GET READY TO GET CHILLED - CHILL PREMIERE ANNOUNCEMENT!

It has just come to light that upcoming indie slasher mystery Chill, will receive its world premiere(s) on both the 5 and 6 April. Not only that but the movie will screen twice on both dates - meaning if you are lucky enough to be in the area you CANNOT miss this. I mean literally cannot miss this. The venue for the premiere will be the Medina Community Theatre, Medina Ohio and as if you needed any more convincing to attend the ticket price is a mere $5 Dollars.

If you managed to read my review of the first hour of this charming and engaging film you will know that its definitely one to watch so please do go and support indie horror if you can make it out to Medina on either (or both) of these dates. The proceeds will go towards getting the film into film festivals so this is a big and important time for Meredith Holland, Noelle Bye and Roger Conners, the guys behind Chill.

Read on below for the official synopsis of the film, a new poster and a link to the official Facebook where you can find out all you need to know about the dark little world of Chill......



“November 17, 1988, is a day of mourning for some…and for others, a lucrative opportunity. On that date, eight university students were found murdered in the old arts building at the college. An anonymous source told police the 20-somethings were in the midst of a local role-playing game, called Chill.

The name of the game is to stay alive. But for the players that November evening, few would …be getting up for another round. But when a scheming student decides to profit from the tragedy and revive the whodunit game as a web series, the new players soon discover, for some, this game is still all too real…”

https://www.facebook.com/ChillTheMovie

The Inside (2010)

(Screener Copy)

Directed by Eion Macken

Written by Eion Macken

Stars: Tereza Sborva,Kellie Blaise, Siobhan Cullen, Vanessa Matias Fahy, Natalia Kostrzewa, Sean Stewart, Emmett Scanlan, Brian Fortune, Karl Argue and Eion Macken as 'The Man'

Release: DVD (UK) 25 March 2013, Courtesy of Monster Pictures.



Many thanks to Steve Hills of Monster Pictures for sending me a screener of upcoming found footage horror The Inside. The film releases on DVD in the UK on the 25 March and for the most part is a creepy and effective watch.

The plot involves a young man who lays his hands on a shocking video, depicting the events which occurred when a group of young girls, armed with video camera, break into an old building for a birthday party. The tape reveals that following the girls brutal assault by a gang of violent rapist vagrants, them and their attackers found themselves at the mercy of a far more frightening threat. Something unknown and deadly...with escape appearing very much futile. I don't want to give much away beyond this point except to some there are some insanely creepy things going on in this building, from the inexplicable noises and blood red symbols all over the walls. Half the fun is trying to figure out exactly what is after the core cast...and hoping that their male attackers get what they deserve!

The acting is pretty decent across the boar. All of the girls come across as likeable and display a genuine air of friends trying to have fun (before all hell breaks loose). It becomes a bit tricky to keep tabs on them all once the shit hits the fan but they all also all do a good job of expressing stark terror in their unfathomable predicament. Emmett Scanlan who you will likely recognise from hit C4 soap Hollyoaks is FAR more terrifying than Brendan Brady in this film- you may think that couldn't be possible...but I promise you it is.

My main complaint with The Inside is the sheer chaos it descends into when the girls are first attacked. Of course this is a very likely scenario should this actually happen in real life however I just found it way too jarring. The girls are screaming, the guys are screaming and it quite literally gave me a headache. I felt it made an extremely disturbing predicament slightly more ineffective as opposed to the actual intent behind it. However once you hear that ominous baby crying, something even the vicious attackers cannot explain, you know we are headed into far more terrifying territory. Following this I am glad to say the headache subsided and I found myself completely sucked into the film, eager to see what the conclusion would be.

I recommend this to horror fans in general but to found footage fans particularly. Fans of the sub genre should like what they see but if that's not your cup of tea, I can't see The Inside will do anything different to change your mind. However if you love all this kind of stuff, shaky camera, raw hysteria and all, grab a copy of the film - it has some solid scares, an ominous atmosphere of dread and a great and chilling little ending.

The Leafblower Massacre (2012)

 



(Screener Copy)

Directed by Anthony Cooney and Josh Stephenson 

Written by Anthony Cooney and Josh Stephenson 

Stars: Anthony Cooney, Anita nicole Brown,Patrick Hozjan, Shavar D Clark,Josh Stephenson, Mariel Taren.karla Shaw monay,Martin shawn Cooney.Bryan shu -izm

Anthony Cooneys (El Hombre Muerto Pictures) new horror short The Leaf Blower Massacre plays loving homage to the SOV revenge horrors of the 80s, most specifically The Nail Gun Massacre (spot the title similarity).

The hilarious hook of this film is that our masked maniac had armed himself with, you guessed it, a leaf blower, as weapon of choice! How does one attack and/or kill another human being with a leafblower? Well jump in and find out....

I had a great time with this little horror flick - there is a lot to be said for being creative and wacky with your psychopaths MO and I felt Anthony Cooney has hit the jack pot in that respect. Ok its silly and ok you might think 'grab a machete or something and just get on with it!' but I dont think thats what this film is all about....its supposed to be different and fun and it is. The majority of the film centres around a poker game being played by a bunch of mostly unlikeable people and we all know where Mr Leaf Blower is headed dont we? The ending to the film then takes on a slightly nastier dimension as the killer takes a very angry young lady looking for her (sadly dead) boyfriend.

Oh and this film also has the best tag line EVER: 'When Autumn arrives...no one survives!' .... awesome. 

I think there is a place in us horror fans lives for a Leaf Blower Massacre feature film...maybe old leafy could descend on a sorority house or a boarding school or something? I say BRING IT.

Head on over to the films official Facebook page right HERE to find out more about it!

THE SHORT FILMS OF JAKOB BILINSKI

I was really pleased to recieve a number of short films from director Jakob Bilinski, who is behind the upcoming Giallo influenced Three Tears on Bloostained Flesh. Read on for my thoughts on the films which range from thriller to horror to exploitation! Safe to say I am officially a big fan of Jakobs work......


Foxxy Madonna Vs the Black Death (2007)

Foxxy Madonna Vs the Black Death is not a horror short. And I don’t give a damn. This is one entertaining little short film with a total kick arse main character and I had a blast watching it. The film is an action extravaganza playing loving homage to similar movies of the 1970s and features sexy and sassy Monica Barajas as the titular character up against all manner of foils including possessed folk, plagues and chalkboard wielding maniacs! If you haven’talready guessed this film does not play by rules – and I love it for that.

Not only is Foxxy Madonna Vs the Black Death entertaining but it is also very well made. It’s presented professionally, is well written and has a great little soundtrack.  The cast, particularly Monica, are well up to the challenge and help to elevate theshort to a higher standard. I am very impressed with this short film and it definitely makes me more excited for Jacob Bilinski’s upcoming work!


Obsolescense (2011)

Obsolescence plays out like a mind bending thriller/mystery which successfully keeps you guessing throughout its 26 minute running time.

Nick (Scott Ganyo) has a young woman stashed away and tied to a chair where he is demanding answers to an unknown question. The captured lady Tess (Rosalind Rubin) attempts desperately to talk Nick down from his crazed plight, to no avail. We then find ourselves back in Nicks past where he is romancing a young lady named Annie (Jen Lilley) where we start to get more clarity on what Nick is trying to find out. The film keeps you on your toes by switching between past present and future, all building to a truly stunning revelation. Actually make that about two stunning revelations! Both I'm sure you won't see coming!

