JohnnybGhoul Reviews

Bad Ass (2012)

This Movie Took Me By Surprise!

[9/10 · 16 June 2023]

9 Stars!

Danny Trejo is a man who has seen it all throughout his life. His rugged face, deep guttural voice, & tattoo's have been gracing movies & shows for many years now. My first exposure to this crazy Mexican was the 1996 film From Dusk Till Dawn & I have been a fan ever since. I loved it when Trejo popped up in the opening scene in Anaconda & also the action film Con Air & many more. I always loved to see his moustached face, long hair, & his iconic tattoo's that clearly tell some amazing stories. This guy is an icon of toughness & a true legend of Cult Cinema. Trejo has Starred in many B-movies as well as big budget films & he's generally a nice humble man who will work with anyone because he loves what he does. And it shows!

Bad Ass is an action-drama about a senior citizen/vet who ends up standing up to the crime in his local community & becomes a Bad Ass vigilante who takes matters into his own hands. Trejo gives a sweet, humble, & at times sad performance as the now old man Frank, who has tried to live his life positive. With his Hot Dog stand he's an all round decent man but finally snaps on a bus when a couple of thugs push him & others around. There's a sequence that i was iffy about & probably the only scene that wasn't that good & that was the Bus scene stolen from the 80's Schwarzenegger Classic RED HEAT! It's used here & covered in cgi to mask it from that movie. It seemed very cheap to rip off an 80's Classic in my opinion. Other than that I have no complaints. It's also nice to see fellow B-movie legend Ron Perlman here too as a corrupted villain type character.

There is action, drama, & some comedy with real emotion mixed throughout this movie with a heart. To me, this was a noble film about a good man who had what it took to step in when someone was being mistreated/harassed & ended up uncovering a plot to bring the neighborhood way down in order to make the land value plummet. This is a low budget film & it made me realize that a big name like Danny Trejo must have felt this was a story close to his heart.

Warm Bodies (2013)

Packed with Action, Comedy, & Zombie Romance.

[8/10 · 11 June 2023]

8 Stars!

I have to admit when I first saw the trailer I had absolutely no interest in seeing this. Finally I decided to give it a chance & I wish I did sooner. So let's dig right into it.

Saved by the undead?!?! Who would have thought the undead could be heroes.

The characters are intriguing & the story is heartwarming, literally! The message here is that in order to overcome being undead, you have to be human. It's all about relationships & communication, preferably face to face rather than being glued to your smart phone & posting your every thought or mundane activity to an electronic cosmos that literally isn't a warm body. It's not about the zombies. You notice that in the first few minutes of the movie. Look past the zombies & you'll see that it's a story about us. Humans! The world that we live in right now, is kind of like this. There's a sadness here because today in reality everyone has become a Zombie. So it's relatable.

The music score was brilliant, blended into every scene, & was truly meaningful. Zombies communicating their feelings to living humans through old records was a great idea, & the rest of the score amazingly relevant at every scene. This was the final piece of the puzzle that planted this movie in my brain enough to want to watch it again. Though, one issue that bothered me was that some of the songs on the movie's soundtrack could have been left out or changed to something more original rather than the same songs you have heard in dozens of other movies before. To me it's too repetitive & unoriginal. It happens too often in movies today.

As far as romantic stories go that has classic monster as one of the other significant half, Warm Bodies proves to be a sheer winner for its romance & comedy. Fans of the romance genre should look this one up as well, as it comes with that stamp of recommended approval!

Overall, you can expect comedy, romance, action, suspense, & some 'cheese' :) but it's forgivable because it works for this type of movie. Warm Bodies has enough heart that makes this a zombie love story like none other.

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Blood Spurting & Flesh Grating!

[7/10 · 20 May 2023]

Evil Dead Rise 7 Stars

This film is a thrilling & gory ride that delivers on most expectations of Evil Dead fans. Cronin balances horror & humor, creating a tone that's faithful to Sam Raimi's vision but also adds his own flair. The film features some inventive & gruesome kills, using mostly practical effects & minimal CGI to create a visceral & realistic experience. The film has some clever nods to the franchise's lore, such as the use of the record player instead of a tape recorder to play the incantations from the Book of the Dead.

