#Chadgetstheaxe

Written by: Travis Bible

Directed by: Travis Bible, Kemerton Hargrove 

Stars: Spencer Harrison Levin, Michael Bonini, Taneisha Figueroa, Cairo Spencer

Screener copy provided by PR Squad / The Horror Collective

With a title like #Chadsgetstheaxe you will probably be expecting something reasonably light-hearted and a fun - and in many ways you would be right. That's not to say there aren't some scares and shocks to enjoy as well.

The movie works in a similar vein to 2022s brilliant Deadstream - chuck some annoying, self-obsessed people into a dangerous situation and watch them suffer- but both played a lot for laughs as well as terror. Often 'horror-comedy' doesn't work brilliantly because the balance seems impossible to get right. But it IS well done here - maybe because the influencer/live streaming culture is so prominent in our lives these days...maybe because some people find their antics genuinely amusing and then the sadistic horror fans who want to see bad things happen to irritating people. 

Whatever your viewpoint you should find a good time with this film especially as the eerie events begin to ramp up and the characters as well as the audiences commenting are really not so sure whether this is a prank or something much much worse. In fact the audience within the audience element of the movie is just brilliantly observed and quite spot on. The comments veer from supportive to trolling to outright offensive and nasty and its representative of (sadly) a lot of online activity today.

The actors are just great - they really play the influencer roles to the absolute hilt and seem to be having a lot of fun going it. Spencer Harrison Levin in the title role gives it his all - Chad is annoying, fame hungry and in many respects stupid - but you also cant help but admire his audacious ambition. Michael Bonini is also good fun as Steve, a prankster who is suspect in a lot of the odd goings on and wish he had been featured a bit more. Taneisha Figueroa and Cairo Spencer play the adorable couple Jennifer and Jordan and have clear chemistry. The audience seem to be just as much, if not more invested in their love story as they do the expedition into the house of horrors! The ending goes for the jugular so to speak and I thought it was really creepy and fun. Some of the comments and viewpoints of fans and trolls as the credits roll are absolutely jawdropping but again....kind of representative of world we live in!

A great movie that I hope gets some serious attention. I'm looking forward to what Travis might have up his sleeve next! 

#Chadsgetstheaxe is coming out on major VOD and digital platforms on Sept. 1 - get your popcorn ready!

Horror in the High Desert 2: Minerva

Written and Directed by Dutch Marich

Stars: Suziey Block, Solveig Helene, Brooke Bradshaw, C.R. Brough, Sami Sallaway, David Nichols Jr, Brian McPherson, Christine Martin and Laurie Felix Bass

Available now on VOD!

How do you top the original movie? Ask Dutch Marich...seriously. Horror in The High Desert remains an absolute favourite of mine since I first watched it - and have now watched it at least 5 times. Like many I have been chomping at the bit to see the next film in the HiTHD Universe and it was a great day a few months ago when it became available to rent/purchase.

I am not interested in giving away any spoilers so will be extra careful in this review - its best you see it for yourself. 

In short this movie is set deep in the deserts of Nevada and documents two horrible incidents which occurred on the same stretch of road, on the same night, around one year after the disappearance of experienced hiker Gary Hinge. Those who have watched the original movie know that things took a dark and disturbing turn for Gary (and us as the audience!) when returning to the desert to appease subscribers to his vlog. The trolling he experienced led him to make a final, fateful journey, to locate a mysterious cabin which had already terrified him on a previous hike. 

But back to Minerva. 

This movie initially covers the mysterious death of Minerva 'Minnie' Sound (Solveig Helene) a student who found herself living alone in a trailer due to an accommodation mix-up. Just looking at the trailer from the outside gave me the chills, imagining living in there alone in the desert....no thanks!

Bringing back investigative reporter Gal Roberts (Suziey Block) who finds herself embroiled in the mystery of what happened to Minerva, we the audience are thrust into a nightmare world of haunting images and jarringly scary video footage. 'I want to see my friend' may well be a quote that will haunt me forever. 

It would be a good time to add now that the horror truly kicks off form the get go with this film. I found the original brilliant in its build up, true crime style, to that haunting and horrifying ending but it works just as well here having the full works thrown right at you. There are many moments I could pinpoint here as truly scary but I'll leave these to you to discover. 

