I felt the beginning of the movie was too rushed. Many of the earlier deaths and gore happened far too close together. I feel spacing them out with more storyline would have helped immensely to build tension and the audience being vested in all the characters. After the first 10-15 mins, the pacing settled where it should have from the beginning so we could learn the back stories and motivations of the characters. Also, while the main plot was happening, the side plot was the police investigation. Although I felt Madsen was believable as a detective and delivered his lines well, I was not convinced by the actual investigation itself. The police did not seem serious enough about the actual urgency of trying to "beat the clock" and save the captives.

Minor gripes aside, I feel this movie checked off all the right boxes. The gore was appropriate and, although shocking, not as sickening as the "Terrifier" series of movies. The acting and practical effects were mostly solid. The storyline initially developed predictably but threw in sufficient curve balls to keep the audience entertained. The movie could have benefited from being a little longer with more storyline. However, this is a solid offering from the Mahal brothers and am glad I got the chance to see it.

If you are squeamish, this movie is probably not for you. However, if you love a good dose of gore with your horror, this one is a lot of fun. Well done!

Demons at Dawn (2022)

Solid characters and score make for a surprisingly entertaining movie.

[8/10 · 2 November 2022]

I had previously seen the first movie from this director called "Nest of Vampires" which had a super confusing plot and was hobbled somewhat by bad practical effects. However, it was clear, even then, that Sanders would be somebody to watch in the future.

With this offering, "Demons at Dawn", it is very clear that he has learned a huge amount from his previous movie and his craft has improved dramatically.

Without spoilers, the basic synopsis of the plot is that a retired hitman, Mickey, is forced by circumstance and a gambling addiction to take one last job to clear his debt load with his previous "employers". As the movie title no doubt reveals, things don't go as planned and take a supernatural turn for the worse.

For the most part, the movie is strongly driven by dialogue and pretty solid acting. Almost all characters are fleshed out with real motivations and backgrounds and unique personality quirks. The camera work and lighting is absolutely spot on. A solid plot invests the audience in the fate of the characters with the correct amount of believable tension. All the scenes drive towards a solid and satisfying conclusion.

Now, originally, my thought was to give a rare 10/10 review based on the solid storytelling and cinematography, made even more impressive by the tiny budget it was filmed with. However, there were a few niggles that I decided to drop a couple of points for. First, there was a scene where some cultists are actually summoning the "demons" and the acting in that scene was pretty cringeworthy. Likewise, a scene with a judge which was similarly very cardboard acting and pulled the audience somewhat out of the movie for a moment. I'm not sure why these two scenes were not up to the same solid acting standard or proofed as with the rest of the movie. The second issue I had was with "Mickey" himself. His acting skills were impeccable, his character well developed and solid and his dialogue and emotional range absolutely carried the movie. However, he was set up as being a highly trained hitman and that was not even remotely evident in the movie. He came ill prepared with the "tools of the trade" to complete his assigned mission and appeared not well trained in how to appropriately use or handle weapons. Ie, although his character was solid and relatable, he appeared to be, at best, an amateur assassin and not the stated "best in the business" that the other support characters set him up to be. The makeup, for the most part was solid although there were a couple of points where the low budget gore was evident. However, these were relatively minor unless specifically looking for them.

Minor niggles aside, this was a very entertaining movie that stands up well against considerably larger big budget movies out there. The ambient background sounds and creepy music really helped to build tension with the audience. Some very clever cinematography techniques helped to show the passage of time or flashbacks. The cuts and lighting were spot on and there was very little in the way of filler getting in the way of the story. Also, there were a couple of satisfying twists including a solid one at the very end.

All in all, well worth the hour and a half time investment. If you love Indie horror, this is one of the better ones. A phenomenal achievement with an extremely limited budget. Well done!

The Sawyer Massacre (2022)

A surprisingly good fan movie and excellent homage to the original source material.

[8/10 · 24 October 2022]

Before watching, I knew this was a crowdfunded, low budget, fan movie based upon the original classic horror movie "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". I thus went in with relatively low expectations, thinking it would be a fun little romp that looked liked a student film project.