The film's main weakness is its lack of originality & innovation. The film follows a familiar formula that does not offer many surprises or twists. The film doesn't explore the mythology or backstory of the Book of the Dead or the Deadites, leaving many questions unanswered. The film also suffers from some pacing issues, especially in the first act where it takes too long to set up the characters & the premise. The film could have benefited from more character development & exposition, as well as more tension & suspense. Evil Dead Rise is not the best out of the trilogy but it is definitely a worthy addition to the franchise.

Overall, Evil Dead Rise is a solid horror reboot that brings enough gore & fun. It is a worthy addition that respects its roots but also updates it for modern audiences. It's nothing groundbreaking but it is an entertaining & satisfying film that will please fans of the horror genre.

Renfield (2023)

Bloody, Hilarious, & Brilliant!

[8/10 · 10 May 2023]

8 out of 10 Stars!

Nicolas Cage's portrayal of Dracula in "Renfield" is deliriously over-the-top. I mean that in a good way. It was an outstanding performance. His best performance in my opinion! His version of the Prince of Darkness is full of crazy outbursts & unexpected inflection. It's a natural evolution 35 years after "Vampire's Kiss," as he's now fully wallowing in this mythological monster's unquenchable thirst. Cage's performance in this is consistently entertaining, even when the film as a whole lacks at times. If you mixed Bela Lugosi & Christopher Lee's Dracula you get this version.

The best part of the movie was the twist on the over-done Dracula/Vampire genre. It was a refreshing & unique twist on the story we've seen done many times before. This was very well done. The film has some fighting sequences that are the perfect balance between "campy" comedy & action. The plot of the movie wasn't anything special & lacks at times. The blood & gore was used carefully but in my opinion there's always room for more, especially in a movie with vampires. There were moments when the cgi looked off & practical effects would have looked a hundred times better. Despite these minor issues the movie itself was full of laughs. Full of violence, bugs, blood, guts, gore, & limbs.

Overall, it's an enjoyable watch. The characters & supporting characters, Cage at his absolute best, & all wrapped up at just over an hour & a half. A very interesting & clever spin on a classic horror film.

Kill Her Goats (2023)

This had potential to be something

[3/10 · 29 April 2023]

The opening scene certainly sets you up for making you think you're in for one hell of a gory movie. The murder of a pair of campers by Goat Face & his dual, giant hedge trimmers, which provides plenty of gore & bare skin. It certainly feels like you're back in the 80s. After the opening kill scene Kill Her Goats turns into something that looks more like an 80s T&A film or a soft core porno than a horror film. There are loads of shots of women jumping on beds, bouncing down stairs, whipping off bikini tops & taking showers. Which wouldn't be bad except that this is supposed to be a horror movie & those scenes are shot in such a bland, by-the-numbers fashion that they can't overcome the truly terrible dialogue & acting. There's never any suspense or feeling of dread because we're dealing with terrible acting & unlikable characters that we don't care about. As for the plot, it's almost impossible to figure out what is actually going on. It's not the worst movie but it has many flaws.

Overall, the potential was there for Kill Her Goats. It could have been a wicked throwback to the golden age of slashers. Unfortunately, the filmmakers consistently made bad decisions & squandered that potential along with an hour & a half of the viewer's life.

Almost Heroes (1998)

You Want My Head To Explode!?!?!?

[10/10 · 28 April 2023]

This movie is outstandingly innocent & quite honestly, if you allow yourself to be immersed in this movie, there's no doubt it will make you laugh.

Leslie Edwards (Matthew Perry) & Bartholow Hunt (Chris Farley) lead a team of individuals on a quest to beat Lewis & Clark to the Pacific Coast. A magnificent early 1800's western environment encompasses the explorers on their journey. The point of the movie is to be hilariously cheesy. It's a satire of early American life. All with an undeniably catchy score playing in the background. Obviously the comedy is the movie's overt strong point. There's a lot of physical/situational humor, & the lines are classic Farley humor. The movie is so entertaining that an empty feeling is cast upon me when the movie reaches its conclusion. The sadness is even more painful due to Farley's death & it being his last major performance. We must appreciate what Farley has done in order to make us laugh!

