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Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
A MUST watch film!
Directed by Kim Ji-woon Written by Park Hoon-jung Starring Choi Min-sik, Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Kuk-hwan Chun Ho-jin, Oh San- ha and Kim Yun-seo Running time 144 minutes
I saw The Devil is another fine example of South Korean film making, with an eye for incredible cinematography and a stomach for intensely vicious unrelenting violence tempered with a raw emotions.
The film opens with a beautiful young woman on the phone stranded, roadside with a flat, waiting for a tow truck. Her fiancée, Intelligence Agent Soo-Hyun, sings Happy Birthday to her on the phone, as she waits. Soo has to run as people begin filing into the conference room, as Joo- yun (Soo's Fiancée) hangs up there is a tap at her window, an offer of help. She politely tells the kindly stranger no thank you, but it seems he had something far more devious planned than helping. Violently ripping her from the car, he drags her unconscious to his, and next we see she is naked, bound, pleading for her life as he prepares to hack her to bits. Putting the pieces in place for one of the most intense, epic revenge driven stories I have ever watched. It turns out not only is her Fiancée an Intelligence Agent, but her father is a Squad Chief, and they both want vengeance in its truest form! Soo receives a file, from his almost father in law, that shows the top four suspects, all of them violent offenders. Soo begins to track and question each one until he finds the evidence needed to be sure who the killer is. Thus begins a cat and mouse game that is really almost indescribable, epic in acts, characters, and finally conclusion!
There are numerous moments of brutality that will make you want to almost pull away, but the story is so well written and tightly put together you cant stop watching.The pace of the film is perfection, generally in a film of this length at some point you are going to be longing for the end, but not once was I waiting for the finish. I was completely hooked into the characters, and their struggle against one another. Its engrossing on every level! The violence is just as driving as the story, and comes in these grand waves that are so disgustingly realistic that they are literally painful to watch, but so well balanced that they don't overwhelm the story at all, and just brilliantly executed. We watch as Soo becomes more and more like the man he is hunting, spiraling through this dark slippery emotional blackness that is sorrow, guilt and self loathing, while never loosing focus on his supreme goal no matter the cost.
This is just an absolute MUST WATCH film. Granted its a bit of an investment time wise, but it is so beyond worth it. This is one of the best Asian films I've seen since OldBoy (which Choi Min-Sik also starred in), its seriously that level of genius! There are so many twists and turns you just wont believe where this one takes you!
Frankenstein's Army (2013)
really wanted to give a 7.5 love it and hate it all at once
Everything about Frankenstein's Army is a bit of a strange Hodge Podge of things that don't normally fit together. Lets start with the fact that the film itself is billed as a Dutch-American-Czech film, that in itself says strange things and definitely worked to pique my curiosity, as strange is often under rated as far as I'm concerned. One other thing that caught my attention with this one was the art attached to it. Sometimes we tend to take it for granted how much the poster art on any particular film colors or perception of what it may be and whether it would be worth our investment in time or money. So with so many various points pushing me towards the play button I gave in, I mean really we all know it was just a matter of time before I lost the battle anyway!
The setting is WWII, and we have an elite recon unit of Russian soldiers who are making their way across the countryside, occasionally coming across some very unusual corpses. These corpse don't appear to be entirely human nor do they appear to be anything actually know to the men. War makes the nerves sketchy enough with out strange half man half something else sparking corpses showing up. Anyway I digress, our band of soldiers receive a distress call from another platoon, so our hero's rush off in aid of their comrades.
While searching for their "boys" they come across a farm house, where they make the acquaintance of a German going about feeding some of the animals. (Now I should not have to tell you buuuuuuttt just in case you slept through history, the Germans were the primary enemy of WWII). They try to get info out of him in regards to the whereabouts of their fellow countryman, to no avail. After a bit of torture the German offers to take them to where they boys are, which is where things get really strange...
Frankenstein's Army is a hard one to review for me because on one hand its really kind of awesome, but on the other its really not! I find myself both loving and hating it at the same time, and my viewing buddy had much the same reaction to the film. So I guess to be fair I need to speak about both sides.
Some of this movie is really very successful. The story itself is fairly simple, war torn land, soldiers trying to find and rescue their comrades, and evil mad Scientist bent on finding his own solution to the raging war, fairly straight forward. Granted there are a few twist and turns I haven't expressed, but as always I do my best not to give everything away,because wheres the fun in that? The film also has some honestly creepy moments in way of visuals. The monsters that make up the Dr's.Army are awesome. Easily some of the most diverse and interesting creature I have seen in some time, and really well executed. It also has some nicely done gore effects, that work well with-in the story line and don't go overboard, which would have been easy to do in this kind of context. The film also has almost a classic feel to it, it looks aged making you feel like your watching something that would have come out in the 60s or 70s era. All of those things are really fantastic about this one.
Now onto the other side, what didn't work for me in this film. The biggest singular problem in this one is that its another in the long line of Found Footage genre, which works for some things but not this one. It starts out with a bit of promise with the quality and colors of the film appearing to be what you would expect from the time period. However as it moves forward the found footage concept losses something in the translation and just doesn't at all fit. This film could have been hugely successful had they just filmed it as a straight forward film, instead of trying force it forward as found footage. It has some other slight issues here and there but they are pretty inconsequential in comparison.