If this wasn't enough the movie rounds out with the terrifying encounter a young  mother, Ameliana Brasher (Brooke Bradshaw) had on that very same road, later that evening.  This segment of the film is really upsetting and disturbing - footage of Ameliana out on that road interspersed with commentary with her mother (Christine Martin) makes for a truly gut-wrenching piece of horror. 

Some fantastic acting across the cast - really authentic and natural dialogue here which makes the events get under your skin even more so. Suziey Block is excellent again as the intelligent and insightful Gal Roberts. I hope a future entry sees her out there in the desert as I think she may be a match for the horrors that lurk there. Solveig Helene as the ill-fated Minerva was great and oh so tragic at the same time. Watching her settle in, eager to start her studies is a pleasure but at the same time dread inducing. Sami Sallaway who plays a pivotal role in events after Minerva dies is fantastic as 'Cathy'. Watching her talk, I truly believed she had lost her best friend for real. Both Brooke Bradshaw and Christine Masters as the Brasher family again are brilliant - even if the events depicted leave a truly horrible taste in your mouth. Finally, a shout out to David Nichols Jr for his role as unlucky at work Luke Wells, a man who found himself involved in both incidents that night as an EMT.  It’s disturbing to hear his take on that night, and he plays an important role in the overall finale. 

Dutch's direction is again top notch - the shots covering the desert area are beautiful and eerie in equal measure. Where he excels even more is when he is leading us through a dark room or outside.... its just masterfully scary. 

What I really loved about this sequel is that it doesn't provide all answers but most definitely whets the appetite for more entries in the overall universe. Keep us coming back for more is the right path I believe. People seem to be guessing all kinds of stuff about what is really happening out in that desert and its brilliant to read and join in with the speculation. 

I just cannot wait to see what Horror in The High Desert 3: Firewatch brings later this year. I am not even fully sure I am personally ready to go back to that terrifying cabin out in the desert. But since this movie will revisit what happened to Gary Hinge...I kinda have to. Maybe with a pillow or two for company... 

Go and watch Horror in The High Desert 2: Minerva available on all good streaming platforms NOW - its so worth your attention. 

The Outwaters (2022)

 Written & Directed by Robbie Banfitch

Stars: Robbie Banfitch, Angela Basolis, Michelle May, Scott Schamell, Leslie Ann Banfitch 

Screener copy provided by Simply Legendary Publicity

The Outwaters is a film I have been dying to see since I first saw its horribly creepy teaser trailer. The simple premise of a group of friends shooting a music video out in the desert is underpinned with a sense of dread that I haven't seen/felt for a while. 

The move itself is an amped up, delirious nightmare and for this it might be polarising to audiences who want to see everything unfold on screen. But if you can sit back, open your mind, and use your imagination then this movie is a massive trip. 

Opening with a really unsettling 911 call we learn that the movies protagonists have been missing since 2017 after an ill fated trip to the Mojave desert. However, a series of memory cards have since been located which show the crew in the days surrounding their potential fates. 

It is via this footage, we are introduced to Robbie (writer and director Robbie Banfitch) and his brother Scott who are helping their friend Michelle shoot her new music video along with makeup artist Ange. 

Clearly none of this will be plain sailing and as the terrifying booming noises at night begin the crew start to become easily unsettled - who wouldn't be? 

To be clear this group aren't going out of their way to put themselves in danger - the eerie occurrences ae most definitely coming for them. Once a shadowy figure appears late one night things then go absolutely berserk. Its a bit difficult to keep up in places I will be honest but its also absolutely  mesmerising to watch and listen to what sounds like hell on earth raining down on these people. 

The remainder of the movie is like a blood soaked fever dream, with a LOT of activity, screaming and disorientating camera work. There are definite leanings into cosmic horror but also a real psychological angle where a descent into madness is fully felt. 

Excellent acting really enhances the tense narrative - the core characters are really put through their paces across the film and they all deliver outstanding and believable performances. Cant wait to see what's next for all of these guys. 

I am so hyped to watch The Outwaters again as I have a good feeling it will offer more rewards the next tine around. I think Robbie and co did a really fine job in creating an absorbing, not to mention surreal nightmare 

I hope you check this out - its an experience as much as it is movie and I would fully recommend watching with the lights off and the sound way up. 

The Outwaters is currently streaming exclusively on Screambox in the USA - hopefully a wider release is soon to be announced. 