Overall, huge laughs are to be had in this 'historical' comedic achievement. R. I. P. Chris Farley.

Hobo with a Shotgun (2011)

Delivering Justice 1 Shell At A Time!

[9/10 · 23 April 2023]

This is an over the top gore, retro-style score, colorful cinematography, & Rutger Hayer fuels this cult classic movie into the deep chasms of my heart. I absolutely loved this movie! It's a tribute to the grind house cinema of old, & it's a blood splattering thrill ride. It's a simple story with visuals that speak for themselves. Any action junkie will be drawn to the brutal violence here, with other qualities to admire in it. Like its depiction of a world gone completely insane, the careful use of the camera & set design to allude to the notion that religion can not prevent this. The main antagonists sit at a replica of the Last Supper while performing heinous acts of animalistic malice among other gruesome acts. Rutger, whom many will recognize from Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" & many more, is a total bad ass in this film. He also brings so much emotion to his character. This is homeless man who finds himself in a world full of sleaze & unpunished criminal activity. It's only when he himself is pushed too far that he finally snaps & decides to "Deliver justice one shell at a time". If you watch this movie with the right frame of mind you can admire the simplistic nature. If you can take your brain out & get in the mood for an over the top, ultra violence film then you'll have no problem sitting through this future grind house classic. This was super close to a perfect 10 stars!

The Suicide Squad (2021)

Margot Robbie really shines as Harley Quinn.

[8/10 · 22 April 2023]

8 out of 10!

The Suicide Squad continues with the adventures of Task Force X after Suicide Squad (2016) which (in my opinion) was a flop. Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena) & a host of other crazy convicts from Belle Reve prison, are tasked with an almost impossible mission on the dangerous island of Corto Maltese. Writer/director James Gunn has given us a funny, shocking, action-packed & overall entertaining movie. This film surpasses its 2016 predecessor by leaps & bounds. This Suicide Squad is a mind-blowing film. The action set pieces are awe-inspiring. The visual effects are impeccable. And each character is unforgettable. Everyone from Margot Robbie to John Cena seemed to have upped their game in the acting department. Margot Robbie does a spectacular job as Harley Quinn & the supporting cast does a great job, too. With over the top action & plenty of gore & destruction, the film never fails to entertain, sometimes falling short on its jokes, humor is still in high regards & will keep you from leaving you're seat, along with its edge of the seat suprises. I was actually very surprised at how much I loved it! This Suicide Squad is a must watch for DC Extended Universe & James Gunn fans.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

Let's A Gooooo!!

[9/10 · 17 April 2023]

Super Mario Brother's Let's A Gooooo!!

9stars out of 10!

While Illumination isn't known for making the strongest animated movies, Super Mario Bros is by far their best, rivaled only by Despicable Me. The animation in this movie was superb & the voice actors did a surprisingly good job despite Seth Rogan's annoying outbursts as Donkey Kong. He sounds like his usual self & nothing more. The references to the Mario games (which I won't spoil here for you) are well integrated, & while some are a tad forced, it was still really great to see these things return. The audio was very well done. The sounds & the score with the reimagined iconic music was perfect. Some of the songs felt unnecessary but they worked. One of the best sequences involve a mario kart chase on rainbow road & it's insanely fun to watch. Fans & kids will love this & love how everything is put together in this film. Overall I loved everything about this film. I can not wait for more. It was a really fun watch, & I'd recommend this to anyone that's a fan of the Mario franchise, or just someone who's looking for a fun animated movie. It's appealing all round for adults (nostalgia) & for kids (pure fun).

We Have a Ghost (2023)

Boldly Racist and Distasteful!

[1/10 · 12 April 2023]

1 Star!!!

I haven't been this upset with a movie in a long time. This would have been a good movie if it weren't for all the racial stereotypes against white people & Asians. I'm pretty pissed off about this one for the fact that a black actress can say "We are not going to be like every other stupid white family in a horror movie." If that was reversed & a white actress said "stupid black family" this country would break out into chaos once again! That's not the only line that bothers me. Another calls a white girl "Shirley Temple"! This is just ridiculous! It's just another movie promoting the RACIAL division, & repeating the past all over again. This show is offensive, & our country will never move forward if we allow the media & Hollywood to continue to drive division with senseless racial slurs in shows & movies our kids grow up watching. This gets a 1 star rating for focusing on very poor & offensive dialogue.

