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Voice of Shadows (2023)
A likable if rather problematic haunted house effort
After inheriting a family house, a couple moves out to the property to help take control of the property while also dealing with the conditions that go along with the inheritance, but when they notice a hidden danger within the house affecting their relationship must stop an evil entity from haunting them.
This was a formulaic and rather predictable genre effort. One of the better features here is the sense of atmosphere and general environment of living in the house which is quite effectively a traditional Gothic landscape. The ornate furniture and decorations overlooking everything, the darkened vibes without much sunlight getting through, the creaking wooden floors and hallways, and the hidden secrets found within its grounds make for a sterling old-school Gothic interpretation. It feels quite logical and believable that this kind of location allows for what to happen while they stay there to come off as psychologically unhinged as they do. With everything exacerbated by the cultural and racial overtones featured throughout here, it manages to provide a solid enough captivating presence that keeps this one somewhat endearing as it goes along. That's for the best with the rest of the film following these types of storylines to such close scrutiny it becomes bland and predictable otherwise. The splitting couple brought together by an inheritance they think will keep them together, the psychological unraveling that comes about by being in the house far longer than they should, and the series of miscommunications that further spark the growing disconnect in their relationship are intended to be signs of the haunting that's going on here but are so overutilized and familiar they're spotted from a mile away and only help to provide a kind of familiarity into what's happening. It also ends up being a part of the secondary issue where it's so familiar that there's not much in the way of anything interesting happening. As it's far too late in the film to introduce what really happened and what all the hidden hauntings within the house, this all comes off as pretty bland and boring for the most part and is what keeps this down.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Violence.
Water Horse (2024)
An overall rather enjoyable found-footage feature
Trying to look into a mysterious disappearance, a film crew begins documenting what happened to a popular paranormal investigator who has ties to a mysterious lake in a remote part of the country, but when they begin investigating the incidents they find it's connected to a strange curse affecting the area.
This was an overall enjoyable if slightly flawed mockumentary. One of the brightest spots here is the general setup that allows for a solid enough motivation to search for the missing figure. Getting the right mixture of news outlets reporting on the incident and talking heads providing enough detail about her status and reputation so that the use of providing one of her last paranormal research sessions with a partner looking into a haunted house so we get an idea of who she is and what she's about, the experience comes off nicely enough. The search into the final case involving the mysterious water horse statue that's haunting the family offers the kind of fun lead-in to the main genesis of the film looking into what happened at the lake where it's from sets up some really intriguing elements here. As the investigation into what's going on leads the two into a far-ranging conspiracy about the lake and what's going on, this one picks up considerably with quite a lot to like. The investigation turns rather nicely into a fantastic concept about the the strange creature in the lake which is the start of an equally fantastic mystery connecting a mining tragedy, hidden relatives, a town full of disappearing locals, and the reports about a creature living in the area that begins stalking those around the water which is quite fun to see play out. This is what helps to pay off a lot of the earlier exposition of what's happening as the series of plot-threads at play make for a creepy time the more this goes on. With an immensely chilling and creepy ending that resolves everything quite nicely, this one has a lot to like about it. There are some drawbacks to this one that hold it down. Among the main drawbacks here is the decision to present everything as if it's a mockumentary yet instead feels far more like a found-footage feature. The interludes of the news reports, the flashbacks to the past incident involving her mother, and how this ties into the missing paranormal investigator that spurred everything on all feel far more reliant on the traditional mode of storytelling when it didn't need to be. This could've easily been shot as a traditional feature, or just straightforward found-footage instead of being used to go for this mockumentary approach on people we're unfamiliar with so it sets up who they are at the point where it could've been as everything makes more sense to be a traditional genre feature. It's the main issue to be had here holding this one down.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language, Violence, Brief Nudity, and a sex scene.
Satranic Panic (2023)
An immensely fun genre effort with not much really wrong with it
After the death of their friend, a couple decide to investigate the rumors of a series of demonic possession rituals being conducted by a strange cult that are at the center of what supposedly killed him and must race across the country to stop the cult's plans from coming to fruition.
This was a massively fun and enjoyable genre effort. One of the more enjoyable factors with this comes from the wild and rather fun setup that brings about plenty of genuinely cheesy fun. The idea of the friends deciding to go about on their trip to look into the true nature of their friends' death that no one wants to solve and finding the rumors about the cause being done by a demonic cult looking to summon the creatures to fix the people in their condition as a means of solving perceived mental issues offers a great time here. The central premise of the cult's presence and what they're attempting to offer makes for a great time here with the whole purpose offering a fantastic commentary on the nature of individuality and expression that comes about due to the incredibly sympathetic portrayal that comes about as everything gets connected rather nicely. What helps bring this along is the series of frantic encounters with everyone as they undertake the trip to look into the cult the more they uncover about he death. Realizing the cult is responsible for bringing about demons with the hope of riding people of their supposed mental disease, the confrontations here taking place in public locations or secluded hotel rooms offers the kind of likable setups that are full of impressive practical effects for this kind of budget as the make-up work to denote the kind of physical transformations taking place. The comedic interludes with the drag performances are a great way to add some levity to the proceedings while also continuing to tackle the sense of family that runs wild in this one, making its low-budget limitations the lone real flaw to this one.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
The Zombie Wedding (2023)
An immensely fun comedy with some issues
Hoping for the day of her dreams, a woman sets out on getting the wedding of her dreams with her fiance finds her hopes dashed when he gets bitten in a zombie plague and turned into one, but not wanting to throw her wedding away tries to keep it going with it being more difficult than imagined.