This is a film that would have been almost guaranteed cult film status if it had been filmed differently. It could still garner a strong following, for no other reason than the Mad Doctors creations which make the film worth watching for sure. Its just difficult to fully engage in this one, I found it impossible to really stay focused on the film, so take a word of advice, before you pop this one on. Make sure all shiny things are removed from view or you may notice a twinkle out of the corner of your eye and be pulled away completely for a few!!! *HeatherOmen* TheHorrorNation.net
Scream Park (2012)
Familiar but fun with a nice story twist
Scream Park
Directed by Cary Hill Written by Cary Hill Starring Doug Bradley, Wendy Wygant, Steve Rudzinski, and Nivek Ogre Distributed by WildEye Releasing Running time 85 minutes
Fright Land is closing, seems no one wants to spend their time, let alone their money at the aging amusement park anymore. The staff of the beleaguered park have agreed to send off the place with a bang, planning on partying the night away on the closing eve. As soon as the gates lock, the bodies begin piling up.
Right from the get go with this one I was thinking "Fun House", classic 80s cult carnival slasher film, but the film showed itself to be more than I expected. It features an interesting cast of characters with Doug Bradley (Hellraiser), Nivek Ogre (band Skinny Puppy, Repo: The Genetic Opera) along side relative new comer Wendy Wygant (Jennifer) and slightly more seasoned actor Steve Rudzinski. Nivek and Bradley obviously help pull an audience to this one right away, just the two of them are worth the price of admission (or DVD purchase) alone. Bradley, and Nivek both turn in strong performances that you would expect, but the rest of the players do admirably also. Granted its filled mainly with lesser known's they put up a decent show, albeit a little flat on occasion.
One thing I was particularly pleased with in the film was that they were able to offer a nice twist in what felt like a very familiar story line, that really made the Scream Park itself feel more tangible. It added an unexpected level of interest and believably to a genre that can sometimes feel a bit lack luster in storytelling. It was one of several really smart choices that help this film stand out in the crowd.
Scream Park will have a strong appeal with many fans. It offers a nice body count, some fun slasher moments, and a nice visual homage to the films many of us watched in the day that grew the genre into what it is now . Add that to a cast that would make any first time director the envy of any set and you have a film that delivers just what you expect going in... A bit of of the yummy goodness we love in slashers, blood, boobs,tension and just an all around good time! Its another example of why Wild Eye Releasing is developing a nice following of fans. They distribute films we enjoy watching, not just once but time and time again! *HeatherOmen* TheHorrorNation.net
100 Bloody Acres (2012)
Great Indie Aussie Flick highly recommend
100 Bloody Acres a great example of Australian film making, written and directed by the Cairnes brothers, it marked their feature length debut. The Australians have a long history of great quirky films that tend to offer something a bit different and this one fits right into that history!
Its the story of a pair of brothers,Reg and Lindsay, who have an entrepreneurial spirit and the willingness to go the extra mile to get it right. They have a small business in fertilization, with a secret recipe to make your veggies grow! They take road kill and grind it up to give you Blood and Bones fertilizer, the thing is sometimes the road kill is bigger than a "roo!
Reg comes across an accident scene, checking it out he realizes the driver is dead and hatches a plan for success. Driving back to the family farm, and production facility he offers to help some unlucky travelers on their way to a music festival, who have run into a bit of car trouble. He picks up the trio, Sophie, James and Wes, The boys go back into the back of the truck where the body is hidden and sophie rides shotgun with Reg. They pair begin to chat it up, as the boys in back find trouble. Reg delivers the group back to the farm where we meet his brother Lindsay, who is not too happy with Regs lack of fore thought in this latest scheme. Reg is desperate for his brothers approval, so he soldiers on but it isn't long before he has second thoughts and thats where things get really interesting. Is there music and love in the future for our travelers or will they be spread between the rows like so much manure??
100 Bloody Acres is a great film! Its engaging, humorous and wrong! It has everything you need for a good time some weird sex, infidelity, sibling rivalry, a bit of good gore, hilarious action scenes and more! The film is extremely well written, and has a heart that I didn't expect. It reminded me a bit of Black Sheep in the feel and tempo of the film, but was something very different in story. I definitely recommend this one, its not going to have you jumping out of your seat but it will probably make you double over in laughter, while still giving enough tension and gore to appease your horror appetite! I am hopefully the Cairnes brothers will be offering up more goodies for us in the near future!
*HeatherOmen* TheHorrorNation.net
[Rec]³: Génesis (2012)
Nice new spin makes this one unexpected fun
The 3rd installment in the original Spanish film Franchise Rec, which has spawned American remakes for the first two parts of the series (Quarantine and Quarantine 2, and I have no doubt Quarantine 3 is on the way), is a bit different than the other two in the series. First part 3 is actually set to be happening before, during and after the first installment of the series, which is a little hard to grasp, and its not particularly evident that its the case when watching the film. Second this installment has some comedic elements thrown in that the others didn't, but the comedy is dark and doesn't overwhelm the feel of the film. Third and probably biggest difference in this installment is the fact that it starts as found footage just as the other installments, but as the movie continues it becomes a traditionally shot film.
The setting is a happy affair, a young couple Clara and Koldo are getting married today. Family and friends come for the celebration, and we see among the revelers, one who seems to have some sort of injury. The celebration moves from the Church to the reception hall, which is a grand and lavish estate of sorts, multi-level with numerous rooms, and multiple buildings on the grounds. As the party gets swinging the videographers notice cops, and men in what appear to be Hazmat style suits on the outskirts of the grounds, but they pay little attention to them, as they are distracted and pulled back inside to the party goers. It isn't long before all hell breaks loose and the party becomes more of a cannibalistic buffet, as the celebrants break off into groups each trying their best to survive, as our young couple tries to find their way back to one another through the chaos.