Fright Night (1985)

Vampire's Exist!

[10/10 · 5 April 2023]

Not only is this my favorite vampire movie but is also in my top five favorite horror films of all time! A Lighthearted, semi-serious, spooky, upbeat, & entertaining horror comedy that blends the genre perfectly & stands the test of time. This superior modern vampire film remains one of the best films made & most wildly entertaining horror movies of it's time. This highly entertaining 80's fright fest offers pretty much everything you could want from a creepy movie featuring vampires. In Fright Night, we see what would happen if a vampire were to invade a neighborhood without people suspecting he's a vampire. The film brings a very creepy atmosphere. Jerry Dandridge's (The Vampire) house is very creepy, specifically the basement & stairway. The Make-up & Practical Effects are fantastic, realistic & at times gory & truly add to the film. Wonderful effects! Better than modern CGI. The score is effective & adds a lot to the atmosphere. The music is pure 80's cheese for the most part but it fits well. The acting is just phenomenal. Christopher Sarandon plays Jerry Dandrige & is a very suave & charming vampire who can be extremely frightening at the same time. He was the perfect choice for this role. Roddy McDowall plays Peter Vincent. He is probably the most enjoyable character in this film. He plays a slightly cowardly TV horror host who grows a spine & rises up to be the heroic vampire killer he always pretended to be. Then there is William Ragsdale who plays Charlie Baker. A big fan of horror movies & the famous TV show host Peter Vincent, who is convinced his neighbor is indeed a vampire. If you love Horror Films or Vampire Movies, I highly recommend seeing Fright Night, one of the best Vampire films ever made & a Cult Classic you will watch again & again. It is a unique mix of horror & comedy as well as a commentary about new neighbours, you never know who is moving into your neighborhood. Who knows....there could be a vampire living next door to you.

Dog Soldiers (2002)

One of the best Werewolf movies since An American Werewolf In London.

[10/10 · 3 April 2023]

Films like The Wolf Man & An American Werewolf in London are very famous werewolf films, & outstanding ones at that. They're vastly overshadowed by other kinds of horror monsters & films. But in my opinion, this obscure British horror film is easily one of the best Werewolf movies out there.

The film centers around British soldiers who are on a routine exercise & end up getting trapped in the Scotland woods with Werewolves after them. Naturally, it's very creepy & horrific in some scenes & keeps you on the edge of your seat. Dog Soldiers packs a tight story with some amazing action scenes that will adrenalize the hell out of you. The direction is flawless, & the story is very original.

The way the action plays out makes for a very good suspenseful & thrilling horror. Along with that you have just enough humor added into the mix. A platoon of rough & ready British soldiers may not be the most likable bunch of cinematic heroes, but the humor really helps you root for them as they stage their heroic stand against these blood thirsty beasts.

The film-makers decided to opt for animatronics/special effects over computer-generated ones. I think this is a benefit. One reason I love this movie is the outstanding design of the werewolves. These aren't CGI monstrosities of Stephen Summers "Van Helsing" or "American Werewolf in Paris", these are fantastic effects that truly work. They are genuinely frightening!

The gore is fantastic! There are some blood curdling moments from a guy getting chewed up by a werewolf to a guy getting his head bitten off. I can't say enough about this movie!

In conclusion, this film may have flown under the horror radar back in 2002, but fans of the genre should discover just how great this film is. Dog Soldiers is a movie that lets us know that monster movies are still alive & well.

Mad God (2021)

An Acquired Taste

[5/10 · 1 April 2023]

There is a reason this took 30 years to make. That's because there isn't much of a movie here. This reminded me of a 1990's TOOL music video mixed with Dante's Inferno. This movie is not for the squeamish or faint of heart. If you enjoy the dark, dreary, disgusting, & macabre-this is a must watch experience. Mad God lacks in plot & dialog, but it more than makes up for it with its post apocalyptic visuals, incredible stop-motion, & ominous musical score. As far as the plot/story-Some unknown/unexplained guy wanders around a machinery Hell type of place seeing & experiencing weird stuff. I actually found myself trying to look for metaphors & deeper meaning behind the imagery & the story. There is none! There is no story & there is no meaning. It feels like they introduced a bunch of different plot points that are random, confusing, & lead nowhere. I will say that the talent displayed here is incredible & imagination on display is also rather incredible.