This was a generally fine comedy but somewhat underwhelming genre effort. That this one works so well as a comedy, going not just from the wild setup of the whole thing taking place during a zombie apocalypse where they're so unconcerned with their presence daily life remains uninterrupted despite everything to the contrary, the more traditional rules established for zombies being jettisoned in favor of more humanistic approaches where they retain personality and traits just enhanced with occasional brain-munching, and the exploits of the family trying to treat the situation as a difference of status which fuels the comedy. While it delivers an endless slew of physical slapstick gags involving the families hoping to resolve the situation without incident but the zombie-like tendencies that spring up acting like an obstacle to overcome allowing for plenty of laughs to come from the situation or the jokes about the situation. While still fun elsewhere, the zombie qualities here are quite a bit downgraded from what it could've been here as the focus on heartwarming interactions and goofy comedy leaves a lot of the horror here downgraded. The ability to render their status into more humanoid-style creatures instead of the mindless brain-eating ghouls makes this one feel quite nice and funny but takes a lot of the fear out of them with the more comedic touch taking centerstage. Although there are still moments where the creatures' instincts kick into high gear, such as their big moment in the wedding at the end where everything goes crazy offering some nice blood and gore, it's the main sequence where that happens. It's not a true detriment to the film but this is a feature that has to be taken into account here.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Graphic Violence.
Amityville Bigfoot (2024)
An enjoyable enough genre effort that has a lot to like about it
Working on a new movie, a film crew working on a low-budget monster movie in the woods surrounding Amityville finds the shoot compromised by a series of problems ranging from protesters to nature-watchers to an out-of-control Bigfoot that escaped from a team of scientists in the area.
This was a decent-at-best genre effort that does have some likable factors. One of the positives with this one comes from the cheesy setup that provides an endless opportunity to unleash plenty of action here. The main setup of the team of scientists in their isolated facility studying the creature and accidentally letting it loose when it assaults the team and stumbles upon the film crew in the area trying to make a low-budget movie while being inundated with bird-watchers, hikers, or protesters. This allows for a constant stream of interactions throughout here with the creature running loose in the woods where it's mistaken for the costumed actor on the film, attacking the rest of the crew, or just randomly encountering any of the people with some decently gory and violent encounters. Outside of these factors, this one comes off with the kind of flimsy low-budget limitations usually found in these types of features. The majority of the film tends to act as though it's all a series of unconnected sequences strung together to reach a predetermined running time with everything coming across as this kind of improvised actions where people just ramble on and on since they think it's funny to yell this while filming. In execution, though, this all makes the film feel long and cheap with so many of the scenes being interminably long and dragged out so it feels far longer than it really is, which is even worse with the flimsy effects matching the spirit and tone of the film but still looking rather cheap and silly as a result that all come together to lower this one.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, Brief Male Nudity, intense scatological references, and comical sexual scenes.
Amityville Backpack (2024)
A disjointed mess without much going on
After visiting a yard sale, a hapless loser tries to turn his life around by attaching his success to the purchase of a special backpack, but when the backpack seems to be the center of a series of strange deaths it's grisly back to a fabled haunted house are revealed and force him to stop it.
This was a pretty disappointing if still watchable enough feature. One of the better features here is that this one manages to provide a worthwhile setup to the lifestyle he has. The idea of him being such a put-upon and hopeless loser, ridiculed at work, unskilled at life, and being so clueless at it all he never gets out of the rut in his life to where the need for the backpack to fit his condition makes for a solid enough starting point. With the cheesiness of the situation enhanced by the presentation of the backpack being like the titular house, the psychological impact its presence has on him after getting together is decent enough that the series of deaths around him by those who mock or ridicule him offers up a cheesy sense of fun at points. Outside of this, though, the film is quite as hapless as its titular hero. Rather than delve into any kind of action, the majority of this one is so completely overwhelmed with characters narrating everything to the point that it becomes more irritating than anything to listen to everything said that it just becomes tiresome hearing what happens. This becomes even worse when it's so unnatural and disinteresting with all the clunky dialog about how much of a loser his boss thinks he is or how much he wants to improve his life all thanks to the backpack as it's just incredibly frustrating how everything piles on at such a ludicrous degree rather than building his case at improving himself. Coupled with the expected flimsy gore and production values found here, these all hold the film down.
Rated Unrated/R: Violence and Language.
Cenaze (2023)
A unique and somewhat bizarre genre effort
Working as a hearse-driver, a lonely man is entrusted with taking care of a special body for a month until he can return her to her parents, but after realizing that his supposedly-dead charge is still alive he forms a bond with her that brings him into a dangerous trail to appease her.
This was a wholly disappointing and unconventional effort without much going for it. The main problem here is the preponderance of plodding arthouse aesthetics in place of more traditional faster-paced material. The cryptic nature of the central relationship here where it's not entirely clear how the romance between them starts considering her condition and how extraordinary it is compared to the amount of time we've spent following him around until that point, there's little in the way of making it come together at all logically as it has more of a father/daughter angle than anything else based on how he treats and protects her. This is matched with excessively long and meandering scenes of him wandering through the city trying to find out how to help her or trying to deal with the escalating danger his actions have caused. This favoring of these factors even with their excellent usage throughout as the gorgeous imagery and deep-seated commentary on the life of the conservative mindset in the country does create far more of a highly impressive mainstream genre effort. That does mean there are some intriguing elements present here where this one focuses on the savage nature of her condition making their relationship far more difficult to sustain. Featuring numerous moments of them being subjected to random strangers that are turned into victims to provide the blood she needs to survive, these scenes add a touching depth and gravitas to what's essentially a series of gruesome vampiric feedings with the way they're portrayed throughout here. Going through the finale is a big part of this with the confrontations taking place in the mountainous region of the area that has a lot more of an impact due to the frenzy of activity present, but it's just too slow and artistic for its own good. This could've been trimmed down considerably or gone about its motions at a faster tempo to help out considerably as that's what really holds this back.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Language.
Dead Teenagers (2024)
An enjoyable enough concept but let down by some big factors
Heading out into the woods, a group of friends decide to hang out before heading back to school in the fall, but when they discover the remains of a movie script depicting the group being attacked by a serial killer must try to use the pages they have to outwit and survive the situation.