However, I instead found myself blown out of the water. Steve Merlo, the writer and director of this project, obviously knows his source material well and took a great deal of care and attention to craft a worthy prequel in the form of "The Sawyer Massacre". The camera work and lighting was absolutely top notch and spot on. Whoever did the sound mixing and color balancing did a phenomenal job of recreating the feel and tension of the original source material. However, this was not just a copy of that horror classic. Instead, it had a compelling original story that tied in seamlessly as a worthy prequel. Indeed, I'm a little sad for the cast and crew that this was an unofficial fan project because I do think it would stand up well if they were allowed to release it for profit. Essentially, it is not just a cheap student project where everyone smiles and nods and pats the filmmakers on the head but rather a solid movie in and of it's own right.

Now, don't get me wrong. It had it's share of problems. There were a few scenes that were not explained adequately to the audience. For example, the protagonists all getting captured and then we see them waking up from being unconscious without being told how they got to be that way. It also suffered from what I call "horror movie logic". In real life, the plot would have been over quickly and most, if not all, of the protagonists would have survived in mostly one piece. However, as is common with horror movies in general, the protagonists make horrible errors of judgement that lead them into deep trouble. Also, somehow, as an audience, we are expected to believe that someone lumbering slowly with a chainsaw could outrun people running away for their life as fast as they can. :-p

If you are willing to suspend your disbelief however, and just assume that's the way things work in horror movies, you will be deeply rewarded. The practical effects were phenomenal and convincing in their gore and depravity. They really looked like people getting seriously wounded. The acting, for the most part, was solid. The strongest performances came from the characters Jimmy, Allison, Rex and Grandpa. All of their dialogue, expressions, intonation and portrayal of dark evil or abject terror were flawless. Indeed, I believe you would be hard pressed to find better performances from seasoned professional actors. The sets were beautiful yet horrific. The camera work was top notch and the ambient background noise and soundtrack really helped to build the necessary tension for the viewer.

All in all, I think the cast and crew did a phenomenal job in bringing The Sawyer Massacre to life. It is an extremely entertaining and satisfying romp if you enjoy a good horror movie. And the best part? As it is a fan movie, it is entirely free. I would definitely suggest you look it up on YouTube. An hour and a half well spent. :-)

Art of the Dead (2019)

Expected something awful. Delighted to be very wrong.

[8/10 · 10 August 2022]

Before I get into my actual review, I observe that there are a pile of weird 1 star reviews attached to this title. The reason I say weird is that many are made by accounts that only ever made that one bad review. It seems pretty clear they most of these 1 star reviews were written with an unexplained vendetta or agenda against the film creators, given that they repeatedly talk negatively about story elements that simply did not even happen within the movie.

So why trust my opinion? Well, I am reviewing this movie more than three years after it was released and am clearly not part of the "it's amazing / it's awful" flame war reviews that were left when it was released. Also, if you check out some of my other reviews, you'll observe that I'm generally pretty fair about pointing out the good, the bad and the downright ugly.

Anyway, I just found and watched this movie on Horror Central. Ironically, it was all these bad reviews that inspired me to actually watch the movie. After all, I was intentionally looking for something dire that I could make fun of and tear apart when reviewing it.

And that's when something weird happened. Yes, in the opening scene there was certainly some bad stage blood makeup. However, it quickly became apparent that this was not going to be a super low budget D movie. It had a very high production value. The filming was clearly done on expensive camera equipment and not cheap camcorders from Best Buy. The soundtrack and foley mixing was phenomenal. Several well known actors were on board too and used well, not just for their name.

In the opening scenes we learn that a rich entrepreneur has purchased a group of paintings that seems to have hidden emotional depths beyond their raw pigments. We learn that for some reason every one of the man's family is ignoring him and already the story has pulled the audience in. I was wondering if it was going to be some sort of take on "The 6th Sense" where he was dead and didn't know it. However, we see him frustrated about his family and apparently talking to himself and the paintings. Then he sees his bloody reflection in a mirror and the audience is wondering if this is a weird nightmare or a projection from the clearly evil paintings. Then, in a very clever bit of cinematography the businessman discovers, along with the audience, that all of his family has been brutally murdered. It is only at that point that he has flashbacks of the actual murders that he, himself, perpetrated... and the plot is off to a racing start where the audience is already vested and hooked.