In conclusion, the film is visually stunning with a mysterious, dark, & disgusting atmosphere, plus the stop-motion is really well done. The rest of the film is quite boring. I expected more.

Jeepers Creepers: Reborn (2022)

One of the worst horror movies I have ever seen!

[1/10 · 1 April 2023]

This was a very painful watch. It was very unorganized. For Jeepers Creepers fans this was a hard punch to the gut. This movie completely destroyed the franchise. It felt more like a really bad parody than a horror movie. You can tell that when the producers made this movie, they didn't even bother to actually analyse the previous movies & do their research. It looks & feels like a made for tv movie. The script/story was very poorly written. The computer animated cgi backgrounds are very fake looking & are absolutely terrible. The images torture & destroy the viewer. Dee Wallace is such a fantastic actress but unfortunately signing on to this movie was a sad waste of her talent. The other actors/actresses were just awful & had fake American accents that were not convincing at all. The characters are unexplained as well as dull & uninteresting. The Creeper was the most disappointing. He is genuinely a terrifying character with so much potential, yet fell completely short of that in this movie. His face looked unrealistic, & more like a cheap Halloween costume. He looked nothing at all like he did in the previous movies.

The first three movies were directed by Victor Salva. He's a sick & twisted monster but at least you can say he was a competent filmmaker with solid ideas. Lately with all the horror movie villains getting fresh comebacks it doesn't seem like this "Creeper" will be rising back anytime soon after this atrocity.

Psycho Goreman (2020)

An all out Blood Splatter Fest!

[10/10 · 31 March 2023]

Psycho Goreman (2020) A Perfect 10

An obnoxious little girl Mimi (sharply played by Nita-Josee Hanna) & her meek brother Luke (Owen Myre) unwittingly resurrect an ancient evil alien overlord (Played by the hulking Matthew Ninaber in a brutal looking Gwar-like rubber suit) that they nickname Psycho Goreman (PG for short). Fortunately, Mimi has possession of a powerful amulet that has complete control of PG. However, other aliens show up looking to destroy PG.

The storyline is fairly simple. It's nothing too complex, but it's also not so dumbed down that it takes away from the fun of the movie. It's the perfect mix of sci-fi, horror, comedy, & entertainment. Sci-fi & horror are both hard genres to mix with comedy; but they made it work. It's an absolute comedic gore fest! Everything about this is gloriously over the top. But most importantly it has heart! Imagine Psycho Goreman as The Terminator & add a dash of Troma. It has elements of Adult Swim humor, GWAR, & Evil Dead. It's a total throwback to the 80's/90's & all the cheesy shows & movies you grew up on. The practical effects, hardcore gore, crazy but well written script, & the cheesy dialogue are mixed perfectly. You can tell Steven Kostanski (writer/director) knew exactly what he was doing.

The retro 80's feel of the practical effects & over the top kill scenes are a breath of fresh air from the typical modern day CGI effects that movies today seem to be saturated with. No hate to CGI, but it's great to see well crafted prosthetics & creative makeup effects today. Total props & high-fives to Matthew Ninaber for the torment he experienced in that PG suit.

There's a lot of creativity that went into the character designs. It's low budget, but it doesn't feel that way. Over time I believe this movie will become a cult-classic. Psycho Goreman is marked on the list as one of my favorite movies of all time. If your someone who loves 80's retro, blood, guts, & silly/ridiculous humor, then this movie is for you. I highly recommend watching this.

I rated PG 10 HUNKY BOYS out of 10.

Army of the Dead (2021)

Braindead Zombie Fun!

[7/10 · 31 March 2023]

A zombie heist film in Vegas? Better Than I Expected!

Army of the Dead is nothing more or less than a gory battle between humans & zombies, filled with mayhem & carnage.