This was a decent genre effort with a couple of big issues. One of the better features here is the strong and generally enjoyable setup that allows for a fine meta-variation on the genre but also the trilogy as a whole. The cabin location where it all starts is quickly shown to be the location where the other entries in the series were shot with the discovery of the previous filming equipment or scattered script pages that dictate what's to come in the film currently being played out. Invoking this element with the use of supernatural time-portals, alternate realities, and changing dynamics within the friend group based on how their perceived reactions to everything playing out around them is a bit over-the-top and difficult to make sense of everything but the creativity of doing that comes off well enough overall. With the few kills handled through solid enough practical effects, it's a good enough time on that front, but outside of this, there's not much else to this one. The fact that it's so confusing jumping around and going through different timelines and storyline beats makes everything feel far more confusing than it actually is, with the main problem being the idea of what's going on here being way too advanced an idea for this type of production to muster. Letting the whole thing run on a meta-slasher idea of the teens finding a script for a film based on their lives and trying to alter it by reading it aloud and acting it out gives this a generally lame feel instead of trying to show that the friends are altering their fate since it's too cheap to effectively do anything more than just have the same group of people stand around the same locations reading from the script as if that's supposed to change anything. That highlights just how dull and confusing this one is with the whole thing jumping around so frequently to different viewpoints and storyline universes that it's nearly impossible to figure out what's supposed to be going on or happening. It's hard to tell if the cast is supposed to be reacting to an escaped killer in the area and that was what the original script was supposed to be before it got intertwined with reality, what anything means once they start taking things way too literally, or why anything should matter at all which is the main detrimental about it all since the characters are suddenly so different from what we were introduced to that it all being character-based scenarios that we're reacting to which are then changed on the reality of what's going on so it's just immensely confusing. These all hold the film down.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
Wolves Against the World (2024)
An overall underwhelming feature that has some pretty big flaws
Trying to leave his past behind him, a reformed Neo-Nazi is brought back into the sphere of his old bandmate and their previous ways together when he spends time at the remote cabin where he lives, and when the truth about his condition is revealed must fight to save his life and his friend.
Overall, this was a rather disappointing effort from what it could've been. Among its brighter aspects is the rather decent setup that provides an intriguing starting point for everything. The main setup involving the background of his past, the controversial beliefs he had with his connection to his friend that helped to spur everything on and the desire to leave it behind, provides a great pretext for the emotional conflict at the core of the film. With the old friend desiring a means of bringing his friend back into his newfound cult of followers that he's initially leery about and trying to distance from. The appeal and lure of running into his old friend running counterintuitively to his repentance and moving on creates a fine starting point for the discovery about the true nature of their being at the cabin which is what gives the finale a lot to like when it's revealed and everything gets far more energetic and crazy. It's easily the best part of this one taking its build-up into a solid and thrilling time. Beyond this, though, the film is just immensely dull and difficult to get into. The slow-burn pace involving the rekindling friendship and going through their past history together with previous gigs that went sour because of their personal beliefs, thinly-veiled recruitment pledges, and outspoken propaganda ploys that try to make sense of their different paths in life but hardly anything remotely genre-related happens during this part. It makes the film slow to a crawl at the very start with the first two-thirds of the running time spent on these unlikable, wrong-headed ideologies so it's really hard to get invested in this weak-willed guy trying and failing to see the toxic friendship he has with a former associate who only came back into his life through inherent stupidity that becomes a running theme throughout the final half with everything being the result of stupidity more than anything. With very few actual scenes of werewolves in this in favor of more of a berserker setup, these all bring the film down.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language, Graphic Violence, racist themes, and drug use.
The Exorcism of Saint Patrick (2024)
A serviceable enough genre effort even with some issues
After arriving at a remote cabin, a priest starts to work on an extreme form of conversion therapy against a gay teen in his charge which soon goes wrong when the teen commits suicide, bringing his and several other ghosts who have been wronged by this treatment in the past back to haunt him.
Overall, this was a rather enjoyable effort. One of the finer features found here is the incredibly effective and worthwhile starting point that devolves nicely into a strong genre piece. Focusing heavily early on of a psychologically-unhinged relationship between the two alone out in the cabin where his tactics and treatment attempt to work out the sexual orientation the kid shares which provides this with more than enough justification and motivation for what's going on. The physical, emotional, and verbal abuse suffered at his hands which is all later shown to be approved by his parents due to their consent to everything all for the sake of his soul adds even more fuel to what's going on as everything takes place at the camp allows for a solid and engaging setup. After this point, the film does go for a rather formulaic ghost revenge effort that still builds nicely off what came before it. Since the build-up at the camp makes the events feel justified and warranted, the haunting scenes that come about here have quite a bit of impact with their justification coming from the previous treatment the son and numerous others have been subjected to as their karmic retribution has the appropriate work behind it. However, the action used to accomplish this is basic and extremely predictable, resulting in plenty of these scenes leaving a disappointing feeling with so many repetitive aspects coming into play with these scenes. It's not as detrimental as it sounds since the scenes are still fun with the karmic retribution attached but it does diminish the film.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Violence.
Wineville (2024)
A generally fine if just somewhat flawed feature
Following her father's death, a woman and her son travel to their family's vineyard to take ownership of the property against the wishes of the workers who stay there, but as they stay to make amends grow alarmed at a series of mysterious disappearances around the property tied to a horrifying truth.