Obsolescence is a great piece of indie cinema. It's well written, keeps you interested not to mention guessing and is made even better by some excellent performances. In particular Jen Lilley as Annie gives a genuinely sweet turn and I would be very interested in seeing more from her!

A final thought on this film would be that I see great scope for a feature film involving elements of the plot and the shady organisation we get to know a small amount about - that's a 100% compliment to Obsolescence.


Bloody Hooker Bang Bang: A Love Story (2012)

Not to be crude...but Bloody Hooker Bang Bang is FUCKING awesome. I demand a feature length version right NOW!

 At a short and sweet 12 minute running time, this film manages to pull off an excting, action packed mixture of revenge horror and exploitation. Starring the always amazing Kristine Renee Farley (who looks kick arse AMAZING) in this film and Sidney Shripka (who gave a fantastic turn in Big Biting Pig Productions Hell is Full also alongside Farley) as a pair of sexy and tough hookers. Sara (Shripka) and Kate (Farley) have managed to incur the wrath of the psychotic Mamma (The absoutely brilliant Cindy Maples who has also starred in many of the films bought to us by Big Biting Pig) who takes it upon herself to send her motely crew of equally as crazy children to dispatch the two girls.

The film very quickly descends into chaos as a dark and dingy buiding becomes a battle ground between the girls, with support from a man with means pimp (Kevin Roach) and the hideous spawn of Mamma Crowe. This is cue for some insane and brilliant gore and bloodshed and I give massive props to Jakob for keeping the entertainment factor turned right up to ten for the whole of BHBB.

The film looks amazing, it is a low budget indie short but as I say it NEEDS  a feature because this version looks like it belongs in theatres....Sin City eat your heart out, I would rather see a follow up to this film or a full length version than the ever delayed sequal to SC!

Great acting, great costumes, amazing gore effects, and a tense, funny and towards the end extremly sad plot. You must see this film as soon as you can, one of the best short films I have ever had the pleasure of sitting through and that is a fact.

The Toy (2013) (Short)

 

Directed By Derek Dennis Herbert

Written by Derek Dennis Herbert

Stars: Krystelle Lorraine, Benjamin Stevenson and Jonathan Sterritt


Today I had the pleasure of checking out Derek Dennis Herbert's new horror short The Toy. Derek has recently been finalising the film for release following a successful pledge campaign to raise money to make it. It's great to see that all the hard work has really paid off as I found The Toy to be a creepy, well made, 12 minutes of horror and all I can say is I would love to see more of the ominous doll Billy in the future!

It's Christmas time and young Tommy is excited to wake up in the morning to open all of his presents. His loving mother Patricia is equally as excited for him and after putting Tommy to bed she prepares for the following busy day. Christmas day soon rolls around and Tommy's estranged father Jonathan shows up much to his sons delight (and his mothers distaste). Jonathan brings with him two gifts, one rather disappointing and one a toywhich Tommy has wanted for ages, much like with young Andy in the original Childs Play with the Good Guy Doll! But it soon seems that something may not be right after Tommy is hurt and claims that the doll, who has told him that his name is Billy, is responsible. He also claims Billy has told him to murder his own parents. The Toy then delivers a cruel and haunting ending which leaves a nice touch of ambiguity as to whether it was actually the doll who has committed the vicious acts on display.  I would like to point out that none of this is delivered in poor taste and there is no on screen gore. This is not at all a hindering factor and actually works incredibly well in it's favour - you really dont need to see any extreme carnage in this film for it to be effective and I hope you will agree when you see it.

I really had a great time with The Toy. It tells a good story in its short running time and instantaneously grips the viewer. I loved the fact that the titular toy was a very non descript looking little thing as it just adds to the creepiness of it all. The mere thought that such a generic and harmless looking  childs toy, could be home to a murderous evil really raises a chill. The film also features some GREAT acting. Krystelle Lorraine steals the show as concerned and caring mother Patricia because she just comes across as genuine and likeable. Her scenes where she realises something horribly bad is afoot also shows that Krystelle has some impressive acting chops and I would love to see more of her in the indie horror world! However that's not to say the other cast members are not good as they also do a fantastic job. Benjamin Stevenson is brilliant as the cheery young Tommy and his change of character toward the end really impressed me. Likewise Jonathan Sterritt comes across as a genuinely caring father who perhaps has made some wrong choices in his life and hasn't been there for his son as much as he feels he should be.

The Toy is really well made, it looks extremely good for an indie film made on a low budget and is already making me excited to see what Derek may do next whether it be with another short or even a feature. My only complaint? I wanted to see more! Get yourself over to official The Toy website HERE and get the film rented or bought right now! I really don't think you will regret it, particularly if you are into horror stories involving toys/dolls or are simply a fan of great indie film making!

THE HORROR SHORTS OF PETER DUKES

 I was really pleased to receive a number of short films from indie horror director Peter Dukes. The films  range from light scares to out and out horror and I enjoyed these immensely. Peter is certainly one to watch out for in the indie horror world!

The Beast (2012)

I thought I would start with the newest of Peters short films and work my way down, so to speak. Therefore I will firstly give my thoughts on emotional werewolf horror tale The Beast. Starrring well known indie horror actor Bill Oberst Jr. the film centres around a father named Michel (Oberst)  who is desperate to rid his son (Alexander Le Bas) of a horrifying condition which see's him transforming into a werewolf when the moon is full.

The acting in this film is top notch I have to say. It propels a fairly simple story to another level with the father so devastated by the god awful affliction haunting his son that he seems hell bent on doing whatever it takes to end his misery.

I dont want to spoil anything but will confidentally say that you will be on your seats edge in the final minutes as Michel must make an absoutely horrible choice and you will most certainly be thinking 'will he or wont he' in its final scenes.

I think there is some great werewolf makeup effects on display here and makes me excited to think what Peter might do with possibly a werewolf feature! This short made me feel like there is still some blood in the werewolf legend and perhaps Mr Dukes is the one to prove that to the world!

A very impressive and really quite sad horror short which provided great acting, great makeup effects and an extremely tense climax. You will want to watch this horror fan or not.

Lanrete (2010)

Next up is Lanrete is a 7 minute horror short which gives a nice new twist on the zombie sub genre.

The film is centered around a scientist ( John Micheal Herndon) who has been captured by a stranger in a ski mask ( Brahm Gallagher) and appears unaware of the reasons behind his detainment. It soon becomes clear that the person, sorry thing, behind the ski mask is not a living human being...but it IS able bodied...and wants answers ...NOW.

To say too much about Lanrete would be unfair as it should be seen fresh without any spoilers or indication of whats going on. What I would say is pay good attention to the nail biting conversation between the captured and the captor and I hope you agree that the outcome has not only not been done before but is actually a very rewarding pay off.

In summary, a refreshing short horror film which takes a well known sub genre of horror and presents it in a completely different way.  I think that it clearly demonstrates Peter Dukes ability to take something we all know like the back of our hand and turn it on its head - which is just fantastic.

They Watch (2009)
2009 short, They Watch is essentially a throw back to those old episodes of The Twlight Zone - you know the kind, an odd mystery which builds up to an eerie or twist pay off? I loved this short so much - its 100% in the vein of The Twlight Zone from its purposefully mysterious dialogue to being shot completely in black and white. 

The plot of the story involves a man named Marcus ( Greg Travis) on his death bed, being cared for by his wife. One day Marcus recieves a visitor  named Victor( John Michael Herndon) who comes across as a mixture of sinister and anxious. It soon becomes clear that not only do these men know each other but that they have a macabre secret which Victor is keen is not unleashed on account of Marcus' guilt prior to his  death. Now, we never find out exactly what the secret it but you could make a few good guesses based on the tense conversation between Victor and Marcus.