Horror in the High Desert (2021)

 

Written and Directed by Dutch Marich

Available on VOD on most platforms. 

 Horror in the High Desert is one of the best surprises I have had with movies in the past few years. When I heard about it, I was already sold on the concept – its not essentially a found footage movie, although there are elements, but it’s a really well made spin on the real-life crime documentary.

The documentary aspect covers the mysterious disappearance of adventurous hiker Gary Hinge who vanished after setting off to an undisclosed location in the Great Basin Desert, Nevada.  His housemate and sister alerted the police, and a missing persons investigation began. Its across this documentary troubling details about Gary’s movements begin to surface and eventually viewers are pulled into his final footage recorded.

This film scared me. I wont bother lying. By the time the finale started I was already nervous as the film did such a good job at building a complete sense of dread and foreboding. By the time we see Gary’s final moments of filming I was pretty much hesitant to keep my eyes on the screen – the atmosphere, the terrifying noises all around Gary are just perfectly constructed. I cannot remember feeling so desperate for a horror movie character to EFFING RUN as I was watching this. Complete props to Dutch Marich for crafting such an intriguing film and ending it on a ghoulish sucker punch.

The cast were great. Other than various videos of Gary’s we only see a few other characters, but they all add to the mystery really well. Suziey Block is perfectly cast as the no nonsense report Gal Roberts. Every scene she is in made me listen intently to what she was saying- she really portrays an experienced and Knowledgeable reporter to excellent effect.  Tonya Williams-Ogden and Errol Porter are also great as Gary’s sister and roommate respectively. You can really feel their sadness and distress at the disappearance of Gary, and I also like that they both played scenes where you weren’t entirely sure if they might have something to hide.  David Morales as Bill Salerno a private investigator is brilliant as the professional but caring man intent on helping Gary’s family find closure. He has to play some of the darker scenes in the movie and is very effective in helping to build on the dread factor. Eric Mencis as Gary is fantastic – there is a kindness and gentleness about him that makes you feel so invested in him and what happened to him. He plays his final moments so effectively and as mentioned before....this had me wanting to look away from the screen.

The film also shines an important light on online bullying and trolling. I don’t want to give anything away, but viewers will see that there are some outside forces which play their part on what happens to Gary, and it makes it all the more tragic. Sadly, Gary is a victim of such cruelty, and his brave response is very much to his detriment.

I could not be more excitement that a sequel is on its way, hopefully this Halloween, titled Horror in the High Desert 2: Minerva and both Suziey Block and David Morales are back as Gal and Bill!

Honestly hats off to Dutch and cast and crew for creating, for me, an unforgettable horror movie with suspense, mystery and absolute sheer terror. WATCH IT.

Trick of the Witch (2010)

Written and directed by Chris Morrissey 

Stars: Share Cherrie, Owen Alabado, Shay Alexis, Renae Boult, Keyanna Sawyer, Irene Villalobos, Micah Mora, Louis Montano, Jovanny Venegas, Rebecca Da Costa, Elizabeth Lam Nguyen, Gia Franzia

Release: Free to View

Wow. It's been a long old road to to see Chris Morrissey's supernatural horror thriller Trick of the Witch. I spent a long time harrasing the poor guy to review this film, it sounded right up my street and I found the trailer...well... bewitching.

I know that the movie had successfull screenings which fit Chris' and his team's vision on it being seen on the big screen. Now it is available for the masses and I am eternally grateful for Chris reaching out to me to share the news. 

I have been admittedly very abscent on this site for the past few years. Not by choice but neccessity...here is hoping I can get back to doing what I love a lot more now. 

So...the big question I guess is...was the wait for Trick of the Witch worth it? Described as a fun popcorn flick by Chris himself, I could not agree more. 

There are so many elements to this movie that appeals to me and I think they are presented exceptionally well. The score is perfect - eerie and unsettling and really compliments the film. The setting is awesome! Seriously, it's this beautiful mansion with statues everywhere, ornate furniture and a well crafted sense of foreboding. The cast all bring variety with their looks and personalites, something that can get lost quite easily with a large cast but not here. I feel as though the main focus on Share Cherries character Krista is spot on but that everyone else gets their chance to shine. 