This was a pretty solid and likable genre effort. The main feature here that comes off well enough is the main setup involving the family dynamic at play once they all arrive at the vineyard and how it all plays out. The initial backstory about her disinterest in the property with how her father treated her and how it affects her son when they arrive and make friends with the two still taking care of the property all makes for a great touch with how the day-to-day operations on the place go about. How the attempts at getting them into the way of working on this type of property they run while secretly making the serial killer antics feel like their hidden in plain sight due to the way they all seem perfectly natural in the idea of a vineyard such as this. The few scenes of his psychotic antics come off well enough and provide the brutality necessary to give this a solid punch at the right moment. Outside of this, though, there's not a whole lot going on here. The psycho tendencies might be hinted at throughout the early stages of the film but they're not present in any great degree until the last act leaving much of the film to function about the goings-on at the vineyard and the struggle to ensure it stays running. Operating in this manner where the farmhand and the older woman are there on the property teaching the mother and son about life on the winery and how it all works that it comes off without much in the way of a genre feel for most of the running time. It's way too late in the film to pile on the genre material that this one utilizes which goes on so long it does start to wear waiting for the final strike to get going where it gets questioned repeating things that aren't interesting in the slightest, which is the kind of issue here that brings this one down the most overall.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, intense themes of incest, and sexual content.
A Halloween Feast (2024)
A nearly-unwatchable misfire in all areas
After her psychotic outburst upsets the family, dysfunctional siblings try to live their lives while keeping their mother's psychotic tendencies in check, only for it to all come to a head at a special banquet feast she throws to celebrate the occasion leaving the festivities a bloodsoaked affair.
This was a disappointing genre effort with some big problems here that need to be overcome. This one is so over-the-top and ridiculous that it borders on being so ludicrous as to be unbelievable. The whole idea of the family trying to work through the issues they have, from the emotionally manipulative mother that enjoyed playing games with her husband in the past, the violent outbursts against anyone that speaks against her self-centered desires, an unethical doctor releasing her against and the loser children who are continually put upon for the decisions they made in life that keep them all in each other's orbit. This all makes the family such an unlikable group that it's hard to care about anything they do as with the family being so unlikable, there's not much going on here that's all that enjoyable. The first hour to this one is quite bland and excruciating to get through with almost nothing interesting going on dealing with the family and their issues getting in way too many subplots that aren't in the slightest bit fun to watch or even funny like it all thinks this is trying to just play off everything as the most normal reactions ever but are some of the most unnatural and deranged reactions to the situation that lets us stay around unlikable characters for an eternity in frustrating situations. Among the few positives to be had with this one come from the bizarre and over-the-top nature of the dinner itself which has an unhinged quality to it alongside the gruesome effect effects to be somewhat worthwhile, but it's too little too late to save this one.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, and sexual content.
American Werewolf (2024)
Has just enough to be worthwhile but not much else
As life goes on in a small town, a sheriff trying to find what happened to his wife's mysterious disappearance years ago is disturbed when a slew of similar disappearances and deaths occur to the locals around him and sets out to find the cause of everything before the town is killed.
This was a highly disappointing and underwhelming genre effort. Among the few good features here is a solid and enjoyable starting point that manages to provide the kind of instigating factor for the investigation. With the whole affair starting with the wife's attack in the car that he has no way of preventing and featuring the kind of small-town hospitality years after to keep him in the job to catch the criminal responsible which becomes quite topical with the current attacks on townsfolk, the ability to build up a solid whodunnit mystery over the series of crimes being committed in the town makes for a fine setup here. Realizing it's a werewolf and starting to prepare for the occasion with some solid defensive tactics to protect the rest of the town as the final attacks are decent if not spectacular efforts with the low-budget limitations here keeping this one intriguing enough as it goes along. There are so many issues here beyond that as those low-budget limitations are at the center of it all. The fact that the budget here never allows for any kind of genuine attacks to take place on-screen where so many of them are based on a person reacting to being approached by a grunting, growling figure in a tinted vision to indicate something is happening but then switches to the aftermath to see what happened to the victim. This removes any potential suspense or action from the film not having any genuine genre fare present here, and with everything being wrapped in a low-budget haze of flimsy production values, special effects, and utterly nonsensical storylines for what's going on with so much of the film trying to paint him as the culprit it's hard to get invested in anything the film has a lot of issues.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Graphic Violence.
Final Girl: Halloween (2024)
A generally fun indie slasher that has a few issues
After surviving a brutal massacre, a woman who witnessed her friends getting killed by a savage killer tries to adjust to society treating her with unearned sympathy or derision for surviving, which doesn't stop when the killer continues to strike forcing her to stop the madman before she's next.
This was a pretty decent if flawed genre effort. One of the better features here is the solid setup that allows for the film to recap and backtrack on the traditional genre elements while also introducing a fine character study of the survivor. After opening on the titular showdown with the killer that shows off some great stalking and slashing that introduces the fun of the group getting picked off and setting her up as the last victim by disappearing so everything is left open with multiple questions about the situation that are clues to uncovering the truth about what happened. Wondering why she survived, why the others were targeted, what the killer wanted with the group, and who they are is just a hint of the questions presented here and it handles them quite well with the outcome of the situation bleeding over nicely into the treatment she gets from her peers and classmates trying to help get her through the experience since everyone else keeps blaming her for the situation. Due to this solid work here, the series of attacks and encounters present here makes for a fun time trying to work out who the killer is and what their motivation is. The attacks on the student bullies that try to pull a prank on her at the school take some great twists that showcase the deviant nature of the rest of the students as that leads nicely into the proper setpieces towards the later half where it's a real killer. These scenes bring about the more pronounced stalking around the community involving scenes around the school, attacking her friends at home, or getting to the various individuals present around the periphery of the story leading to the fun finale where the killer strikes the group during a closed-off celebration. The final reveal doesn't make much sense in the grand scheme of things since there are parts where it's a blatant lie to cover what's revealed here, but it does come off as a surprising twist giving this one some decent elements for a lot to like. There are some big issues with the film that hold it down. One of the main issues with the film is the way this one manages to make everything happen either through sheer stupidity or inherently illogical actions. The way the students at the school continually blame her for what happened and being the sole survivor because she was the killer all along because of how her friends treated her is simply asinine and stretching trying to provide a motivation for red herrings that are so stupid it's hard to believe the mental logic to bring them to that conclusion. Even worse is that the stupidity of the students to carry out pranks designed to unhinge and unnerve her in this situation without any kind of reprimand is excessively moronic, their behavior towards her knowing there's a killer on the loose which gives them the right to sneak up on her scaring her at school or at home just so there's more psychological trauma inflicted about the situation strains credibility to the point it's so hard to believe the idiocy and incompetence around everyone just so there's some sense of mystery here. It's pretty detrimental and holds this one back the most.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Violence.