What gives They Watch an even more exciting angle is the chilling end where something really rather unexpected and terrifying is shown captured on video camera. This scene kind of reminded me of the few genuinely chilling moments in Insidious (Please note that They Watch came first though!) and was just perfect. Following this we get one last scare as the character of Victor goes to leave the home he has come to stir up so much trouble in. A really really great short with an intriguing plot and a scary ending - all in the space of ten short minutes!

The Scarecrow & The Princess (2009)

Also from 2009, The Scarecrow & The Princess was described to me as a light hearted horror film for families by director Peter Dukes which I agree with totally. To an extent. It certainly does play out as a family friendly mix of fantasy and non violent Halloween antics BUT I could imagine some children finding the ending a catalyst for many sleepless nights or nightmares! Or maybe I am just a wuss?

Anyway the story....the film tells the tale of a lonely old scarecrow eager to find a friend as he watches the world go by. Its Halloween night and its just his luck that a young girl (Cameron Protzman), dressed as a princess  comes along and keeps him company. However the disruption of this burgeoning friendship by several mean kinds who come along to steal the young girls candy causes the young girl to disappear in upset. Thus, our friend the scarecrow  is left alone once again. This does not go down well at all and our straw filled pal decides that some scores need to be settled.....it is at this point the film ends, but before this we see what appears to be a lifeless creation by an old guy, slowly spring into action.

This film is extremely clever in that the the dialogue of the scarecrow and the young girl is narrated by someone else, in a wonderful fairytale style way, so that you see the scarecrow exactly as he should be seen; a set of clothes and sackcloth filled with straw. This makes the final scene of the film both surprising and quite creepy and I completely congratulate Peter on this. I think this may have been my favourite of all four shorts although they are all great in their own right. I cannot wait to see more from Peter Dukes based on these films!

Crossbearer (2012)

Directed by Adam Ahlbrandt

Written by Ahlbrandt 

Stars:  Issac Williams, Natalie Jean, Victoria DePaul, Kacie Marie, Tim Cronin, Julia Campbell, J.D Brown, Shaun Paul Costello, Dawn Vaughn, Kelsey Lehman.

Release: DVD available HERE! 



Adversary Films bring us one of the darkest, nastiest slashers I have seen for some time. It truly is a grimy trip to hell and back and writer/director Adam Ahlbrandt should be commended for really going for it with the dark stuff.

The plot of the film involves broke stripper Heather. Heather is absolutely sick of her life; her job is soul destroying and her relationship with coke addled Victoria is leaving her desperate to get out - and fast. It turns out that Heather has a girlfriend on the side, Bunny, a girl she really wants to be with. The only way Heather can see to escape her miserable existence with Bunny is to double cross her arsehole/psychotic boss at work in order to have enough money to make her getaway. Safe to say that this is NOT going to go to plan because Heather and her friends she enlists to help her in her plans find themselves trapped in a dark and dingy factory - at the mercy of a murderous religious fantastic intent on ridding the earth of human filth. From here on the film descends into a blood drenched nightmare as our resident maniac begins using his ‘hammer of god’ to brutally dispatch those he deems not worthy of life.

I firstly have to say that if you like your horror light and fluffy with a few jump scares and some comic gore then Cross Bearer will most likely not be for you. A word of warning here folks as this film includes a plethora of dark stuff – heavy drug use, abuse, graphic sex and nudity and a lot of cringe inducing gore. If you think you can handle it then jump right in as this is very much a sharp, fast paced and well-made slasher film.

The acting in Cross Bearer really hit the mark for the most part. Aside from one or two weaker performances, the principal cast were really impressive. Natalie Jean as Heather and her deadbeat girlfriend Victoria (Victoria DePaul) in particular handled their meaty roles exceptionally and were people I came to care about despite (Ahem Victoria) their flaws. Isaac Williams was absolutely terrifying as the god fearing fruitcake who has taken it upon himself to do a little societal tidy up. You may think ‘well how much acting does a masked killer actually have to do in a film?’ but I must say the killers insane ranting and cruel taunting was really effective and creepy.

Adam and co have done a bang up job with Cross Bearer in presenting a well shot indie that impressively belies a low budget. I am impressed with both the aesthetics of the film and the blatant boundary pushing Adam has done in not prettying anything up. I am not a fan of drugs in the slightest (and obviously don’t agree with cold blooded murder either!) however I guess if you didn't see some of the drug use on display in this film, the impact of the characters would have been significantly lessened.

A really great job here and I look forward very much to their next effort The Cemetery – a gory tale of demonic possession…..

Waterfront Nightmare (2012)

(Screener Copy)

Directed by Clark Birchmeier

Written by Jason B. Whittier

Stars: Bree Michaels, Liana Werner-Gray
Andrew Roth, Simone Wasserman, Dominic Ryan Gabriel, EJ Assi , Anthony Ecclissi, Elias Bahri, Kef Lee, Grady Chambless, Megan Grant, Kirk Wilcox 


Big big thanks to Jason Whittier for sending me a screener of Waterfront Nightmare, a film he wrote and co produced along with director Clark Birchmeier.

Waterfront Nightmare spins the familiar tale of a group of young friends vacationing in a cabin in the woods for some good times unaware that someone out there wants then very much dead. That said familiarity aside, Waterfront Nightmare takes the slasher film to a new and interesting level, not just in the manner in which it is filmed (which I will come onto) but also in the strong characterisation of its key players. The film very much sets out to, and succeeds in giving the young friends their own discernible identities be it good or bad. Take Emma ( Liana Werner-Gray) a fun, free spirit who likes her alcohol a tad too much but is also a sweet person under the wild child front. Or Jackson (Elias Bahri) boyfriend of lead gal Kelly (Bree Michaels) who appears gentle and loving but masks a really rather hot temper underneath it all. Even more interesting is the coupling of foul mouted but loveable Alyssa (Simone Wasserman) and her cruel, arrogant and volatile boyfriend James Dominic Gabriel). Here is a couple some viewers may find unrealistic due to James horribly poor treatment of his girlfriend and her reluctance to end their relationship. However there ARE couples like this out there, the kind you just watch in action and think 'WHAT are they doing together' but they just seem happy to carry on the misery.

I would very much put Waterfont Nightmare in the mystery thriller/drama category. There is a madman on the loose and these kids do start dropping like flies, however there is no real gore to speak of and you do need to use your imagination in many scenes. I am not saying this is a bad thing, its fairly refreshing to see what is essentially a slasher film not going for any type of hardcore violence and concentrating more on style and well written characters.

Speaking of style...this movie has it in spades. I'm no technical whizz so I am not going to attempt to 'blind you with science' or anything but Waterfont Nightmare is extremly stylishly shot. Its hard to really explain this except to say you will know what I am talking about whenj you get to see it. Lots of interesting shots throughout the film, some of which exist as a kind of warning or precusor of events to follow. I really loved this element of the movie and I hope that viewers are likewise pleasantly suprised.

The acting was also really rather good! I can see why Bree Michaels was chosen to play Kelly, as she comes across as genuinely natural in her role. She also kicks some arse toward the end and I enjoyed this a lot. In fact the whole group of kids do a great job, I loved Liana Werner-Gray and Simone Wasserman as party girl Emma and downbeaten Alyssa respectively. Elias Bahri was fantastically unpredictable as Jackaon, nice and placid one minute, going for someones throat the next! Dominic as James is also superb as the guy you really have to hate, he is just a complete and utter bastard - to his friends and his girlfriend - I would never want to go on holiday with this dude!!