OK so what did I think of this one? Well to be honest I was pretty impressed. This installment shook things up a bit which I found to be smart and refreshing. They changed things up a bit with the "monsters": in this one too! I won't say what they did but it brought a whole new interesting element into the franchise that I didn't at all expect and really liked. The added comedy was a nice giggle but didn't go so far that it took away from the action or tension of the film. I admit this one is fairly predictable in some ways but the added elements and changes made in this installment help keep it feeling fresh and interesting. All in all, I think this was a well done film, one that will keep the viewers coming back for more. Rec 3 offers something new in the franchise and in the genre. I would definitely recommend this one, especially since I fully expect others in the near future will be borrowing from the ideas in Rec 3, which will show it to be bit of a trend setter, as well as a fun film!
Infliction (2014)
An interesting commentary on the system and society, well worth a watch!
Infliction is the story of two brothers,in 2011, who documented their murder spree in North Carolina. This is the actual assembled footage. The question is what prompted this spree, and why did these two brothers feel the need to document it? Well to get those answers you will have to watch this one for yourself!
What I will say about is Infliction is this...
Infliction is a story of failures, failures of the communities we live in, failures of the agencies put in place to help protect us, and failures of personal responsibility we all have to make things better (or worse) for the people we see every day. Its a dark look at what happens when we fail to do what is morally right because we either don't want to get involved or don't know how to through the bureaucracy of systems set in place.
When you look at the film there are a lot of interesting things going on, some of which may really get under your skin, enraging and depressing you all at once. Its a well written story with a focus on the culmination of the choices made by others and the effect they had on these two brothers, not just for the day but everyday of their lives there after, how they shaped and molded them, in turn eventually setting into place the decisions that they make to exact retribution.
It could easily be set in any area of the country, on any given day. Its a film that once seen, we realize we watch some portion of in every newspaper on news broadcast, almost daily, and that is part of the force behind this film and what makes it so powerful, and disturbing. I have no doubt that this is a story that will resonate with many viewers.
Infliction boasts performances that are above average for small budget indie films, all the main players are easy to watch, some stronger than others, but all in all well rounded. I felt like some of the dialogue was slightly over scripted, taking away from the organic feel that you want a found footage film to have, but the story was strong enough to make it easy to look past that when it happened. Personally I found Ana Shaw to be a huge standout in this one, she is spot one. She feels very organic, delivers some stirring, raw emotional scenes, and has a very complex character that she just plays to a tee. She steals the scene when on screen with her very powerful performance, making it hard not to watch her regardless of what else is happening around her. The role played by Don Henderson Baker is also one worth special mention. He plays his part a as callous, cold and completely unsympathetic character so well I found it hard not to enjoy him in a villainous sort of way, hes just a mean cantankerous SOB that your going to love to hate.
Infliction starts a little slow, but if you stick with it you are rewarded quite handsomely with a film that really comes together, answering the deep questions in a way that's a bit more twisted than you'd probably guess. The action and pace get ratcheted up at about the mid point making the last half just fly by, with consequences for our characters that are farther reaching than we could have imagined going in, and ending in cavalcade of bloodshed that was really quite well done. And once the credits roll, that's when you see the testament to the films success (or failure), because this is a film not meant just to entertain. Infliction is a film that is meant to make a statement, and only you can say whether it spoke to you, inspired a conversation, or left you reflecting on the choices you have made, or would like to believe you would make given similar moral dilemmas in your life. Just remember the choices you make when the time comes will affect generations, so make them carefully!
*HeatherOmen*
Music Store Massacre (2013)
If you love true INDIE this is a must see
Recently I had the opportunity to check out this indie film, Movie Store Massacre by Gordon Price. Originally when sent, I watched the trailer and thought that it looked like it would be at the very least a fun film to watch. I expected it to be a bit on the silly side, but like I said at the very least I saw some possibilities in it. This is one of those movies that reminds you don't judge what you don't know! Upon first glance it seems like it is something of a family, friend community type indie film, but once you begin watching you realize it is much, much more. Gordon Price delivers something that works even when sometimes you can't exactly say why.
The compact non spoiler version of the story is this, there's a lot of people doing wrong in this little town, and a Reverend who is tired of it. He has a plan to take out the evil doers and the instrument (quite literally) to help, in this sweet custom guitar that is meant for more than just tunes! As Deaths pile up, a pair of polar opposite detectives, think good cop ~ bad cop, work to put the pieces together. But what do all these victims have in common past their hate mongering, unjust ways? And how many have to die brutally before the cops get the answers they need?
OK so in reality the cast and the plot in this one is pretty big, much bigger than I just made it sound! Big doesn't always work for smaller budget indie productions but this one stays pretty on message, and is broken up into segments similar to chapters that help you file the pieces away. keeping the movie neat and tidy in terms of storyline and characters. The acting in general is actually pretty good. The characters often seem relaxed and natural in the moment, much better than you would expect. I was fairly shocked by how well most did, especially considering when you check the IMDb on this one many had little prior experience. Movie Store Massacre also offers up some pretty enjoyable gore moments that are intensified by his use of color saturation for the blood effects against a primarily black and white film. The use of black and white actually work really well for the film, giving it a more polished look in final than I feel it would have had if they had gone full color. Of course with a name like music Store Massacre you have to eventually get to the music, and this film does a awesome job with theirs! I liked it so much I am hoping a soundtrack is available!