A group of mercinaries are sent into Las Vegas to break into a vault & steal money & of course things don't go to plan. Scott Ward (Dave Bautista) leads the mercenaries trying to pull off the heist in Las Vegas , a city that's been overrun with zombies. There's an underlying message to this zombie film, one of which asks the question who or what is worse, humans or zombies? Overall it was a decent zombie watch. The choreography is extremely well done. The sound design & CGI make up for what the film lacks in character development. There's also some really great kill scenes & the gore is insane at times. But don't get me wrong. There are some ideas that went into this movie that were pretty ridiculous. Like the pregnant zombie, tiger zombie, & also robot zombies. Sounds ridiculous right? I could pick out a lot of the little details throughout the movie that were ridiculous. But what do you expect from another zombie movie? When it comes to most zombie movies now a days you can't think too much about the decisions of the characters, or about why certain events happened this way or that way. Don't take it too serious. Just sit back, relax, & enjoy the explosions, death & violence. Overall I thought Zack Snyder did a great job with this one. I enjoyed it a hundred times more than his Dawn of the Dead remake. It's just good ole fashioned brainless zombie entertainment.

Prey (I) (2022)

Prey was in a word... Phenomenal!

[9/10 · 30 March 2023]

It's very difficult to find any serious fault with this movie. Prey picks the Predator franchise off its feet with this delightful & original prequel. Amber Midhunter gave an amazing performance as Naru the Lead Commache trying to grow into a Warrior for her Tribe. Her acting didn't feel forced & she was truly a warrior in her fight scenes. The cinematography is incredibly unique & fantastic. It fit with a beautiful nature landscape that takes the franchise back to its roots. The kills were incredibly well choreographed & none of it was choppy whatsoever & it was enjoyable to watch. This features some bloody, gory violence that was very well done. I thought the dog "sidekick" was a great idea , though I feared for him through the entire movie. The action sequences were brutal & brilliant. It has a few moments where the CGI is off a little but that's easily forgivable. The appearance of The Predator is disturbing in the best way possible & fit with overly gratuitous features. Not slimy like in the Alien vs Predator films. Not to mention the weapons & the mask, the ladder of which took a more skull design this time & I was all for it. I also loved the little nod to Predator 2 toward the end. And "If it bleeds.... We can kill it" was a line brought back that made me smile.

I strongly recommend seeing this & I give it 9 stars & not 10 only because of a few weak CGI scenes that came off a little fake. Otherwise, Prey does a fantastic job of rebooting the Predator franchise & is easily the best film in the franchise since the original.

Batman: Gotham Knight (2008 Video)

Fun & Interesting Animations

[7/10 · 27 March 2023]

Kevin Conroy was the best Batman!

This is a pretty rare Batman animation. This Batman uses a good & original concept of choosing 6 different short stories done by different directors & animation style & put them all back to back on one disc. The only major issue I had was that I disliked the first story. I also would have liked to have seen some of these shorts made into feature-length movies. But it is what it is. A welcoming addition to the still ever growing Batman franchise.

This variation ensures that every short is a special & interesting story & animation in its own way. Each short can be watched as one separately from the others but it's also fun to watch back to back, even though the stories aren't connected to each other. As an anime movie it is wildly imaginative & visually stunning with a great score.

The anime style is fantastic with lots of atmosphere & quick storytelling. A major bonus - Kevin Conroy (R. I. P.) reprises his role as the voice of Batman/Bruce Wayne. Excellent voice performances all around. This also features some of the best Batman villains from the comics, such as: Scarecrow, Killer Croc, & Deadshot. Personally, I would have liked to have seen Killer Croc more.

Batman Gotham Knight is an excellent must watch. If you're a fan of Christopher Nolan's Batman series & movies then this is definitely for you.

Night of the Animated Dead (2021)

Fantastic For An Animated Movie!

[9/10 · 27 March 2023]

This is very faithful to the 1968 original! But there are quite a few small differences. I won't leave any spoilers. Believe it or not I am not much of a fan of the original Night of the Living Dead, but I like to explore all forms of media from fan films to comics etc.

This is perfect for what I wanted out of an animated NOTLD! This animation is a style I prefer more over most modern animation; similar to that of many 80s & 90s cartoons. It's not far off from the style of the 90s Scooby-Doo. There were some outstanding animated gore scenes. This makes for a really great zombie movie & a compliment to the original as well.