I hope others are not expecting the killer to be who it turns out to be by the end of the film. I was nicely suprised and although it made perfect sense, it still was a neat reveal which made me think 'oh ok!'. A good end with a nice bit of action.

I recommend Waterfont Nightmare highly to fans to horror mysteries and also those who like a little more style to a tried and tested formula. Check out the films official Facebook right HERE and look out for news on when you can get to the see the film SOON.

FILM MAKER JASON HAWKINS TAKES US ON A TRIP TO HELL - CHECK OUT THE TRAILER FOR 'THE DEVIL KNOWS HIS OWN'

It wasn't too long ago now that I had the chance to review a film called 15 by filmmaker Jason Hawkins as well as the pleasure of interviewing Jason and cast and crew members.

Now 15 is a movie that I will never forget, yet part of me wants to forget. Not that it was a bad film, it wasn't, it was actually quite exceptional...however it was also extremely raw and horribly uncompromising. Jason and the guys behind 15 made a haunting, controversial piece of film which if you get the chance to see you will never forget it. I promise.

Back to the present Jason and his team at Gravestone Entertainment bring us a new horror film: the intriguingly titled The Devil Knows His Own. Now here is a trailer that doesnt give too much away, which is great but DOES throw lots of creepy ideas, images and taped conversation at you, to truly whet the appetite. It look set to be an awfully frightening piece of horror cinema and sincerely gave me the chills - one part in particular involving a terrifying man...you will know it when you see it.....


Read on for the official synopsis and trailer - hope you enjoy it! Also check out the films official Facebook page!


The Devil Knows His Own

When Jessica and Ethan Ray receive news their Grandmother has passed, they believe the nightmares of their childhoods will finally be laid to rest. Returning home for the first time in over 25 years, the siblings reunite only to discover a mystery surrounds the house they are inheriting. Within the walls of their family estate, the dead to do not rest easy, and the horrors of their childhood are nothing compared to the terror that awaits them. 

The Lodge (2008)

(Screener Copy)

Directed by Brad Helmink, John Rauschelbach

Written by Deb Havener

Stars: Elizabeth Kell, Owen Szabo, Kevin McClatchey, Mando Kreisher.

Release: DVD (UK) 14 January 2013 Courtesy of 101 films.

















Steve Davey of 101 Films was kind enough to send me a screener of recently released The Lodge and due to the creepy artwork and nods to some truly great horror films I was excited to see what the movie had in store for me.

The plot is ultra-simple. A young couple, Julia and Michael (Elizabeth Kell and Owen Szabo) trying to get away from it all, hole up in a luxurious cabin to enjoy each other’s company and the fresh country air. It becomes extremely evident from the offset that something is horribly wrong as the cabin manager/owner appears suddenly, not seeming at all familiar with the area or the cabin he is supposedly in charge of….. Things go from bad to worse when the creepy guy, Henry (Kevin McClatchy) steals items belonging to them and they then make a startling discovery. From here the film launches into action with the young couple fighting against a macabre situation in an attempt to escape it alive. There are some pretty decent tense scenes once the truth has dawned on Julia and Michael and this was an element I did enjoy about the film.

The more disappointing aspects of The Lodge come mainly from its apparent lack of inspiration or originality. It’s totally fine to make a film, with a theme that has been touched on many times, however to keep many viewers interests nowadays you have to throw something else into the mix. Now while this is a criticism for the most part of the movie, The Lodge does redeem itself towards the end with a gruesome reveal related to the character of Desi (Mandi Kreisher) a young girl discovered by Julia and Michael. For the more patient viewers, this reveal should provide a well needed surprise which definitely works considerable favours for the film. For other viewers I fear that half an hour or so in and they may decide they have seen it all before and switch off…which is a shame.

Another plus point for the film is that the actors all do a really good job. Elizabeth Kell and Owen Szabo are very natural in their roles as a slightly over sexed and loved up couple, Kevin McClatchy was suitably creepy as Henry and Mandi Kreisher’s role was just great…but I don’t want to spoil anything here.

While The Lodge certainly has its shortcomings and I cannot exactly tip it as a must see, it does have its moments, particularly towards the end. I would still be very keen to see what the directors and writer of The Lodge might come up with next as there are some really good ideas mixed into what I would say is a generally unevenly paced movie with not enough bite to really keep an audience glued to the screen.

Carnival of Fear (2011)

 
(Screener Copy)

Directed by Jay Woelfel

Written by Jay Woelfel

Stars: Aimee Brooks, Damian Maffei and Joe Unger

Release: UK DVD April 2 2012, courtesy of 101 films












Extending my thanks once more to Steve Davey of 101 Films for allowing me to review Joe woelfel’s Carnival of Fear (Known as Closed for the Season elsewhere).

The overall plot of the film doesn't give much away which is not a bad thing however this is definitely a movie where a lot of confusing things are relentlessly thrown at you so you must keep up – and even then you may find yourself perplexed. A young girl named Kristy is trapped in a creepy amusement park and finds herself tormented by all manner of nasty things – she wants to escape….they want her to stay forever….

One truly great thing about this film is its amazing imagery. Even if you find yourself a bit lost on the plot (I did) you cannot fault all of the grotesque evils that are hunting Kristy (well played by Aimee Brooks) through what I think is a brilliant setting. The lake monster in particular is awesome and I loved this part of the film.

There is also some impressive gore sequences and I really enjoyed what they did this element. Gore hounds should be suitably impressed by the amount of hacked off limbs and splattery effects and although this film is by no means a slasher movie, it still delivers in the nasty goods.

As I already mentioned the plot is a tough one. Therefore you see characters die many times due to the surreal and offbeat structure of the film leaving you really unsure of the intentions behind it. Still if you can get past this and just decide to take it for the interesting elements then you will surely find some enjoyment in Carnival of Fear.

Definitely give this one a whirl if you are not a stickler for a film that is very black and white in nature and leaves everything easily in place for you to figure it all out. The film has a great setting some decent acting and best of all its visual imagery is bloody brilliant. Head on other to Amazon UK now to grab yourself a copy!

The Maze (2010)

(Screener Copy)

Directed by Stephen Shimek

Written by Timothy Gutierrez, Katy Baldwin

Stars: Shalaina Fotheringham, Brandon Pearson, Clare Niederpruem, Kyle Paul.

Release: UK DVD October 8 2012, courtesy of 101 films








Many thanks to Steve Davey of 101 Films for sending me a copy of The Maze for review. The film is a watch-able hour or so of slasher mayhem which appears to struggle a bit due to its simplicity. Simplicity doesn't always have to be a bad thing in any movie, but something about The Maze just made me think ‘this could do with just a bit more shock value or frightening scenes’.

The premise is as follows; a group of pals break into a corn maze late at night and embark on a game of ‘tag’ (‘your IT’ for us Brits) and soon find themselves at the mercy of a killer hidden by a red hoodie. Said killer has a very twisted mind and is determined to bait and torment the group as much as he can before ending their lives and it is soon not looking good for anyone to escape intact.

My main issue with the film is that already mentioned. There just doesn't seem to be enough oomph in the plot and therefore some fairly decent actors don’t have a lot to work with which felt like a bit of a sad waste. The killer also doesn't have a strong enough identity and isn't at all frightening which is also a shame. Finally those looking for some decent kills will also not find much to take away from this film as while it has an OK bodycount, the actual deaths are your bog standard stab and slash. This would be fine in itself if the movie was genuinely scary but I am afraid in this instance this isn't the case.