There were many things that worked for the film, but I had a few problems too, so heres the down side. there are a few issues with the sound quality, but that could be due in part to my screener style version that I got to review and so maybe on the bought version it isn't an issue. I also felt like it could have been edited down just slightly, maybe come in 15 minutes lighter, but the edit on this is far from bad!
All together this is definitely something to watch. It a film that offers a moral, told in a completely immoral way, sandwiched between boobs, blood and music. A wonderfully strange mix of things that feel so unlikely but yet somehow Gordon Price and his crew make it work and turn it into something memorable for all the right reasons. Its a good time with an unlikely message, delivered by some people you wont soon forget, but don't take my word for it, support this indie film!
Bad Milo! (2013)
Bad "Ass" Monster equals funny horror done right
Bad Milo is another great example of what is right in horror comedy the last few years! Its a perfect blend of bad one liners, potty humor, heart and gore. Who would have thought that a film that teaches us about Anus Mythology, could be so awesome?! And I can't believe I am saying this about something that is borne out of a mans ass, but damn Milo is adorable. I swear by the end of the film you're going to want a Milo all of your own, poor misunderstood lil guy!
Duncan is an average good guy, living the average good guy life. He has a decent job, a good woman, and what looks like a okay life. He struggles with some tummy trouble, mom offers remedies, doctors try to help, and eventually he ends up unhappily in therapy where we can get to root of his problems. Pretty quickly this film pulls you in with a great opening scene, and then it keeps pace through the entire film, rotating between great blood soaked moments and humor sometimes mixing the two perfectly in such a disgustingly delicious way that you may feel both grossed out and ashamed for laughing at such wretchedness. You will also find yourself shocked by how much you want to hug this little ass borne, doe eyed, killing machine, i swear I even got teary at one point for the lil fellow! It was awful!, but it goes to show the amount of emotion that is in this film, not what you would expect from a story like this one.
If you haven't watched this film yet definitely add it to the list, it is a gem! The cast is made up of comedy veterans who bring this film to a whole new level of funny, and the gore is very effective with some scenes really looking incredibly good. I will definitely be pulling this one out again for years to come. It just goes to prove stress kills, but sometimes its kills the other guy!!!
Contracted (2013)
Moments of Greatness that don't go anywhere in the end
The movie pulls the viewer in right from the get go with a dose of necrophilia, leaving you wondering just what you actually saw. Then we find ourselves following the main character Samantha as she makes her way to a party, minus her better half. While at the party she tries to be a good girl but things go wrong as she falls to pressure and drinks her sorrows away. Before you know it she finds herself in trouble with a guy at the party, and wakes the next morning bloodied, sore, not too sure of what happened the night before. Samantha makes her way to the doctor with various symptoms, and tries to blow off her discomfort since the doctor doesn't seem concerned. Samantha's condition however wont let her ignore it. We watch in disbelief as she gets sicker in the most creepy and uncomfortable of ways, while her life falls apart around her. All of this becomes too much for Samantha to bear, as her body withers so does her mind, until she finally succumbs to violent madness pulling you along for the ride!
I have to say this movie started off really strongly. I was pulled right into the story and although parts were predictable it didn't matter too much as the tension and creepiness of the movie more than made up for it. Samantha's mental breakdown led to some unexpected fun that was a nice change of pace for the film,and helped keep the story moving. The effects are done really well too, making for some cringe worthy moments! Viewers will find it almost hard to watch parts of this film as the symptoms ravage Samantha's body. There were a lot of things that worked in this movie to make it very watch worthy!
While many things worked for this film, some did not. This film really takes a high level of "suspension of disbelief" to really be able to get into. Samantha's condition gets to a point where it makes no sense why she isn't, either voluntarily or by force of the doctor who is treating her, at the hospital for treatment and quarantine purposes. The fact that neither happen are truly a hard sell to the viewer. Samantha's mother (Caroline Williams) is also a bit of a hard sell as she seems completely oblivious to her daughters medical demise in front of her eyes choosing instead to believe drugs are the issue, which is fairly ridiculous given her symptoms. However, if you can overlook those two glaring points the rest of the story is pretty good, with some decent twists.
I mostly enjoyed this one. Contracted was tense, interesting and aside from the disbelief issue, pretty absorbing. The ending of the film was a bit of a disappointment for me. It felt like a cop out of sorts. I really wish they had done something different, but I wont pan an otherwise good film for the final 5 minutes. All in all, this is worth a view, I'd definitely recommend renting this one, but I won't be adding it to my collection any time soon.
*HeatherOmen* TheHorrorNation.net
The Upper Footage (UPPER) (2013)
A fantastic example of film blurring the line between fact and fiction
The Upper Footage is a movie that blurs reality and fiction.It reminds us the monsters are not always scary men lurking in dark shadows, nor are they the creatures of childhood nightmares, more likely they are the people we may think we aspire to, who maybe we all could too easily become. It is a riveting story of an all too familiar reality, that is so believable director Justin Cole was able to use the real media to help further blur the lines we cling to in order to feel safe as we sit back and get our fill of our favorite genre.
The film is billed as being an edited 90 minute version of 393 minutes of found footage covering the events of one night in the lives of a group of affluent young socialites. It is a story of privilege, money and affluence gone horribly wrong. We watch as this group shows their colors in overindulgent petty behaviors that eventually lead to an accidental death and that's where things get really interesting.