After some creative but lengthy opening credits, with a VERY long list of Executive Producers (guess we know where all the money for the movie came from :-p ), the paintings are sold at an auction house to the new victims... um... I mean family. For the most part the acting is solid and the family and character dynamics believable, with a couple of notable exceptions. First, Robert Donavan, who plays the part of Father Gregory Mendale, gives an initial exposition to explain to the audience that each of the paintings is linked to one of the seven biblical "deadly sins". This exposition feels extremely forced. However, after that bit of bad writing, his acting chops show through as the plot develops and his character is developed. The makeup of his bad eye is amazing and his back story is also solid. The other bad bit of acting was when the father was affected by the "greed" painting which was definitely over acted and a bit cringeworthy. That scene should definitely have been played a bit more subtly and insidiously to better effect. Other than those two moments however, the acting across the cast was entirely solid and believable with an especially impressive performance from Jessica Morris as the mother.

Although the plot was somewhat predictable once we learned of what powers each painting had, there were some great twists to keep the audience hooked. First, there were some amazing point of view shots from the paintings themselves as they influenced the principle players. The transformation of the oldest daughter from completely shy and awkward to... something else... was incredibly powerful.

Some of the death scenes were truly unexpected and epic but very much in character with what each painting represented. I think it reflects some pretty strong writing and directing skills to make the audience believe that 7 different inanimate objects all have their own unique personalities and drives. The creator of the paintings also proves to be a great antagonist and foil for the cast to play off. The visual effects were, for the most part extremely effective such as when parts of the paintings came to life.

So, in summary, I came to this movie fully expecting it to be one of the most awful things I had ever seen so I could make fun of it. I was extremely happy to be proven wrong and not just in a small way. It was absolutely a joy to watch and better than about 80% of other horror movies I have seen (and I watch and enjoy a LOT of horror). Given this, I think, but for a few flaws I already mentioned that reduced it down to an 8 star movie for me, I will likely watch it again. I offer up the opinion, ever so humble that it is, that anybody reading this review should give it a shot. Odds are pretty high that you'll enjoy it too.

Project Skyquake (2022)

Phenomenal "Lost Footage" Film

[8/10 · 23 July 2022]

Project Skyquake is filmed in the "lost footage" style that was popularized by Blair Witch Project. I've followed the work of József Gallai on previous movies and he never disappoints. He is an amazing writer and director and has a great eye for compelling storylines.

This movie takes the real world phenomenon of "skyquakes" (go ahead and Google it; fascinating stuff) and puts a compelling sci-fi twist on it by creatively offering a possible fictional explanation.

The mystery and tension builds with some impressive dialogue driven plot by the two main protagonists played by Laura Saxon & Laura Ellen Wilson. The chemistry between them is impressive and makes for a compelling mystery that pulls in the viewer. I would be very surprised if they don't get some kind of award for their performance.

I would have easily given this movie 10 stars except for a couple of points. First, the plot took a slightly religious turn that seemed unnecessary given the previous setup. There were also a couple of spots during the movie where it was not clear why the two lead actresses had chosen to take certain actions. That being said, the character development was phenomenal and good use was made of Tom Sizemore and Robert LaSardo in support roles to strengthen the mystery that the two main protagonists were attempting to solve.

All in all, well worth checking it out if you see it doing the film festival circuit or if you have the option to rent or purchase it. You'll thank yourself later!

In Search of Tomorrow (2022)

A Beautiful Tribute To The Golden Era Of Sci-Fi

[9/10 · 14 March 2022]

This documentary comes in at a very weighty 5 hours long. However, every second is filled with amazing and poignant insights from more than 70 sci-fi legends. Not an ounce of it seems bloated or filled with fluff. Indeed, at the end of the 5 hours, I found myself wanting more. Perhaps a part II will be on the cards at some point? (like the Creator VC team did with their similarly styled "In Search of Darkness" series)

David Weiner both wrote and directed this epic tribute to 80's science fiction. It is very evident that he loves this era deeply and this came through very clearly in how he managed to pull his audience in. The overarching theme presented by Weiner was that the 1980's really represented the golden era of science fiction. I cannot disagree with that assessment.

"In Search of Tomorrow" starts by laying the groundwork of some classic sci-fi themes and painting the backdrop for the main decade. Year by year, important sci-fi movies were covered. With in depth interviews of directors, script writers, actors, composers, special effects artists and more the tale is told. We learn about the social background and context of each of the movies as well as why they succeeded (or in some cases fell flat). Obviously, well known classics such as "Back to The Future", "E. T.", "Empire Strikes Back" and "Aliens" were covered in detail. However, I particularly liked that lesser known movies (but equally important from a historical standpoint) were also addressed such as "Saturn 3", "Megaforce", "Buckaroo Bonzai" and "Earth Girls Are Easy". Another thing I enjoyed about the documentary was how the interviewees were not just discussing movies they were involved with but also encouraged to offer up their opinions and love of other classics in the sci-fi genre. Thus, we get to see a rich tapestry of how these legends all influenced and drew upon each other's work and performances.