On the plus side I really did enjoy the films setting. The corn maze was a cool idea for a slasher movie (ignoring films such as Children of the Corn as they are of a slightly different sub-genre) and it did look quite eerie at night. The acting as I say is really quite good and I did enjoy the performances for sure. I also thought the film delivered a strong end and if the first part of the film was of a similar quality in terms of action then I think I would have enjoyed it a hell of a lot more.

To be fair the crew behind The Maze should be commended for making an entertaining enough movie which despite its flaws does manage to end in style. You can buy the DVD right NOW in the UK and would say that it’s at least worth a watch; you may well have some fun with it.

The Awakened (2012)

 



(Online Screener Copy)

Directed by: Lou Simon, Douglas Villalba

Written by: Juan F. Gonzalez Lou Simon

Stars: Stephanie Pitts, Nikolas Holmes, Jonathan Perez, John J Thomassen, Nancy Sayegh.







Thanks so much to Lou Simon for asking me to check out her new indie horror The Awakened for review. Lou co wrote and directed the film which I would like to highly recommend to fans of creepy ghost stories..

The plot of the film involves five young people hold up in a house to wait out a hurricane. As the night progresses and the alcohol flows, the group mess with the spirit world by performing a supposedly innocent ritual. Sadly for these people, the hurricane is the very least of their worries as they have inadvertently allowed something bad into the house. There is no escape, no phone signal and no hope as the spirit from an ungodly place sets about attacking the friends one by one.

The thing I liked most about this movie is that is wasnt gratuitous. Because really, it did not need to be. The characters are all well defined and you are given long enough to get to know them and care about most of their fates. Therefore I feel an out and out gore fest may have cheapened things in this particular case and when bad things do happen to the characters (and oh boy they do!) it comes off as far more dramatic.

In terms of horror there are some great jump scares and several well done creepy scenes. The scene in which the first character is attacked is very well done as you see their shadow slowly joined by the  shadow of another, followed by a very nasty sound effect.  As the film barrells towards its climax you may just find yourself on edge to find out who, if anyone, might survive the night.

I really liked the idea behind the film in regards to the hurricane. Sometimes horror films can be a bit frustrating in that people find themselves in a rather dire situation but you cant help but feel there were several possible opportunities to get away/seek help. In the case of The Awakened, these people are well and truly trapped, and there is a believable reason why they cannot get any help.

The production values on the film are also top notch. Its filmed exceptionally well and the direction helps to rachet up the tension when you are starting to feel like something bad might happen.

I think all key players did a grear job in this movie. A real refreshing change to have all of the principal cast delivering good performances without several more sub par ones. I have to give props to Stephanie Pitts who was a great lead in the role of  'Gina' who is required to show quite the range of moods and emotions throughout the films running time.

I recommend this film  indeed - those who like a creepy, jumpy ghost story with some light gore will really enjoy this film I think. Its suspenseful, has some good scares and looks fantastic! Check out the official Facebook page HERE!.

And then YOU Die (2012)

(Online Screener Copy)

Directed by Daniel Murphy, Brian Gaillard

Written by Daniel Murphy, Brian Gaillard

Stars: Chuck Smith, Ellie Church, Christopher Hunt, Lindsey Mcintire, Josh Nies, Whitney Thoele, Shane Miller, Abigail White, Aaron Spanley, R.J Cecott, Eric Monroe, TJ Martin, Dustin Lawson, Melissa Chapman, Daniel Murphy, Brian Gaillard, Michael Blinn, Taylor Smith, John Haley, Sheri Gaillard. 





Firstly I wanted to give a huge shout out to Daniel Murphy for sharing his new indie horror with me of which he co wrote and directed. This film was easily the most refreshing piece of slasher cinema I have had the pleasure of viewing recently and I am so so glad I got the chance to see it.

The plot is simple - Sam Wallace is not a lucky guy - at ALL. He experienced a harrowing childhood, is married to a disrespectful cheating wife, detested at work and isn't exactly Colin O'Farrell in the looks department. One day Sams day starts badly, gets worse and worse and then climaxes horribly...and it's barely been mere hours!! Aforementioned events provide the catalyst for Sams built up anger, anxiety and stress to literally explode into a murderously brutal rage. Sam soon embarks on a journey of death and destruction, wiping out those who have hurt him without mercy

If your are in it for the bad ass kills then this film could not even hope to disappoint you. The first murder should hopefully raise a chuckle amongst those well versed in your typical slasher movie. Its a nice sly wink to audiences that I really loved. Aside from that you have some fun and creative kills mixed in with some pretty shocking and harrowing ones.







There was a heck of a lot of other stuff to love about this film. The acting for the most part is really good, particularly by the three key characters of Sam (Chuck Smith) his adulterous wife Tessa (Ellie Church) and her young beefcake on the side Brad (Christopher Hunt).  I found the character of Tessa very very interesting. She was a real bitch - mainly to Sam - yet I couldnt help but like her. I think the fact that she was realistically written helped a lot. She is a bit of a villian in her own way but not in some soapy cartoonish sense.







There ARE people like Tessa in the world, however most people are not all good or all bad and you do start to see a slightly different side to her later on. I think there is human being in there - she just forgot how to be a decent one along the way. The character of Sam is a tough one because as a killer Sam makes for the most refreshing part of this film - he is a normal guy stomping around in his bedraggled work clothes,  pushed so far to the brink that there is no going back from what he has started after his first kill. Yet he is still killing scores of people after all so is it wrong to root for him? Well I wouldnt want to spoil anyhting for viewers but you will see pretty quickly just how rough Sam has had it during his life time. The way many different people treat him in the movie is also terrible and I dont know....you just feel for the poor chap...I can think of one character straight up that I was totally rooting for Sam to kill!!! I think I lost sympathy toward the end in one scene that I didnt enjoy which is my only real criticism of the movie. Again this is veering towards spoiler territory so I will shut up. There is  also a fun cameo from writer and directers Daniel Murphy and Brian Gaillard as two particularly rude and unkind cops so look out for that also!



 The actual ending of And Then You Die was genius and very well done...I loved it. Again I am not giving anything aware except to say this is a film you will want to watch to the end...and I mean the VERY end.

And Then You Die is a must see indie horror film. Its fast paced, engrossing, well written & acted and has some superb kills. For a film made on a low budget it is extremly impressive to see such a professionally shot final product. Daniel Murphy just happens to have been born over here in the UK and this fact makes me even prouder. I hope he, Brian and their team bring us some more of the good stuff SOON! Check out the films official Facebook page for more details and if you are lucky enough to be in the Winamac area on March 2 you can go check out the films premiere! Click here for more details.

The Legend of the 5ive (2012)

(Screeer Copy)

Directed by: James P. Weatherall

Written by: Leenah Selig, James P. Weatherall

Stars: Leenah Seelig, Greg Tanner, Lee J Higgs, Emma Hendrick, Trevor Preston, Lee Fairhurst, Damien Hale, James P. Weatherall.





Many of you may be bored to tears of the found footage/cinema verite sub genres. Not me and hopefully not ever as I just love it - sure there are a few stinkers out there and it's not always done right (generally because budget is not permitting) but when it is its damn scary and I do not scare easy.

There are some truly unsettling moments in The Legend of the 5ive which just goes to show there is still some healthy blood in the sub genre. For one, the opening scenes depicting the creepy farm location made me shudder right away. It just looked like a place you would NEVER find me on my own at, late at night. Also once the group start making contacting with someone named Anne Foster, there are some genuine chills to be had, particularly thanks to Leenah Seeligs genuine portrayal as somone completly out of her depth.