So many things about The Upper Footage are done incredibly right. Justin Cole starts with a story that we have all heard, and gives us an all access pass to the entire event. That in itself wouldn't mean much if the acting was flat, or if the dialogue felt scripted. Somehow, everyone comes together to make this feel very organic, lending incredible believability to the film. The marketing is another point that needs to be mentioned as Justin Cole effectively used our ceaseless desire for dirty news via tabloid TV, getting shows like Entertainment Tonight to bite on the "leaked footage" resulting in a blurring of the lines between art and reality. He further plays into that gray area, by not naming any of the actors involved in the film and has even pixilated his own image on the net, giving a true air of mystery to the entire production, and leading you questioning what you just watched.
I found that all of this played together beautifully well. I was beyond impressed with The Upper Footage and would highly recommend you take the time to check this film out. The film shows how effective the found footage genre can be. It pushes boundaries, and our sensibilities by taking it to the ugly but real conclusion. The film literally left me shaking with anxiety for a minute at the end, a reaction I can honestly say I have never before had from anything I've watched, and believe me I've watched a lot! I am already looking forward to what Mr. Justin Cole has in store for us next!
*HeatherOmen* TheHorrorNation.net
Amber Alert (2012)
Great idea, poorly executed
OK so I admit I was a bit hesitant about even watching this one, so I've been putting it off for awhile. I'm a mom with two beautiful lil monsters so stories like this one can hit a bit close to home, reminding us that the scariest monster of all is man. I don't think there is a parent out that that jumps to these movies,the story is all too familiar, and thus hard to not get overly emotionally involved, which tends to take the movie out of the fun spectrum. Looking for a new title the other night I passed this one yet again, the monsters were sleeping so this mom decided it was time to pull up her big girl panties and jump in.
Amber Alert is yet another of the "found footage" genre of horror/thriller films, given the subject matter it doesn't seem like a horrible choice. The premise of the story is a couple of friends are out whooping it up trying for one last big adventure. Samantha (played by Summer) and her best friend Nathan (played by Chris) are driving around with Caleb (Samantha's younger brother) filming their antics every step of the way for an audition tape for some sort of Adventure Race type reality show. As our team of hopeful adventurers make their way down the highway they notice that an amber alert is active in the area, and of course quickly see a car that fits the description and license plate number. Our intrepid would be hero's call the police who tell them it will take at least 15 minutes to get to the area, so they decide to follow the car from a distance until the police show, unfortunately they don't show... which brings us to the tag line of the whole film... You Are Her Last Hope...
The premise for this movie is fantastic. It has so much potential for jump out of your seat tension and real life creepiness given that we all see these types of real life stories way too often. The story makes sense, its believable as a scenario, and even the found footage style seems like it should work well within this type of dynamic. Unfortunately that just isn't the way it turns out. I was really disappointed by this one. Samantha and Nathans likable dynamic goes right out the window as soon as Nathan starts whining about not wanting to help, Samantha quickly becomes grating in her tactics to force the him to help, which made me want to tune out rather fast. The movie regains some footing here and there, segments that begin to pull you back into the moment of the film, but they didn't last long enough to fully engage me again, leaving me only half invested at best in the drama and tension of the story. The final 30 minutes or so they try to amp the tension back up, and are somewhat successful but they don't push the envelope. For a film that was fought with so much potential and a story-line that could have been so visually and emotionally dramatic I felt like they offered us a very diluted version of what could have been.
However as always folks personal taste is just that its personal. I know some are real fans of the movie, and thought it was very taut emotionally, so check it out for yourself and then tell us what you thought of it!
*HeatherOmen* TheHorrorNation.net
Atom the Amazing Zombie Killer (2012)
perfectly troma-esque, a GREAT time with a smart twist!
Richard and Zack have much to be proud of with this their first feature length offering. Atom the Amazing Zombie Killer is a fun splatter filled horror comedy that literally made my watching companion dry heave just a little, that alone is a huge compliment to this style of film. It is completely in your face unpretentious gore, sex and cheesy laugh driven experience, that is an obvious nod to the Troma films I loved growing up. They even have the King of Troma, Lloyd Kaufman, starring in a pivotal albeit small cameo role of Atoms grandfather.
The story itself revolves around Atom, who being the bowling stud of the community has incurred the wrath of bad boy and fellow competitive bowler Dario. They battle for supremacy of the lanes, and family honor, with their respective teams, unaware that doom lay just around the corner. Our hero Atom seems not to be able to get a break, his nymphomaniac girlfriend plays him, his team is on the wrong side of the bowling alleys owner, and then top it all off with the fact that no matter where Atom goes hes surrounded by the undead. And all the poor guy really wants is to watch a good horror flick and take his team to the bowling nationals in Hawaii, I mean really we can all relate!
I loved this indie film. It is what it says it is, but it also isn't, and believe me I realize how crazy this sounds, but I promise when you watch the film you will have an ah ha moment and know exactly what I'm talking about. Its imaginative in a very clever unexpected way, that in itself is extremely refreshing especially in the ever popular world if Zombies. Add the over the top gore effects, creative kill scenes, ever present T&A, and laugh out loud comedy with some really rocking tunes and you've got a great excuse to flop down in front of the tube with that special someone in your life, that you too want to make heave, just a little!