The only problem I had were the voice performances in my opinion. They were weak & at times had no feeling behind them. If it weren't for that I'd give this a perfect 10. Overall I loved this version of the movie. If you've never seen this movie, it stays true to the original & you won't be disappointed.

The Black Phone (2021)

Boring & Disappointing

[4/10 · 27 March 2023]

It's not the worst movie ever, but the hype & high expectations for this movie lead me to disappointment. The Black Phone comes with a few new ideas & is loaded with suspense, but it still follows that standard horror movie formula we already know, & when it does something interesting, it simply leaves it unexplained.

There is no explanation for anything, like why the characters do what they do or how the unnatural events occur. It was somewhat confusing. Some of the characters are also weak & very disappointing. Although Ethan Hawke did an incredible job with what little screen time he was given. He was excellent in the movie! The movie itself, though... could have been great if they invested more time to develop the main characters & cut some elements toward the beginning. That way the audience is left with huge question marks & an unsatisfied feeling. It's fine to leave certain elements in the dark but this movie just felt lazy.

On top of that, some scenes are outright goofy & made me unintentionally chuckle at the stupidity.

I appreciate the time & effort that went into this movie hence the four stars, but after watching, the anticipation you feel from the trailer falls very short. I personally don't recommend this movie to any horror fans. You will only be disappointed.

The Munsters (2022)

If You Love The 60's Show, You'll Love This Movie!

[8/10 · 25 March 2023]

I would not recommend coming into this & expecting some award winning life changing experience. The Munsters is known for having that campy feel with lighthearted predictable humor. It delivered as anticipated. Take this movie for what it is; a retelling of the original Munsters television show of the 60's . This is all around harmless, quirky, silly, & innocent fun. Rob Zombie shockingly does a great job of recreating the fun (& goofiness) of the original show. The humor was right on par with the original Munsters show. If you love the original, you'll catch all the references & smile along with them. The lighting effects are a little over the top. Spooky, Creepy, & are a perfect setting for this somewhat cartoon like ambiance. It's a great atmosphere. The tone of the movie fits perfectly into the Munsters universe.

The plot I found both entertaining & humorous & I feel you would be hard pressed coming up with something better. The movie sets & locations were beautiful. The cast was surprisingly fitting. Having Cassandra Peterson was a nice surprise. We all know Rob casts his wife Sheri in everything & it's a bit annoying. But she nailed this role! My biggest issue was Jeff D Phillips as Herman. His voice was somewhat off & it bothered me at times. But...When your comparing to Fred Gwynne no one wins.

This movie got a lot of hate & the only reasons I could think of was that some people aren't fans of the original Munsters or they expected something like Rob's previous movies. If you have not seen it yet keep all of this in mind & just sit back & enjoy the movie.

Hellraiser (2022)

The Best Since Hellraiser 3!

[9/10 · 25 March 2023]

Hellraiser is the best adaptation that we could have asked for at this point in time. Clive Barker once again claims to be one of the best writers of his time in this version with exquisite cinematography, great character development, & a terrifying pinhead that will give you nightmares for a long time. Sure it isn't Doug Bradley. But, Doug has said multiple times that he won't do Pinhead anymore (didn't Bruce Campbell say the same about Ash?). So of course there is always hope.

In this remake we have Jamie Clayton for the role of The Priest. Being that I am a huge Doug Bradley fan I had low expectations for her role. Yet again I was pleasantly surprised. Her performance was shockingly indestructible!

The design of the Cenobites is faithful to the original, the redesign of the cube expands the universe without losing its roots. This is more than just a horror movie, it is a movie about pain, suffering, & search for redemption. The amount of blood & gore was perfectly fitting. Anymore would have been over the top. The music score of the film was outstanding. It had that very same feel that the first 3 movies had. You could feel this was a Hellraiser movie.

Us fans have waited far too long for another great Hellraiser. Many years later we needed much more than just a decent remake. This movie together with the first three form the perfect trilogy ever seen. This was very close to a perfect 10. If you have not seen the movie yet.... Do yourself a favor & see it.

Long live hellraiser & it's Army of Cenobites!

The Invisible Man (I) (2020)

I Was Pleasantly Surprised!