Anyway I am getting ahead, first things first: the plot. A group of paranormal reseachers descend onto Emerson Farm for a Halloween special in order to solve the mystery of a macabre local legend. It seems that Emerson Farm was once the site of five gruesome murders in which the bodies were assembled to create the shape of a pentagon. Creepy huh? The farm is now said to be haunted by the dead, named the 'screaming spectres of Emerson Farm'. Along for the ride is budding filmaker Julia Marsh (Seelig) who brings along her camera man to get in on the action. As the investigation reaches its peak the team find themselves cut off from their live web feed and all hell literally breaks loose.

This is cue for some fairly gruesome scenes and thats not something you get often in this type of film. Its usually a big build up to an ambigious end but this film doesnt abide by that rule. The only other film I can think that also manages this effectively in T. Michael Conways insidiously creepy found footage frightener June 9. June 9 also delivers on the nasty and gory goods in the final act and therefore for this reason I feel The Legend of the 5ive deserves some definate praise.





I loved the ending. One of those things where the last bad event to occur could have been avoided if only the character involved had tried to stay clam and stay where other people were nearby. Sadly this doesnt happen and the film gives us one last shock followed by a great, creepy little 'after the event' update which I loved.

 

Acting wise as I said Leenah Seelig did a fantastic job as Julia Marsh - she goes from apprehensive to distinctly uncomfortable to outright terrified with professional ease and her character was a pleasure to watch. A couple of the other characters sadly come across as a bit hokey due to some unfortunate over acting but it didnt really hurt proceedings to a great extent.

I recommend The Legend of the 5ive to all you found footage fans out there - I do think it brings something a bit new to the table as well as being business as usual in some respects. Check out the films offical Facebook page right HERE and find out more!

American Mary (2012)

Directed by: Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska

Written by: Sylvia Soska, Jen Soska

Stars: Katherine Isabelle, Antonio Cupo, Tristan Risk, David Lovgren, Paula Lindberg, Clay St. Thomas, John Emmet Tracy, Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska.

Release: DVD (UK) January 21 2013






The new film from Canadian twins Jen and Sylvia Soska (Dead Hooker in a Trunk) is a beautiful, engrossing, disturbing journey that I honestly cannot wait to go on once again.

American Mary focuses on medical student Mary Mason (a masterful performance from Ginger Snaps Katherine Isabelle) who becomes disillusioned with her studies and has fallen on rough times financially. A chance meeting with a night club owner leads Mary to perform life saving surgery for a good pay off and it is from here that her dark journey truly begins.

Soon Mary finds herself in the underground world of body modification, performing complex procedures on a range of clientele desperate to change their appearance for various reasons. Mary becomes more and more well known and renowned amongst those seeking such extreme surgery to the point that she earns herself her very own moniker: Bloody Mary. In conjunction to this unfolding action Mary suffers a hideous attack perpetrated by a man she trusted leaving her with a broken spirit and a grisly desire for revenge. With her new found skills, Mary takes a very dark path in ensuring the wrongs committed against her are put right - with horrific results.

First thing I have to say is that American Mary is SO much more than your average horror film. The Soska sisters have crafted a very dark film with rays of light thanks to its clever streak of dark comedy. The film also works as an emotional drama, particularly due to some of the key characters you become so invested in and fascinated by. One of these in particular is Tristan Risks excellently eerie portrayal of Beatress, a sweet and perky lady who has all but transformed herself into her idol, Betty Boop. Tristan plays Beatress with an endearing level of kindness and innocence and although you may find her appearance a bit unsettling you really can't help but fall in love with her. As mentioned, Katherine Isabelle delivers an incredible performance as Mary Mason. Here is a truly captivating young lady, a mixture of dark and light which means you are in awe of her, even when she is doing something unbelievably bad. It's so great to see Katherine back on the horror scene and in such a huge way - she deserves the recognition and I hope she sticks around!

The film is actually fairly light on gore despite its grisly premise. This is no criticism or even a bad thing - the film shows enough and knows exactly when to allow the viewers minds join the remaining dots. I think the film works far better for this as it could have easily been outright gratitous when there was no need to be.

One small critcism of the film is that I really wanted it to end differently. I felt that the film has such a great build up, that there was far more directions for the film to go in and also the potential to follow the film up with another outing perhaps. While I will say that the ending was suitably tense, I just wish it was slightly different...I shall digress now as I dont want to spoil anything for readers.

One final plus point is that I must say how Jen and Sylvia Soska have come absoute leaps and bounds following Dead Hooker in a Trunk.I really enjoyed DHIAT, which was a bizarre mix of comedy, action and a nice dollop of gore. It was also extremly well made despite  wearing its indie heart well and truly on its sleeve. American Mary however is a far slicker, polished affair and should really be playing for the next few months at all UK cinemas if there was any justice. Still, us lucky Brits are able to grab a copy of the film NOW as it has just released on DVD, so I strongly urge you to grab a copy pronto.

A great great film clearly made with passion, heart....and a sick sense of humor of course!

Oh....and look out for Jen and Sylvia in an awesome little cameo.... :)

Slasher House (2012)

(Screener Copy)

Directed by MJ Dixon

Written by MJ Dixon

Stars: Eleanor James,  Adam Williams, Wellington Grosvenor, Andrew M. Greenwood, Alex Grimshaw, Blaze Bayley, Jonny Raw.

UK Production Company Mycho, founded by film maker MJ Dixon, presents feature film Slasher House, a movie which has created quite the buzz among horror sites for a while now. I was extremely excited to be sent a screener of the movie before its official release and couldn't wait to see how it would pan out based on the strength of its intriguing trailer.

Slasher House features a young woman, RED, who awakens in an abandoned old prison with no knowledge of who she is or how she got there. On investigating the building she encounters strange notes instructing her to do various things such as put a dress on or (gulp) use a great big fuck-off meat cleaver! Safe to say things are far from right here which is very much proven when RED discovers that four of the world’s most notorious murderers are fellow residents! A fight for survival is soon under way with RED having to kill or be killed as the four maniacs close in. 

A huge compliment to this film firstly is the colouring. It’s absolutely stunning. RED isn't called RED for nothing, her vivid and vivacious bright red hair, dress and nails creates a mesmerising contrast to the bleak, grimy and dimly coloured building which she is fighting to escape from.

I also absolutely adored the films structure.The plotting of the film is masterfully laid out in segments which one by one, introduce you to the killers and their back stories. This allows you firstly to know the type of heinous crime each maniac has committed and secondly demonstrates just what RED is up against when the action reverts back to the prison. I have to say that one segment in particular, featuring the past crimes of creepy clown killer, CLEAVER, really really gave me chills. It wasn't so much the implied violence against a young child (which don't get me wrong that was horrific in its own right and I am glad it was off screen) but it was just that ice cream van, parked outside the house, late at night, with all its lights on like it was ready for business. Shudder. The actual clown attack on RED was also expertly done and had me on the edge of my seat. As did the release of barbaric killer THORN when he finally got to flex his terrifying muscles and gigantic bloody blades! There are also a few really creepy scenes involving something quite sinister lurking in the prison, but I refuse to add anything further to that particular part of the film as its heading towards spoiler territory. 