The Mitchin Murders (2024)
Decent enough at points but still rather troubling overall
Trying to uncover the truth about her small-town, a reporter and her friend set out to make a documentary about a series of murders that occurred in her home town several years earlier, but when they gradually uncover evidence of a real serial killer still hunting in the area must stop his rampage.
This was a decent if highly troubling mockumentary effort. One of the brighter points here is a straightforward and simplistic storyline that lets the series of events depicted here come together rather well. The initial introduction to the story and how it gets brought up involving the events in the town and how they affected the lives of the filmmakers growing up is a solid touch, especially with the way the series of interviews that get brought into play are utilized. These offer a solid look at the different individuals present here involving the different bits of information that are revealed about what really happened, how the different events went down, and the lives being affected which spur the finale where the turn into a field investigation takes place. The second half features this investigation in the field, featuring more random interviews, and setting out to look into the truth about the claims of everything being based on a boogeyman, resulting in the reveal that the killer is still around taking victims which has some fun moments. This section does manage to slow the pace down considerably with the decision to investigate the towns' history rather than stay involved in the current case, as the background information doesn't prove any more useful at figuring out what's happening. The focus away from the current to look at the past that has no bearing is a misstep with little happening, forced interviews trying to bring something useful to light, and very little action at all making for a generally disappointing time and being the big issues that hold it down.
Rated Unrated/R: Language and Violence.
The Demon Disorder (2024)
Overly familiar but still enjoyable enough
Trying to move on in life, estranged brothers living on a ranch in the middle of the countryside are brought back together when a series of incidents with a family member are eerily reminiscent of what happened to their father when he got possessed by a demon, forcing them to believe it's returned.
This was a decent enough if somewhat flawed genre effort. Among its better qualities is the strong startup that provides a solid base for the demonic activity to follow once everything is revealed. The early setpieces involving the brothers reconnecting and managing to come together again to investigate the strange circumstances surrounding their family with the symptoms resembling what happened with their father that allows for their reunion to take place gives this a decent enough starting point. Tying in the idea of the unnatural behavior and violent outbursts that signal something is wrong, setting the brothers up on their quest to figure out what's going on that ultimately leads to the overt possession and ultimate revenge plot at the center of everything, giving this a solid overall setup. On top of that, when dealing with the grisly aftereffects of the possession, the film scores incredibly well as there's some gruesome work here. The idea of the calling card for everything taking on the form of a spreading and bloody wound on the body leaves quite an impression with the effects going for goopy body-horror style undertones. With the big confrontations in the final featuring even more great effects-work as the practical nature if everything here including demonic beings emerging from victim's body's, the graphic contortions and dismemberments that occur with the possessed in control of the body, and the general grotesque appearance that signals the possession has taken place helping to make the action inside the restricted location even more potent with everything here coming across well enough to have a lot to like. There are some issues with this one that hold it down. One of the biggest drawbacks is the overly familiar and cliched storyline involving long-buried family drama and grief manifesting itself once again. This is a familiar route that plenty of other features have gone with as they try to make the idea of generational curses and long-hidden trauma mean something but it's just not different enough with the material to make much of an impression. Everything is by-the-numbers and routine to the point of making it feel far more dragged out in the beginning than it actually is since everything is building to the point of genuinely chilling horror elements in the final half. However, going once again with the route it halts the moment of this one at the very beginning and makes for a bit of a difficult watch getting into things with this type of setup. These are the main detrimental factors involved with this one.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Graphic Violence.
The Well (2023)
A fantastic genre effort without much wrong
Arriving in a small town in Italy, a woman brought in to restore a damaged painting before a prestigious auction finds that a special significance in the painting might be the key to unlocking the truth behind a centuries-old curse affecting the house and races to stop it from happening.
This was a rather fun and enjoyable genre effort. One of the better elements here is the rather strong and intriguing setup that allows for a highly involved storyline to take place. Going with the overly familiar route of a stranger summoned to a place where a creepy legend is residing and getting mixed up in the shenanigans at work allows this one to go for a rather enjoyable time as the pieces start getting revealed as to what's going on with her arriving at the house to begin restoring the artwork in question. As more and more get repealed during the restoration and what it all means with these elements making more sense through the dreams and hallucinations she has, this begins unraveling involving ancient curses, a returning supernatural evil, and the denizens that are cursed to remain tied to the property which is what she's stumbled onto. Tied together with the secondary storyline involving the figures she met earlier who are kidnapped and held captive in the underground cell with the monstrous killer that provides some unsettling work throughout here. With this setup in play, the later hallucinations here involving the work on the painting as the whole thing continues getting more detailed over time, the different stories she hears from the residents of the estate about the true nature of what went on, and how everything comes together with the captives in the basement comes into a genuinely thrilling experience. Taking everything together with how the curse is involved and what the sacrificial victims are meant adds a fantastic depth and urgency to the finale where the fruits of her efforts are revealed and the different figures around her try to ensure everything happens as the figures responsible for the curse to start try to gruesomely take out those around her including the captives in what are some fantastic scenes as she races through the underground lair to take down these figures and rescue her trapped friends still inside. With this all taking place n a spectacularly Gothic-style setting with the mansion house where she's working coming complete with the requisite hidden passageways, secrets in the walls, and the gruesome remains of their experiences living in the cellar, the strong story here has a gripping atmosphere to match the setup. The grimy basement setup and holding cells are exceptionally well-done to match the aesthetic, and the creatures involved here have a lot to like when they get involved with the deformed appearance, gruesome strength, and just inhuman dimensions leaving a strong visual as they unleash outright gruesome outcomes as the messy practical effects for the multitude of deaths here make for a wholly fun time overall. The one lone drawback is that the finale feels incredibly rushed and over before it really starts with how quickly it's all resolved but it's the one lone drawback on display.