So the film itself....Trick of the Witch features Krista, a hot mess of a women who is struggling with her personal life and her career. When she gets the chance to head up a new fashion shoot she jumps at it as she knows she has a lot to prove. However some unsettling incidents around her suggest all is definitely not what it seems when a certain venue falls into her lap to carry out the shoot. Dum dum dummmmmm.  

So Krista, the models and crew make their way to the location and after several more odd occurances and discoveries, come together to get working. The aforementioned foreshadowing soon begins it creepy payoff as things go from bad to worse for the group and they find themselves in the fight for their very souls. 

I wouldn't want to say much more than this but suffice to say things get dark and deadly and the climax is just brilliant. I know there was talk to a sequel some years ago and I truly hope that Chris, Share and co revisit this haunting world one day. There are some intruiging ambiguities in how the film ends which I really appreciate. 

Share Cherrie is such a fantastic lead. Her character may be in a terrible place but Share is certainly not. Share plays her  very realistically in terms of her personal struggles but also opens her up to things she previously has no belief/interest in. She's cautious but also really kick ass. Going toe to toe with Krista is the bitchy and spoilt Angel played by Shay Alexis. We get a bit of info about Angel before we meet her so we know she's going to be difficult. Shay nails the bad girl role and later down the line becomes a key player when everything blows up. I really loved Shay Alexis in this movie and her pool scene is brilliantly acted and shot. Owen Alabado really shines as the male lead who gets caught up with the creepy goings on. I know Owen has already done some great stuff (his role in Rock Haven...and I DONT just mean his bum 🤣) and here he plays brilliantly with Shares character. Both are caught in a horrifying situation towards the end and I felt horribly anxious for them both! 

I enjoyed this film immensely and I can't wait to see Chris and co's subsequent work. Trick of the Witch is a fun, eerie and wonderfully made horror film and hope you all go and check it out. 

Pandamonium (2019)

Written and directed by M.J.Dixon

Stars: David Hon Ma Chu, Oriana Charles, Will Jones, Dani Thompson, James Hamer-Morton, Charlie Bond, Lee Mark Jones, Derek Nelson, Chloe Badham, William Marshall, Tatiana Ibba, Charlie Clarke, Nad Abdoolakhan, Annie Knox, Martin M Payne, Pablo Raybould, Luna Wolf

Pandemonium, the latest offering from the Mycho Entertainment Group is a wonderfully fun, back to roots slasher comedy and I loved every minute of it.

Yes that not so lovable Panda mask wearing maniac (a wonderfully unhinged performance by David Hon Ma Chu) has his very own film and he is taking his wisecracks and his tools to a late night office party where the staff are about to get cut and the entertainment (strippers) are going down with them!

If viewers of Slasher House 2 remember rightly, Pandy - real name Jacob Jukushi-  has major beef with strippers...therefore the bevvy of beauties  who arrive at 'level 6' hoping for a big pay out from a bunch of horny, coked up office pricks are in for a REALLY rough night.

There are so many moments in this film which made me laugh out loud. There’s lots of brilliant film references and silly humour (they had cows didnt they?)  that along with all the corporate carnage, it’s just a full on, fun ride. It really harks back to some of the zany office slasher films of the 80s/early 90s, specifically Hard to Die (or Sorority House massacre 3) and Psycho Cop 2.

There are also some great death scenes in the movie - they start out slightly straightforward and then just get nastier and more creative. There is a perfect knife throwing scene which only goes to show director M.J Dixon's love of the horror and slasher genre. There are of course characters who die when you don’t particularly want them to but then again there are characters you are rooting for to get the chop and lets just say you are not going to be disappointed! 

What’s a good slasher film without some great characters. Well Pandamonium certainly doesn't fall short in this area. Charlie Clarke as Carol is an absolute hoot and lights up the screen from the second she arrives. She gets some fantastic lines and made me think that every office needs a Carol from HR. Oriana Charles is perfect as the feisty lead Arielle- equal parts determined and damaged and more than a good match for the murderous villain who is hunting her. Dani Thompson stars as Jasmine, the self-appointed leader of the stripper clan and as always, she never disappoints. Jasmine is sexy, confident, outspoken and not afraid to put up a fight. James Hamer-Morton is great as the sleazy and disgusting Damian who appears to be willing to do anything for a promotion from the big boss. Special shout to Chloe Badham as well for her hilarious role as Aura Dawn (she gets the brilliant cow line mentioned earlier). 