Acting wise, Eleanor James totally steals the show. It’s not just her stunning look in the movie but also her acting technique. I really couldn't take my eyes off of her; I felt her bewilderment when she first wakes up and her sheer terror when the attacks begin. I also rooted for her when she out and out kicked some serial killer arse. Here is the UK's new scream queen if there is any justice. I also thought Adam Williams did a great job as RED's fellow confused inmate Nathan, especially during his final scenes where his character does an about turn. This part of the film is brilliant I kid you not. Special mention also to Andrew M. Greenwood for being so callous as to remind me exactly why clowns terrified me as a child. There is a story there from my childhood (NOT involving murder can I just say!) but I wont go into that....seriously a very well and very scarily acted role from Andrew!

The ending of the movie provides a double whammy of  twists which I was delighted by as I thought my tiny little brain had it alllll figured out and then bam, twist one hit... didn't see that coming at ALL and then bam again, second twist hits and it really was not what I had guessed from the start. So again well done MJ for writing an extremely tight plot which truly kept me on my toes! 

The overall film, not just the colouring, looks fantastic. I could honestly see Slasher House playing on the big screen as it looks like any other theatrical release out there. The cinematography is just spot on, I cannot fault it and MJ Dixon clearly has his own unique and stylish directing technique which I would be surprised if other viewers were not really impressed with. In fact, speaking of big screens, if you are able to get yourself over to the Horror-on-Sea festival in Southend this coming weekend, 18 January 2013 onwards, then you can catch a special screening of Slasher House - this comes highly recommended.

In short Slasher House is exciting, intriguing, scary and fresh. I loved it and I think it will gain a great audience once it is released. 

Mycho are currently prepping their new movie Thorn and I cannot wait to see what they come up considering THORN was such a formidable foe in Slasher House. You can follow all of the Slasher House, Thorn and Mycho comings and goings at the following links…get yourself over there and support solid British independent cinema. I also just wanted to add that further to making great movies, Mycho has FAR more going on than just that - have a look for yourself!

Useful links:

MYCHO official Website
MYCHO Facebook
Slasher House Facebook
THORN Facebook

Scream Park (2012)

(Online Screener Copy)

Directed by Cary Hill

Written by Cary Hill 

Stars: Doug Bradley, Kevin 'Ogre' Ogilvie, Nicole Beattie, Dean Jacobs, Wendy Wygant, and Steve Rudzinski




After recently interviewing filmmaker Cary Hill (HERE) I was delighted to get the chance to screen upcoming indie slasher Scream Park for review. Described as a homage to the stalk and slash greats of the 80s I am chuffed to be able to back this statement right up. Scream Park is a tightly made, gory, funny, and creepy watch loaded with all the stuff that made slashers fun 30 years ago.

The plot of the movie is nice and simple – a failing theme-park is gearing up for its closure and manager Marty (Steve Rudzinski) is faced with delivering some pay related bad news to his staff at the end of their shift.  Said staff members are fed up with all the issues their place of work has encountered and are planning to stay behind after closing for a bit of a party! Being a slasher movie its fairly obvious that these hapless teens are going to be made to pay a high price for being so audacious and the arrival of a mysterious van sets a bloody nightmare in motion for all involved.

I found so much to enjoy in Scream Park that I am genuinely excited for fellow horror fans to see it to see what they make of it. Firstly there is the mood and atmosphere – the creepy theme park setting, particularly at night just sets the film off in the right direction. So much emphasis is made on highlighting various lit up rides and attractions that it creates an impressively eerie feeling – and that’s not just centring on the ghost house!  Secondly the killers masks – whoa. Both of them are unsettlingly scary in their own right; you have the terrifying white plague mask with the horribly elongated nose/mouth piece and then a ragged sack with crudely cut out eye and mouth holes. Seeing these two horrors firstly pull-up, hidden by their van on the parks security monitor and subsequently seeing them creeping round the place gave me a real shudder. In fact, like I said to Cary Hill – this film filled me with that dread that only the old school slasher greats such as Black Christmas, Halloween and earlier Friday 13^th films used to. That’s a huge compliment to the team behind this movie because I think it’s a tone very hard to get right nowadays when fans have seen so so many slasher movies and you often feel like you have seen it all before.   Further to these there is some fun and also some horrifying gore in Scream Park. I don’t want to give the kills away but I will say there is a great scene involving hot fat and also a brutal axing, along with your usual gory slashing’s and stabbings and I felt that these were done well and with practical effects to boot.

Another plus point was the characters and the acting.  Steve Rudzinski, director and writer of fun indie slasher Everyone Must Die, has a great turn here as the put upon and stressed Park Manager Marty.  I was pleased to see Steve’s character had a decent comedic element to it as I already know that he is excellent in both comedy acting and writing. I thought Wendy Wygant was spot on as the innocent heroine ‘Jennifer’ and made for a pretty kick arse final girl in her final scenes. This girl takes a pretty horrific beating and still fights back. I found the character of Missi ( Nicole Beattie) extremely amusing; the role of acidic, sarcastic, doom and gloom is played perfectly here. I also thought that Alicia Marie Marcucci  was fun as the bitchy blonde ‘Allison’and her final scenes really are one of the films highlights – just wait and see. It is great to see our beloved pinhead (Doug Bradley) pop up towards the end in a pivotal cameo – it’s an enjoyable scene which ties the movies occurrences up in a blood stained bow and I am pleased it got to be one of horrors greats to help deliver it. Oh and the ending of the overall film is a bit of a killer ;)

As I already mentioned the film is very tightly made. It's well paced, perfectly edited and shot like a big screen release. I can't say enough how impressive the final version of Scream Park looks. Also in its favour is a brilliant and most fitting score/soundtrack.

My only very very minor complaint would be I think Scream Park may have benefited from two or three more staff members to round the group out as the park does look rather large but that's a very minor quibble.

As you can tell I highly recommend Scream Park. You must see this movie, particularly if you are a fan of the slasher greats of the later 70s/80s. Check out the movies official website and if you are in the states you will be able to grab yourself a copy of the DVD! I also know there are plans for a region 2 DVD for the near future so if you are reading from the UK then keep your eyes on the website and/or the official Facebook page. 

Chris Morrissey brings us an exclusive Trick of the Witch Clip!

I am beyond delighted to be able to share with you a clip from the upcoming supernatural horror/thriller Trick of The Witch! The film features a bevy of beautiful fashion models who come under the spell of a mysterious horror while staying at a beautiful yet isolated house.You can also read my exclusive interview with director Chris Morrissey HERE along with interviews with Trick of the Witch cast members Share Cherrie, Owen Alabado, and Gia Franzia.

Anyways feast your eyes on this exciting clip, which shows the character of Angel (Shay Alexis) in a very frightening predicament! 





While you are at it, check out both trailers for the movie!

Murder University (2012)

Directed by Richard Griffin

Written by Lenny Schwartz

Stars: Jamie Dufault, Michael Thurber, Samantha Acampora, Nat Sylva 

Due to a very annoying mess up with mail and a long delay thanks to the holidays I had a rather long wait to finally see Scorpio Releasing’s 80s homage Murder University. I am pleased to say it was well worth the wait and I had a great time watching this hilarious splatter-fest.  It has a high body count, colourful characters, great practical effects and a brilliant soundtrack/score.  It also looks like a theatrical release which is never an easy feat on a low budget but somehow these guys have managed to pull it off.

The overall plot of the film features young Josh Greene, a shy freshman at college trying to find his way while surviving bullies, mean teachers and a rather dubious roommate.  To add his problems a series of cult related murders are taking place on campus and he is about to find himself hideously caught up in the bloodshed.  Speaking of bloodshed, there is an awful a lot of slicing, dicing, hacking and decapitating to feast your eyes on and gore hounds should be most impressed.