HeatherOmen TheHorrorNation.net
Compliance (2012)
Reality CAN be stranger than fiction
Compliance, not your typical Horror film by any means, but scary non the less. Released by Magnolia Pictures this one received a limited release in the states with little fan fare altho it did EXTREMELY well on the festival circuit. Compliance is a film that is based on actual events, now usually when you read this you think sure "loosely" based right?! Ummmm no! Thats what make this one pretty scary in a very dark dramatic way, this all actually happened, the horrors you see are all part of the actual events of this case. You will have moments when watching it that you will once again find yourself saying No Way did it happen like this, people wouldn't be this daft, they wouldn't be this willing to subjugate nor submit to such things but once again I tell you these things ALL really happened. In fact with just the slightest bit of internet savvy you can find the details of the case, the resulting criminal charges, lawsuits, and long term implications the case created for one restaurant in particular. On a personal note I am old enough to easily recall these incidents being reported on, and I am a bit of a news junkie sometimes and even I was caught a little off guard by this one, I had no idea just how far people had taken the scam, so do yourself a favor don't research this one until after you watch it, I think its a bit more powerful of a film that way and definitely creepier.
Becky (Dreama) is having what seems to be a normal day at work, cashiering at a fast food restaurant, that is until her manager Sandra receives a call from "Officer Daniels" (Pat Healy), and suddenly Becky finds herself implicated in an in store theft that has been reported to the local police by the victim/customer making the day anything but routine. Sandra believing she is speaking with an officer who seems to have a ll the right answers, wants to be a good citizen and after all the officer has stated that he takes full responsibility for the situation, so it all must be on the up and up right?! What Sandra doesn't know, but we can see, is that the man on the other end of the phone is not at all who he claims to be, and the horrors he is about to ask her, her staff and others to be a part of (at her naive behest) cant be imagined.
Compliance is a film that is hard to turn away from, its not an action packed thrill ride, but it is a tight, creepy, crazy, weird story that is like a train wreck of humanity. As I stated this is not the normal type of horror film, its more of a mix of drama and psychological thriller, but its is scary in its own way just the same, because it set in a place we can all relate to, and its true, people really did take things to this extreme, and just as scary the victim self victimized, its absolutely crazy! What is even more nerve wracking is that this film could have been made out of any of a vast number of similar scams, at least 70 of which have been reported over approximately 10 yrs, none to the extent of this one but still, 70 times someone in a position non to minimal authority over others was convinced to act completely out of character tasking a role of authority that they had no right to take ~ that is what makes this film so very interesting.
Interesting alone does not a film make... Lets be honest a movie can have a great concept, and still bomb, its needs great performances to carry that concept through from point to point in a believable way that makes us want to watch, and the cast of Compliance does just that. Ann Dowd in the role of the restaurant manager is definitely a standout. Upon first receiving the call you can see hesitation and discomfort in Sandra as Officer Daniels request certain tasks of her to help move along the "investigation", but as the story proceeds forward Ann plays the evolution of her role of authority beautifully. She moves from awkward and sympathetic with Becky to irritated and pushy, egged on every step of the way by the manipulative "Officer Daniels". I have to make mention of Dreama Walker as Becky too. Becky is just as powerfully played. We watch as she loses her sense of self, changing from a confident and defiant young lady to a girl wracked with fear, guilt and self disgust. Pat Healy and Bill camp bring a lot to the table in this one too!
This is a film that will left me feeling almost dirty for having seen it. I wanted to smack sense into my neighbors simply because they too could at any point prove to be this damn gullible and lacking in forethought. And then there was a part of me that wanted to watch it with my kids so that we could have a long talk about why it is important to always stick to their guns, and if ever in doubt about what their rights are call mom and dad, and then I remembered that they were 2 and 3 so yeah kind of put a quick stop to that plan lol! Hopefully you get the point the film moves you, it invests you in it deeply, it gets under your skin and makes you wonder about both yourself and the people you think you know. I highly recommend this one, if your looking for a change of pace that still has a really nice creepy edge to it Compliance is a great choice for your movie appetite!
Coyote (2014)
will live on in your mind long after seen
Art house horror, it's a term you read more and more these days on sites like our, but just what is it? In searching for a "true" definition, in hope of helping explain the term to those who aren't yet familiar with this sub genre of films, I found that its as hard to "define" as it is to explain. Everyone seems to have their own explanation of what the term means. So instead lets break the term down to the two basics, to get a better idea of what people are talking about. First, Art House Film, as defined on wikipedia: "intended to be a serious artistic work, often experimental and not designed for mass appeal"; they are "made primarily for aesthetic reasons rather than commercial profit" and they contain "unconventional or highly symbolic content". Second, of course is horror, and I think we are all pretty well in the know on that one! In putting the two pieces together you basically have what is an experimental film, meant to make you think, questioning the human experience and world around you, infected with the horrific. An often very visceral, graphic film that continues to live in your mind well after you watch it, as you try to disseminate what you saw and the implications it presents. Its more than a film it is an experience! If you are still unsure then you need to look no further the this film Coyote (which will soon be released by Wild Eye Releasing), it is a spectacular example of what Art-house Horror is meant to be!
I decided to let this one speak for itself so heres the synopsis straight from Coyote's FaceBook page, "The film stars Bill Oberst Jr. as Bill, an insomniac writer whose sleep-deprived hallucinations distort reality as paranoia drives him to extreme violence." The film follows Bill through his days (and more importantly, nights) as he descends into madness. We are left to determine what part of his "reality" is madness induced hallucinations, and what is "real", with moments of violence that will make your jaw hang open, and your body quiver.