Other than the year by year focus on some of the iconic sci-fi movies of the decade, there were periodic in depth focuses on important themes across the entire genre. For instance, how the special effects industry evolved from practical effects to CGI, women roles models, the effect of the Challenger disaster, advertising and product placement, music / soundtracks and more.

"In Search of Tomorrow" was not perfect of course. However, it was as close to perfect as I think reasonable to expect from ANY documentary. Certainly, there is nothing else like this that I have seen out there in the wild and I watch a LOT of science fiction. Indeed, I would say the content that Creator VC put together is leagues better than most of the special features and supplemental content that is typically found on DVDs. My only real gripes were minor at best. First, I would have enjoyed slightly more focus on the lesser known classics rather than the mainstream entries. Secondly, as the interviewees were captioned on screen, their role was listed. For instance "Director", "Special Effects Artist", "Futurist", "Film Critic" etc. All the actors were similarly listed as "Actor". However, I feel it would have better served the audience if, instead of the generic word "Actor", the character was listed that they played. For example, "Newt" for Carrie Henn in Aliens or "Clarence Boddicker" for Kurtwood Smith in Robocop. Certainly, I think the audience would have been smart enough, given the context, to conclude that this interviewee was an actor. I think it would have helped to fill in a lot of background context, particularly for adults who were child actors at the time or those who were wearing prosthetics. Regardless, this is a minor gripe and did not detract from my immense enjoyment of this riveting documentary.

In summary, I think, without hyperbole, that this was the absolute best science fiction documentary I have ever experienced. From start to finish it never lost me and that is a phenomenal feat to achieve for something that is 5 hours long. The time passed quickly with so much information and nostalgia for those who grew up with this deeply rich period of science fiction. The editing and visual effects were phenomenal and the atmospheric synthesizer sound track was spot on.

Whether you lived through the 80s and want an amazing trip down memory lane, or are new to sci-fi and want a great primer and springing off point, "In Search of Tomorrow" is a phenomenal slice of history not to be missed.

"May the Force Be With You", "Live Long and Prosper" and above all "Party on Dudes!"

Nest of Vampires (2021)

Rough around the edges... but surprisingly entertaining.

[6/10 · 23 November 2021]

I just finished streaming this movie. Some of it was assuredly awful. However, among that were hidden gems in the form of some excellent acting and dialogue, great filming on a very limited budget and some fun twists and turns. Thus, although rough around the edges, it proved to be surprisingly entertaining. Certainly, given that this was the first full length feature film from Chris Sanders, I think he did a phenomenal job and look forward to seeing how his film making chops and career develops going forward.

Anyway, there are several interwoven plots. The principle protagonist, Kit Valentine, is an MI5 agent specializing in tracking down and breaking human trafficking rings. This proves convenient when his wife gets murdered in the opening minutes and his daughter kidnapped, apparently by one of those very same human trafficking gangs. The opening scene is perhaps a little heavy handed and over-acted but served to set the initial tone and also introduce one of the main villains (who stole every scene he appeared in). I admit to initially thinking it was going to be a completely awful D movie. However, I'm very glad that I decided to continue watching past the initial scene as some very believable natural dialogue between Kit and his boss proved that the actors knew their craft. Indeed, Tom Fairfoot (Kit Valentine) really carried the movie. His character had just the right swagger to sell the idea of a highly trained agent but one also loosing himself a bit because he was too close to the situation, due to his daughter being the one he was tracking down. I would argue that towards the midway point of the movie, too many conspiracies and factions were introduced, making for some confusion in following where the plot was headed. However, as the second half kicked in, most (but not all) of these plot twists converged into a satisfying conclusion plot wise.

Now, fair warning, the special effects were a bit weak. For instance, the makeup on the actual vampires or somebody getting their hand cut off was very obviously just a stage prop. That being said, it was filmed on an extremely low budget and it is the dialogue and character interactions that really drive the movie forward. Also, great use was made of lighting and atmospheric music and background sounds. The cuts between scenes were also, for the most part, clean and worked well to forward the narrative.

So, in summary, although not the best movie I have ever seen, it was far from the worst. Certainly, an entertaining movie that stands up well against some of the other competition. If you have an hour and a half spare with no plans, go for it!