The opening to the film really raised my eyebrows – in a really good way. I loved how it both adhered to and stuck both fingers up at viewer’s expectations as to how the scene might play out. Think your usual slasher movie opening kill(s) with a nice mean and unexpected little twist. There are plenty of fun little oddities peppered throughout the movie also and that’s something I really found impressive about Murder University – there’s a lot to be said for making a movie which is mostly loyal to the best of the 80s stalk and slash films but also putting a bit of your own spin on it.

One thing I didn't like (although the scene does exactly what I imagine it set out to do) was the shock killing of one character who I can’t mention for spoiler purposes. Maybe I am too sensitive but I didn't want things to turn out that way – although points for taking me completely by surprise!

Aside from a few weaker performances from supporting cast members, the key cast all do a great job. Leads Jamie Dufault and Samantha Acampora, as Josh and Meg respectively, play their parts brilliantly and have genuine on screen chemistry. Jamie in particular is impressive throughout especially in his final scenes. Michael Thurber is great fun as the determined and volatile Detective Forrester and I really enjoyed Nick Apostolides (Loco Larry) and Lee Rush (Mrs Greene)  in their roles. 

I really look forward to future work from director Richard Griffin and writer Lenny Schwartz - they clearly made a great team here. All in all Murder University is a well-acted, impressively shot/directed, hilarious and ultimately FUN movie which you would be foolish not to check out once it gets a wide DVD release. For more details on this head on other to MU central HERE and find out more! 

Chill (2012)

(Online Screener Copy)

Directed by: Noelle Bye and Meredith Holland


Written by: Meredith Holland (additional writing by Noelle Bye and Roger Conners)


Produced by Noelle Bye, Roger Conners and Meredith Holland


Stars: Roger Conners, Brad Arner, Angelia DeLuca, Kelly Rogers, David Gilmore, Erinn Bakun, DJ Remark, Mike Kafury, Jason Orr, Wednesday Vinson, Ash Katt with Bella Sin, Rick Montgomery Jr. and Janine Sarnowski.


I was really pleased to be given the chance to screen and review a rough cut, early version of upcoming horror film Chill, an independent movie gathering a fair bit of excitment from fans.

When I was sent the link to view the movie I was informed of a few things which I am going to share in order to be completely honest about the version of the film I saw. Firstly the film was the first hour of the movie only and is still in need of a full score and some other tweaks such as colour correction and other audio corrections.

The main thing the first hour of Chill did for me, or rather TO me, is make me hungry to see the film in full. See Chill is a bonafide mystery slasher which builds extremely well before starting to take out its characters. This means we get a well plotted story instigating curiousity as to what is really going on and it also allows key characters to make a strong impression. For me that means there are some characters I would genuinely NOT want to see die and likewise some who just have to go! I would also say the film is presented very well, it's nicely shot and doesn't look overly cheap, and remember this is an indie.

Plot wise the film centres on college student Jared (Brad Arner) who coerces his best pal Kyle (Co writer and producer Roger Conners) into helping him stage a web broadcasted game called Chill which is kind of like a fake online murder mystery. However Jared's reasons for this is due to his interest in the killings of a group of students who played the same game years before - and were subsequently found dead. As Jared sets up his 'Chill revival', his 'cast' assemble, ready to play the game - unfortunately so does a mysterious killer, apparently keen on making bloody history repeat itself.

There were a lot of things which made me want to see the climax of this film. Many of the actors did a great job, in particular Brad Arner as Jared and Roger Conners as Kyle. I also extremely enjoyed the character of Bella 'Chi Chi' (Bella Sin) and was very interested in the introduction of the Kelly Masters character (Erinn Bakun). On top of this, the mystery involving the original murders along with the new spate of killings genuinely draws you right in. I think horror fans are going to really enjoy attempting to guess the maniacs identity. Something else that I hope fans dig, as the integration of comedy into horror can be a tricky business, is the funny bantering and one liners spewed out by many of the characters. I found a lot of scenes funny and I hope fans take the same thing away from it.

Finally I will say you really should keep up to date on the progress of Chill. Here is a link to the official Facebook page where you can become a fan and also be on the look out for news. When I have seen the full film after its out I will be re-reviewing so also be on the look out for that. Checking out Chill was a great little surprise for the new year.

True Nature (2010)

Screener Copy)

Directed by Patrick Steele

Written by  Patrick Steele

Stars: Carolyn McCormick, Marianne Porter, Reg Land, David Darlow, John Woodruff, Marc Pitman, Michael Accardo and Kevin R. Kelly, Rob Riley, Maryann Nagel, Rohn Thomas, Christopher Popio, Jeremy Shouldis, Ellen Savaria, Kristine Logan.

Release: DVD (US) January 22 2013 courtesy of Monarch Home Video.

Many thanks to Patrick Steele for agreeing to share his supernatural thriller True Nature with me for review. I am pleased to say the film is a solid and well made chiller and has certainly kicked off my year of reviewing off in style.
The plot of the movie is centred around the Pascal family who are lucky enough to have all they could ever possibly want in life. However the families picture perfect existence is soon horrifically rocked when college student daughter Marianne disappears one night while she is out running. It is Marianne reappearance one year later, an apparent victim of amnesia that provides the key mystery of the film and as a viewer I was sucked right into proceedings, eager to learn the truth about what happened to Marianne.




What I immediately liked about this film as well as the fantastic acting, was the true reflection of everyday family life within the Pascal home. True these people have all they need to live a fulfilling and comfortable life but they still have their (realistic) problems. Mother Becky (Carolyn McCormick) is over protective and pushy where Marianne is concerned, father Reg (Reg Porter) works a lot of hours and Marianne bemoans the fact that she just isn't free enough. Clearly though this being a film dark in tone there is FAR more going on behind this wealthy little facade and it is Mariannes disappearance and subsequent reappearance which acts as the catalyst for all of the deep dark Pascal secrets to come tumbling out. Oh and tumbling out they do. This film really knocked me for six once it got going and it builds up to a most satisfying climaxes that you may not see coming. I am not going to disclose any spoilers here  but what I will say is that the truth about what happened to Marianne on that fateful night is both disturbing and heartbreaking and anyone who may have been involved are not going to come out unscathed.... Trust me when I say that the ending is insane.





As I said before there are some great performances in this film. The three leads, all members of the Pascal family are pretty much perfect in their roles. Marianne Porter plays the damaged daughter with ease, making you feel her torment at whatever dark event has led up to her current state. Reg Porter is superb as the secretive and shady father whose actions will likely keep you hooked until the end to find out what truths lie beneath the surface. My favourite performance however was Carolyn McComick as Becky Pascal. Carolyn plays a fine mixture of over protective mother and snobbish socialite with ease. You are never quite sure if her perfectly manicured lifestyle or her daughters well being is forefront of her mind, despite how much she clearly seems to care for Marianne. For this reason Becky was the most interesting and layered character for me and her final scene may leave you with some questions..




Patrick Steele has not only written an extremely tight and engaging script for True Nature but he has also made a film with keen emphasis on stylish direction. The film has lots of interesting shots throughout which work best when they veer from a slightly more normal scene to one of Mariannes many violent flashbacks. Great stuff.

 

 

I highly recommend this film. It will be availiable on DVD in the US on  January 22 2013 (Amazon link)  and I strongly urge you grab a copy, I dont think you will be let down. In the meantime, check out the films official website site HERE. Very much looking forward to Patrick Steeles next movie thats for sure!