[8/10 · 24 March 2023]

As a big fan of the 1933 Universal Monsters film as well as the HG Wells novel, I wanted to hate this movie. I went in with the mindset that I would be disappointed. But I was pleasantly surprised! The Invisible Man updates the story in very clever ways that I won't spoil here & it gives a sci-fi horror twist to a relevant story about an abusive relationship. It is an incredible psychological horror that is extremely tense, scary & timely. Elisabeth Moss gives an incredible lead performance & both Aldis Hodge & Storm Reid give great supporting performances. I'm not a big fan of Moss but I have to say she was absolutely brilliant for this role. Leigh Whannel's direction is incredible, effectively utilizing the empty spaces to build suspense. The use of sound is very well done & helps build suspense. It's expertly paced & the music by Benjamin Wallfisch is well fitting & outstanding! However, its brought down slightly by one predictable twist.

In closing : I loved everything about this movie. The acting, the cinematography, the twists & turns, how the entire movie builds at a steady pace. It made me sit on the edge of my seat at times & captures you from the beginning until the very end. This is a must-see for any horror fan or fan of the classics!

Puppet Master X: Axis Rising (2012)

A Fun Watch That Needed Improvement On The Script.

[5/10 · 23 March 2023]

Blade, Pinhead, Jester, Tunneler, Six Shooter, & Leech Woman are all here! This film also features some new puppets that might excite you. If you are familiar with Full Moon Features then you will know what to expect with production. The same if you are a Puppet Master fan. Writer/director/producer Charles Band (Ghoulies, Terror Vision, Re-Animator) is back again to bring you another Puppet Master titled 'Axis Rising'. I was kind of disappointed by this sequel. Our WWII era heroes from the previous films, Danny & Beth, are back, though played by new actors, & find a post-WWII Nazi plot to create an army of their own evil puppets to do their bidding. Using a Re-Animator like green serum (Sound Familiar?) extracted from our puppet protagonists. Most of the films in this franchise aren't exactly brilliant, this one felt too goofy when compared to the others. I did like it when the franchise introduced a Nazi storyline & had our killer puppet heroes fighting the Axis Powers, but this entry was a little too silly & also continued the recent trend of Full Moon Features including a little casual racism, seen in this film with in addition of an evil Japanese puppet named Kamikaze. In my opinion I thought it was hilarious! However, I do still enjoy watching these little things slaughtering away when it's not CGI, so even though this entry wasn't the best in the trilogy , it did still entertain. If your a Puppet Master fan I highly recommend this.

C.H.U.D. (1984)

C.H.U.D. Deserves More Recognition!

[7/10 · 22 March 2023]

I'll admit that I have a soft spot for C. H. U. D. after seeing it during my teenage years. Its not meant to be taken too serious. It's a fun atmospheric monster movie that makes up for deficiencies in budget with a gritty vibe & a "on the street look" with the real-life New York locations never looking trashier or a more fitting place to shoot such an absurd story. It's like the Taxi Driver (Robert De Niro) of monster flicks in terms of setting. It has that strong New York City atmosphere going on.

There's a lot to love about C. H. U. D., although some seem to miss the point. It's not a polished classic in the same class of movies like Predator or Gremlins, but the fact that it's so different from those films really makes it stand out. The creatures look ridiculously cheesy but I still prefer these practical effects to modern-day CGI, & the entire subway/underground setting is portrayed perfectly.

The cast is such a delight. Instead of your usual buff, poor acting male model type of characters, we get a leading group of character actors who look & feel utterly realistic. Christopher Curry (Starship Troopers) is the stressed out detective investigating his wife's disappearance, John Heard (Home Alone) the photographer who comes in contact with something creepy, & Kim Griest (Houseguest) his wife who's menaced in the shower in a bizarre moment. George Martin's villain is also great fun, but the real delight here is Daniel Stern (also HOME ALONE) in one of his best screen roles, full of character charm & charisma. He brings a lot to the role of A. J. The characters alone make C. H. U. D. a great film, but when you add in the great cinematography & conspiracy plotting you get an instant classic. If you've never seen C. H. U. D then you should make it a point to check it out. It's fun entertainment that will have you walking around manhole covers for the rest of your life.