To top it all off there is a fantastically shot, not to mention creepy, final scene. It certainly has you wondering whether there could there be a follow up. Then the next screen pops up and well...I'll leave that there. I hope there are even more films as this slasher has legs....perhaps our favourite cuddly carver could descend on an Ann Summers Party!

The movie makes its official debut at the Horror on Sea Film Festival on the 18th January 2020: https://www.horror-on-sea.com/ and I'm sure the lovely people at Mycho would be delighted to see you there! 

One Remains (2019)

Online Screener

Directed by: Josh Hodgins

Written by: Nancy Criss, Josh Hodgins,Vanessa Leigh, Laura Megan Stahl 

Stars: Vanessa Leigh, Ryan O'Quinn, Christopher Atkins, Katelyn Gault, David Thomas Jenkins, Nicole Criss, Chandra Bond, Taylor Cole, Aaron Bennett, Brianna Heller

From the official synopsis: 

Seeking to document the accounts of an ailing eyewitness, a group of young filmmakers travel to a remote cabin where they quickly realize nothing is as it seems. Horrifying realizations lead to a race to discover the truth behind these mysterious and gruesome deaths. As the facts become more and more evasive and the body-count begins to rise we are left wondering: Will anyone survive long enough to discover the truth? As the list of possible survivors begins to dwindle, this cast of fresh-faced, up-and-comers, find themselves caught in the ultimate moral dilemma; save yourself or save your friends? Will the group survive? Who will be sacrificed? Who will be the one that remains?

"Only one can live to tell the story"

Huge thanks to Nandar pictures for letting me check out One Remains which releases this week stateside! Always a pleasure to review a 'group of people goes to shoot a documentary' style movie which is a personal love of mine - particularly one with such a tantalizingly eerie trailer!

The crew concerned travel out to a huge woodland to stay overnight and interview Samuel Mahoney, a man who found the bodies of a group of teens after they initially disappeared from the area while out hiking. The effects of making such a grisly discovery has had a profound affect on Samuel and his long suffering family and now he wants his story to be told.

However soon after the crew arrives - bickering and personal lives blowing up along the way, it becomes very clear that all is not well over at the Mahoney's - and these innocent souls are about to be sucked right into a grisly nightmare with little hope of escape.

There is a particular scene in the movie - just before all hell breaks loose - that gave me serious chills. I dont want to spoil anything so will just say that once the group go back to their accommodation and start to watch a videotape stolen from the Mahoney family well....REALLY chilling. It is then things get super messed up and I feel like the film makers have a great understanding of balance in terms of its scares and violence. It not over the top  gory but what is there is really quite nasty and wince inducing. However some scenes let the audiences imaginations do its work  and is just as effective.

I cannot rate the acting in this movie enough. There honestly isn't one weak performance from the entire cast. Vanessa Leigh is quite the find as lead character and documentary filmmaker Molly- her reactions are incredibly realistic and she has this impressively natural way with dialogue.  Ryan O'Quinn, Christopher Atkins and Taylor Cole play the Mahoney family and all three are just wonderful to watch. There are so many question marks over their intentions and motivations and all of them portray this to the- extremely tense- hilt.  Aaron Bennett plays Russell who starts out as the comic relief as such of the film but this is slowly but surely flipped as we learn more about Russell and we learn that he is a far deeper character than the crude clown he initially presents. In fact Russell goes through some truly horrifying experiences as the film moves towards its conclusion and I felt like Aaron really conveyed  terror, confusion and sadness. David Thomas Jenkins plays the remedy for the Russell's poor behavior, Michel, who is faced with constantly keeping the peace between his team members. Micheal's character has to play one of the most shocking and harrowing moments in the movie so I applaud how this comes across as I actually covered my eyes!  Chandra Bond and Nicole Criss are a hoot as the bickering sisters, and really show their range as actresses as they are forced to forget their sibling rivalry once danger engulfs them. Brianna Heller plays my favorite character of the group, Wendy, who is the presenter of the planned documentary. She has this effortless playfulness about her as she flirts her way round the group but always shows a caring and protective side to her personality

Honestly if you get a chance to check out this movie and you don't require answers to all your questions in order to appreciate it please do - its a very good reason to be afraid of the woods again! 

Here are all the links you need to find out more about the movie and buy your own copy/watch digitally:

Official movie website: http://oneremains.movie/

Official Movie Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OneRemainsTheMovie/