Rated Unrated/R: Extreme Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
Babezilla vs the Cyber Skanks: Rise of MechaBabezilla (2024)
A wholly enjoyable sleaze-filled genre effort
After working through the zombie invasion, the warrior tries to go about adjusting to the fame her previous adventures have brought her, but when a new series of threats emerge controlled by an evil figure looking for revenge it forces her to train with a special figure to stop their evil plans.
This was a massively enjoyable and silly genre effort with a lot to like about it. One of the main selling points here is the prodigious amount of sleazy, goofy comedy here that is far more hilarious than expected, managing to cover just about every type of comedy stylings expected as well. With the flimsy effects making everything look far too low-rent to be believable, the mountain of absurd physical gags that are so silly it borders on the illogical, and a slew of puns and quips that are equally as funny as they are graphic, it all creates a kind of over-the-top presentation that comes together into a highly enjoyable atmosphere. Since it fits in quite well with the simplistic storyline and gloriously cheesy sequences that also manage to keep the sleazy sexual energy present for a great throwback style presentation. That is present throughout the film here where most of what goes on takes a sexual bent, whether for the sake of the joke or to continue wallowing in the sleazy mindset present here where it's able to show full-on graphic nudity continuously. Even though there's a lot of fun to be had with the confrontations with the cybernetic soldiers at the meet-and-greet, a silly training montage featuring all sorts of gags to help her become a better fighter, and the final battles with each of the different soldiers trying to take her out which continues on from the same type of sleaze featured throughout the film which is a personal preference piece as for whether that type of content is appreciated. It's much like the cheapness and overly flimsy approach which is to be expected here and not truly a detrimental issue.
Rated Unrated/NC-17: Constant Full Graphic Nudity, Graphic Language, Graphic Violence, and sexual content.
Immaculate (2024)
A wholly fantastic effort without much wrong with it
Arriving at a special Italian convent, an American teen looking to stay at the location while she prepares for her upcoming views is soon inundated with a slew of visions about the convent's diabolical true purpose behind inviting her there and fights to save herself from their plans.
This was a really enjoyable and impressive genre effort. Among the better features with this one is the generally fantastic evolution that comes about here detailing the growing realization of her purpose there. The main setup of her arriving at the location hoping to get away from her previous life in America and finding a purpose within the church during her stay there when they come to believe she's undergone an immaculate conception offers a wholly intriguing first half here. Not only does the initial setup offer a background about who she is, why she's come to get away from her past, and meeting up with the various staff amongst the convent alongside the other women staying there, this all gives the kind of impressive air of secrecy that surrounds everything going on here for a generally impressive start. By the time the immaculate pregnancy is discovered and the film starts to turn into a more prominent genre outing, this one starts to get involved with more frightening features. The initial scenes going with her struggles adapting to pregnancy and the repeated assassination attempts that take place offer a fine start to the more sinister reactions that take place as the ornate and deliberate care they start to enact evolves into the kind of action that denotes much crueler intentions. The realization that her entire purpose is designed from the very beginning and how her condition is determined to be for their benefit offers a fine motivating factor for the series of impressive sequences at the end trying to stop their plans from continuing as that offers the kind of traditional retribution found here as their barbaric experiments come to the forefront. Featuring a lot of great gore to go along with these factors, these all give the film a lot to like. There isn't much really wrong here but there are some slight issues present here. The main drawback with this one is the seemingly sluggish and slow-going first half that goes along with the character-building that goes on throughout here. While its delivery of key plot-points is fine enough getting to know the characters and the hints of their plans, it's all slow-going to the point that it can feel tiresome waiting for everything to get started as it sets this up somewhat slowly with some overly familiar tropes to accomplish that. The other slight drawback found here is the sense of rushed storytelling told at the end where it seems to reveal the explanations for everything at once, with quite a lot of the purposes for everything taking place at one point so that there's a lot of information revealed strictly here. This can be a bit underwhelming for some looking for more coherent structure, but thankfully none of these are detrimental as they just lower it slightly.
Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, and intense religious themes.
Bring Me a Skin for Dancing In (2024)
Quite fun for what it is while only being let down by a few minor factors
Following the death of her sister, a woman is sent away to a remote cottage in the wilderness to help get over the incident, but after arriving a series of strange incidents cause her to believe that she's become targeted by a special cult looking for her to be their next sacrifice.
Overall, this was a fairly fun and enjoyable feature. One of the finer aspects present with this one is the generally impressive setup involving the trip out to the remote cottage and how her presence there involves her in the strange cult. The initial arrival at the cabin and the meet-up with the strange owner and her even stranger daughter starts things quite well with sending her out to the location to rest and recharge following her sister's death and coming across the creepy owners. Though given that prominent and ever-present sense of warmth and familiarity, the veneer of malicious intent behind everything makes their greetings and introduction feel all the more mysterious during these interactions. That all sets the film up for a solid bit of supernatural-tinged charges the more this carries on. Knowing that there's a nice bit of suspense throughout the cottage with the initial setup and mysterious objects disappearing around her that offer up clues as to the locals' intentions, the whole thing reeking of old-world mysticism and supernatural beliefs offer a nice bit of groundwork for what's to come. The gradual reveal of the whole operation being a front for the type of occult pagan ceremony that's in store for her during this section allows for some chilling confrontations throughout here which offers up the kind of the setup necessary for some great escapes throughout the house as she tries to continually get out of the house to safety and stop their plans, making for some solid positive points here. There aren't too many factors that hold this one down. Among the main drawbacks to the film is a rather bizarre and seemingly useless storyline beat about a flashback involving the presence of the father turning to a series of controversial measures to try to make sure she's safe from others as a child. This comes off as nothing more than an excuse for an extended cameo from the performers involved in the scenes which has little context for what else is going on around the film, given that it's built mainly on how the series of revelations impact her in the future which is somewhat unnecessary for how it gets included here. As well, there's also the low-budget limitations that arrive here that look quite obvious, especially the gore and bloodshed with the CGI effects being immensely underwhelming and taking the viewer out enough here to be the main drawbacks to this one.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Violence.