Coyote is quite outstanding in many ways, the film is shot beautifully with an interesting use of color transitions to illuminate the path of Bills mental breakdown. I found that to be both smart and often visually stunning decision by director Trevor Juenger. Another thing I found very compelling in the film, is the underlying sadness I felt from the character Bill, it helped drive the film for me, investing me in his journey on a much deeper level. I have to give a nod to Oberst Jr for that one, I cant imagine any one else bringing forth the same combination of vulnerability and madness that make Bill murderously maniacal yet still leave you empathizing with the struggle that makes him so "bad", and I chose bad rather than evil here for a reason. Evil is a choice that one makes in my eyes, where as "bad" (in the context of the film) is more of a result of the break from reality that is suffered by Bill as a result of his mental frailties. Then you have the violence, oh the beautiful, crazy, head pounding violence! Juenger and Oberst Jr make perfect pair in this film, adding many levels to the experience, making for a film that satiates the viewer like a great meal for the mind!
If you have never watched an art-house horror film I HIGHLY recommend that you give this one the honor of being the first! It will leave you searching the realms for more. I have no doubt people will be talking about Coyote for a long time to come. It has already earned numerous awards on the festival circuit, and has garnered just as much attention for being banned in some areas as for the awards. Lets be honest though, that isn't going to hurt this title at all, in fact it is probably one of the things that has helped it gain distribution. Horror fans can be a bit like kids in the fact that when you tell us we can't have something we are just going to want it that much more! That being said when you watch the film there are some "OHHHHHHH" moments when you know instantly that you just watched a scene that was deemed too much for public viewing, Thankfully Wild Eye Releasing obviously believes that art is meant to be seen and as mentioned will be releasing the film in the near future at which point you can determine for yourself if it is too much, or just enough!
I found it to be just enough myself! The film left me feeling disoriented, and slightly skewed emotionally (or to put it plainly crazy). It pulls you into the world of Bills mental illness and gives you a taste of what some people truly suffer on a day to day basis. It is a beautiful, dark film that deserves the accolades it's getting.Coyote is a film that will live on in you long after you finish watching it, and may just give you a new found appreciation for this burgeoning movement called "Arthouse Horror".
HeatherOmen TheHorrorNation.net
13 Sins (2014)
13 Sins asks How far would you go?
OK so I admit I was a bit under educated going into this one and found out in my usual prepping that 13 Sins is actually an American remake of a Thai Horror/comedy, 13 Beloved that came out in 2006. I was drawn to it immediately being the huge Ron Perlman fan that I am, I was pleasantly surprised when I started watching and saw another familiar face in Rutina Wesley (True Blood) playing the pregnant fiancée.' there is another familiar face from True Blood as well in the unnamed father in law to Rutina, Tom Bower, who played in several episodes of the series. the film is full of notable character actors, all leading you to expect a great film.
Elliot (Mark Webber) is expecting a promotion to go along with his upcoming nuptials pregnant bride to be Shelby (Rutina). It looks like life is going to be roses for the couple, but looks are often deceiving and upon closer inspection we find the couple is in dire financial straights. The couple is struggling with a wedding pending, baby on the way and Elliots special needs brother, and it looks as though Elliot needs to rescue his destitute father as well.
Upon arriving at work he finds instead of a promotion, his problems are compiled with a pink slip. How can things get worse you ask? Just as it seems all hope is gone for poor Elliot, he gets a mysterious call offering a solution, 13 tasks each more strange and difficult than the last but for every task completed his bank account will grow, but once you start this game there is no turning back! How far would you be willing to go to make ends meet and find your financial freedom?
So to start with there's nothing all that new about this one, but it does offer up some nice little twists as you go. The characters are each interesting in their own right. The cast is fantastic, but not particularly challenged by the story, so although they do well they don't necessarily shine the way I had hoped for.The film has its moments of dark humor, some good action sequences, and interesting kills. The tasks put in front of Elliot will definitely lead to a discussion and some internal battles of conscious for the viewer.
All in all this film is a fun watch, a bit predictable but it it will also more than likely throw you a few curve balls. Its not a film that is going to change cinema history, but its worth a watch for sure. I will eventually add this one to the collection, as I could watch it again, and I do love some of the cast, but its not as fresh as I had hoped for, yet somehow its still interesting enough to be enjoyable and keep you watching.
HeatherOmen TheHorrorNation.net
The Perfect House (2013)
Smarter than it may first appear...
I have been reading about this film on numerous sites for a few months now and the variance of opinions has shown itself to be as wide as the Grand Canyon! That, to me, is a sure sign I need to watch something for myself to see which side of the fence I fall on, one of my nerdy idiosyncrasies. So I was pretty excited when I found out that Wild Eye Releasing had picked this one up for distribution and would be soon available. Then lo and behold the sky parted, the shafts of light beamed down upon my doorstep one morning recently, and shone brightly on a wonderful little package from the great folks over at Wild Eye! It was like Christmas morning and the mailman had become Santa! I hurried inside feeling a bit giddy with anticipation, quickly tearing into the box with the relative care of a 3 yr old, (angles voices cascade through the air), when what do my wondering eyes see, but 11 dvds tucked nicely in box in front of me!!! Okay so maybe that was a bit much but hey it was pretty awesome and I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of this one included in the titles!