Air Fryer Slaughter (2024)
A gloriously enjoyable shot-on-video throwback
After being brought to life, a sentient air fryer moves through the community taking out a series of random victims figuring it to be just a regular object, and as the bloodsoaked trail brings the authorities onto its trail forces it into ever more dangerous tactics to stay alive.
Overall, this proved to be a stellar shot-on-video throwback feature. One of the main selling points here is the fantastic and highly entertaining storyline that lets everything play out in a series manner but still manages to go for a comedically goofy spin. Taking the concept of the killer animatronic device that goes on a ravenous criminal spree with any opportunity it comes across is a fantastic touch as it allows the film to move along from set piece to set piece while maintaining the illusion of a storyline by having the various victims take up temporary ownership of the device only to then meet a vicious, violent demise. That might result in a repetitive storyline involving each new group of victims stumbling upon the specific device but it's still solid enough at providing the kind of intriguing setup as the influence of the device, it's hilarious sense of humor doling out one-liners during the ambush, and keeping a great aesthetic moving through endless cameos to signal every kind of switch to the next victim. That allows for a great series of silly sequences featuring the randomized deaths that take place with each of the selected victims. The series of deaths featured here with the type of ridiculousness of a sentient, ambulatory air fryer going around slaughtering a series of random victims who just happened to come across the being moving around the county. From snapping off limbs, biting through the skin into the meat below, stabbing, and much more that goes on here, there's such an over-the-top display of carnage here that's ably enhanced by the grainy video production which is a part of the simplistic storyline involving the homage to the original shot-on-video movement. It's all obviously done on the cheap and looks flimsy as a result which isn't a detriment but could easily be a personal preference much like the low-brow sense of humor that resonates as comedy. However, that factor is really all that holds it down instead of genuine issues throughout it.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, Nudity, and drug use.
Hell Hole (2024)
A rather solid if somewhat problematic genre effort
Arriving in Serbia for a mission, a drilling crew arrives looking to prepare a special location into a potential fracking site in the future, but when they uncover a frozen soldier in the operation with a body-hopping parasite inside must try to contain the creature it completes its reproduction.
This was a fairly fun and enjoyable genre effort. One of the main factors to like with this one comes from the stellar setup that brings the group together with several intriguing storylines being brought into the fray. The initial exploits of the crew being sent there to evaluate the condition of the site into a potential source for a fracking operation in the future gives everyone a great starting point to have the group meet up in a remote camp in the wilderness which brings about the discovery of the body. This stars up the fine secondary storyline where the body begins to showcase signs of still being alive despite being alive for several centuries and the series of tests that try to look into the true cause of the persons' status which triggers all sorts of alarms about not just what caused the character to stay alive but also the potential damage to the operation. This has quite a lot to like as well within the confines of the creature feature realm. The abilities of the parasite being a cocooning organism that keeps its victims alive once they become infected with it who can then manipulate the host to do whatever it wants while giving off several hints that they've become a host to the creature so there's a lot of intriguing biological facts given about the organism. It all come off rather logical as well, how the different investigative tactics look into the history of the creature's presence, how they can determine the origins of it and what's going on with it running wild through the various members of the facility which includes some great effects work on the infection sequences where it defends itself or possesses a body to move to it's next host. These are gruesome and bloody enough to be quite enjoyable, providing the film with some enjoyable points about it. This one does have some immensely problematic factors about it. The biggest issue here is the lack of urgency in what's going on when the group initially discovers the presence of the parasite as barely anything happens with the discovery. The discovery of the creature and how it becomes a body-hopping parasitic being looking for new hosts to carry on their line, endangering not just the camp but humanity as a whole with the implication of the escape into the world at large, manages to carry with it no big attempts at ramping up tension or thrills in the revelation. Due to the constant conversations about what's going on and the fact that they talk about it in the presence of the infected who never tries to engage in any kind of physical superiority over the crew, there's a decidedly tame feeling during this section which is the opposite of how they should be presented. With a finale that goes for more sympathy than it does anything else which is a weird way to go about it, these are what hold this one down overall.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
Lore (2023)
A highly effective and enjoyable anthology with not much to dislike
Heading out for a special trip, a group of friends on a ghostly tour of the area find themselves stranded in the woods and asked to partake in a local tradition telling stories about a fable that haunts them.
The Good Stor(ies): Shadows-On the run from creditors, a small-time criminal trying to get to safety is terrified to learn the warehouse he chose as a quick sanctuary is home to a ravenous creature hunting them down one by one. This was a fairly enjoyable starting point for the film with a lot to like about it. The simplistic setup offers a fun enough time here with the reason for the group to go chasing after him and why the warehouse is chosen with the resulting reveals about the creature inside allowing a couple of solid jump-scares featuring the creature popping out of nowhere to conduct an attack. The creature itself and the attacks that follow are quite fun using the setting to it's advantage with the cheesy gore being decent enough to counteract the lone flaw here in the expected twist that occurs which is somewhat underwhelming how it all plays out yet still doesn't detract from the rest of the segment.
The Hidden Woman-Following their grandmother's death, a woman and her son are tasked with cleaning out her mansion house which soon turns the house's resident ghost after them for disturbing her space. This was a fairly fun Gothic horror throwback feature. The main setup that puts them in the creepy house and the different exploits that exist while they slowly come to realize someone else might be in the house with them carries a lot of the weight here as it moves along. With the secretive nature of everything, strange noises coming from the house that no one could've made, and hints that there's a mysterious figure there who's not a figment of their imagination offer up some chilling times here, and help hold this one up over the lone issue here of the ghostly figure never having any urgency or sense of fear about it for what it's trying to accomplish.
Cross Your Heart-Hoping to spice up their marriage, a couple decide to try out a night of swinging with a second couple but are soon thrust into a horrifying situation when the true intentions behind the meeting is revealed. There was quite a lot to like with this segment. The brief bits throughout here managing to offer up a bit on their relationship and what's going on between the two is a great start, as is the clearly one-sided meet-up that shows how the relationship is supposed to be carried out which provides for a great time in letting the reveal about their true purpose there come about. That brings about some fun chasing and stalking throughout the hotel as things go on, eventually resulting in a rather enjoyable reveal at the end that could've used more time to spell out the point of everything. Still, there's quite a lot to like with this one.
The Keychain Man-Heading to a special screening, a group of friends trying to enjoy a new movie premiere witness a concession stand clerk snap and turn into a hulking killer taking out everyone inside the theater. This was a massively enjoyable slasher outing that comes off quite well. With the great setup allowing for the kind of logical explanation and motivation for the rampage, the series of chases and ambushes throughout here bring about a string of brutal and impressively-handled kills that utilize the surroundings of the situation quite nicely alongside the fine stalking pieces inside. Given how quickly it all sets everything in motion, starts the rampage, and lets everything play out inside the theater, there could've been more time developing everything as the exceedingly brief running time doesn't do it much favors, but as with the other segments here is really all that holds it back.
The Bad Stor(ies): The Campfire-Heading out for a special trip, a group of friends on a ghostly tour of the area find themselves stranded in the woods and asked to partake in a local tradition telling stories about a fable that haunts them. This proved to be a decent enough wraparound segment but doesn't have much else going for it. The genesis of using the group's trek out into the woods as a means of using their storytelling ventures as a lead-in to tell the story for the next segment in the anthology is a highly effective one getting this one all the necessary steps to get this going. There's not much else between the stories as there's no real deviation between any of the different introductions that are used as it unjust shifts to the next one so these features feel rather simple and repetitive which knocks this down somewhat.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
The DÆMON (2024)
A somewhat intriguing genre effort let down by some major setbacks
Receiving word of his father's death, a man goes to a lakeside house to investigate things only to become so estranged from his family they go searching for him where they uncover evidence of something sinister lurking in the area pulling those who venture into the area into its deadly embrace.
This was a frustratingly enjoyable if flawed genre effort. When this one works best is the central setup and the potential that lies within this one hoping for something more impactful to emerge. The main idea of the tragedy that sends him out to the secluded lake that houses a series of traumatic incidents to him that allows for the other couple to come find him which signals the start of something happening at the lake the more that goes on there the more the group find themselves subjected to something otherworldly while staying there gives this an intriguing enough mystery to figure out. The series of hallucinations that take place, and the way everything works off of the setpieces created by the creators due to the build-up provided here allows for some fun times here as things spiral out of control in a more over-the-top manner that the finale brings about as this one focuses more on the threat becoming more actualized than implied that had taken place before. Beyond that setup, though, the film struggles with keeping things interesting or thrilling for much of the running time. Way too much focus is made her in trying to get these wholly unlikable and just plain uninteresting people to be the main focus as they're petty problems, overdone traumatic backgrounds, and barely endearing traits that are supposed to make us endearing to them but only manage to produce a feeling of boredom for much of the film. It takes way too long to get going with the film going through the motions of trying to get these troubled people into the area to be affected by the supernatural force there as its build-up to that point is just bland and uninteresting. It doesn't help that so much of this is so easily handicapped from the start where it's easy to see coming which makes the attempts at being mysterious wholly flat with these cliched, uninteresting characters waiting around for the inevitable to happen, all of which hold this one down overall.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Language.
Psycho Ape: Part II - The Wrath of Kong (2024)
A generally fun follow-up which has some personal preference issues
After being released from prison, the gorilla returns to his friend and former foe who have entered into a relationship together and joins them trying to adjust to normal life, but when a crime spree paints him as the main suspect forces the ape to turn to his friends to find the culprit responsible.
This was a pretty enjoyable effort with a lot to like. The whole thing is based on the absurd level of cheese and humor presented here as the film never fails to offer up references, homepages, or outright spoofs of scenes or concepts it's so silly and absurd to go through the numerous gags throughout here offering up takes on numerous other films, pop culture moments, and TV shows with a winking nod that comes off as the entire purpose due to how the interactions come off as not only does the physical gag make reference to what it's referencing but then the characters make pointedly on-the-nose quips about the situation that has a highly bizarre tone to it. The sketch comedy approach rapidly transitioning to another gag or spoof sequence makes everything flow together quite well at the beginning. While the focus on goofiness and silly antics works in its favor for those that enjoy this brand of comedy, the setup and approach here might also be just as much of a turn-off for those that don't enjoy this particular style. With the loosely structured feel looking like it's improvised on the spot with the way they come off, breaking the fourth wall by having the crew direct the actors in the scene how it's supposed to come off during the sequence, and the slew of meta jokes which all either help the sense of humor present or just wear on the viewer to the point of exhaustion and frustration. The low-budget look and feel might also be problematic since it never allows for the carnage that took place in the original by going for the elaborate jokes, but for those that don't mind the style it won't be as big of a deal.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language, Graphic Male Nudity, and comedic Graphic Violence.