If you haven't heard of this one let me fill you in. The Perfect House is an anthology film that has 3 main shorts, and they are all tied together under the guise of a newlywed couple, searching for their dream home, and they think this could just be The Perfect House for them! See each short is set inside the home at a various time period, with a different family, or cast of characters, suffering varying horrible fates, all of which we get to relive as the newly weds and their seriously over sexed real estate agent move from area to area of the home. Lets do a quick breakdown of the tales:
The Storm~ A family of four seeks shelter from a raging storm in their basement. Quickly we see the cracks in this family and realize its not the weather they should be afraid of... Chic-Ken~ we find ourselves witnessing the execution of one mans grand plan to thin the heard with the help of his caged, captive muse. This one begs the question how well do you know what your neighbor is doing behind closed doors?? Dinner Guest~ what starts out as a friendly offer to break bread amongst neighbors escalates to something much more sinister, that will leave one family wishing they had stayed in and ordered pizza!
The Perfect house has got some attention grabbing names attached to it like Fellisa Rose (most notably of Sleepaway Camp fame, which if you were like me, scarred you for life with something you had never before even contemplated lol) John Philbin (The Return of the Living Dead) and Jonathon Tierston (also of Sleepaway Camp) all giving this one cult appeal right from the get go! All of them performed well but Fellisa and Jonathon both individually were stand outs their personal performances. I was also pretty impressed with relative new comer Holly Greene. All in all the performances across the board are pretty good, with a few better than others, a couple that are just entirely lack luster, but it all balances out pretty well, as the weakest tend to be very small bit players.
As a whole I thought this was a smart film, and I really enjoyed it. Often in anthologies the thread that holds the stories together making them relevant to one another is tenuous at best, but this offered stories that really did flow well within original premise of the film. and when you get to the real heart of the film its all about appearances of suburban normalcy and what that facade may actually be hiding, making for a pretty interesting and thoughtful watch (especially if you enjoy looking into the deeper possible meanings of films).
My personal favorite short of the anthology has to be The Storm. A great example of how things may appear one way, when in reality they are really something very different. It was smartly done, with some nice twists, and changes in perspective as you peer into their lives, as witnessed by each member. Its a nice paced psychological horror piece that left me shaking my head with admiration!
I thought the film, as a whole was pretty good ( id even say worthy of popcorn!). I think if I hadn't read so much on this one first I probably would have enjoyed it more though. I read over and over that it was a gore fest from start to end and it does have more blood and gore than the average film, it wasn't what I was expecting in that department. However that doesn't mean lacks gore it just wasn't the over the top effects I had imagined, but gore hounds will admire the second piece in the anthology which offers up some really meaty moments in practical effects that are sure to catch your "eye":! This is a film I definitely would recommend, the cult names alone make it worth owning! Past the names the film is a well written introspective look at suburban living that will leave you thinking about what your neighbors may really be up to and what the hell they think about what it is your up to! Every family has its secrets, and every home helps keep them... The Perfect House...
HeatherOmen TheHorrorNation.net
Bloody Bloody Bible Camp (2012)
They Nailed the feel of 80s Slasher films! Awesome Flick
The name alone screams WATCH ME! BBBC is a name that says cult classic long before you peep the poster or dim the lights to get your view on, so the bar is set extremely high right from the get go on this one, leaving little room for mistakes. I knew going in this would probably be a love or hate relationship for me with no middle ground. It was going to be fun on a grand scale or epically let me down on a deep level. OK yeah I get it, I sound a bit dramatic, but the name really pumped me for this one, what can I say?? I'm a passionate gal, especially for my b slasher horror! And so now as they say lets go on with the show{'s review}.
So here's the basis for our little tale today. 1977 a young and randy group of campers are enjoying themselves at Happy Day Bible Camp. Well that is until Sister Mary Chopper has had enough of their immoral debauchery, and that's when the massacre begins. Fast forward to 1984, and Father Cummings (Reggie Bannister) is taking a new gaggle of gawky hormonal and biblically bound teens out for another wholesome romp in the woods. Stopping for supplies on the way in to camp the group hears, and ignores, the story of the sadistic Sister Mary Chopper, and her reign of moralistic terror at Bloody Bloody Bible Camp. How many will survive the weekend and does Jesus (Ron Jeremy) REALLY save?
First off let me say this film transported me back to my teens. It feels so authentically 80s its Like Awesome! I was really impressed with so many of the choices.Creating a period piece, especially one the at many of us actually remember, you need to do more than just mimic the costume of the time, you need to create a feel, Vito and his cast found away too do just that! Between the casting that reflected the imperfections of the time, to the actors that hit the mannerism and over the top awkwardness of the early slasher films, it was just so spot on! It was like a visual study of the era, and had great nods to the films that built the genre, like SleepAway Camp, Friday the 13th, and other favorites of the time. Of course you can't do 80s slasher without boobs and bush, and although BBBC has its fair share, it appears more gratuitous than it actually is, you feel like your seeing very salacious scenes when in fact a lot of the indecency is really implied rather than seen, quite brilliant.
Another thing that makes this a gem of a film is nestled within the bare bosoms, and raunchy humor is a some really smart social commentary. Its not often you have the opportunity to be schooled in morality by an ex porn king but Ron Jeremy does just that, in a humorous fabulous way. I am a huge fan of Ron Jeremys mainstream work, hes fantastic! This is a film that will go down in the ages and I personally want to hug whoever it was that chose Ron Jeremy for Jesus, my only complaint is that I was really hoping that he played a bigger role in the film. Bloody Bloody Bible Camp is a film that I will definitely own, and watch again and again. If you are a fan of old school horror this is one you have to check out, its not going to change the world but it will turn a frown upside down! And for all you UK readers I am happy to tell you the film just recently became available in the UK market look for it under the title SIN.
*HeatherOmen* TheHorrorNation.net