So, here's a big ol rundown of the last few months...
I waited in line for an hour to see a preview screening of this, and didn't make it in.
And sure it would've been better on the big screen... maybe.
Maybe not, because despite the big-screen premis here, the story really works better on a small home video scale.
And if it weren't for some third act stalling and fumbling, trying to shoe-horn in too much "gosh these marines are sure heroes" and "hey, he got our buddies killed" BS that wasn't necessary and only derailed and cheapened things, this could've been an epic flick.
As it is, the inspired cyborg aliens and tech design, and richly illustrated battle was on par with classic 80's concepts.
RECOMMENDED
Stalker/Slasher urban legend terrorizes a group of teens here.
So it's reliant on some strong directing, and inspired backstory and script to make it work.
And for the most part it does.
The teens here are fun and believable.
The antagonist is done well... though straight from the Rob Zombie school of origins, complete with Bill Mosley (in the role of Graveyard Gus... yes, Graveyard Gus, lol).
It's fun enough and has enough spark to enjoy.
Just don't get caught out on blood night, when Mary, or her kin are experiencing a heavy flow!!!
RECOMMENDED
Just got around to watching this, a love letter to 1950's alien/creature flicks, from a couple years back. I thought it would be a fun romp, but I was surprised by just how much fun it was, and how much I liked it. The cast - including Eric McCormack, Robert Patrick, and the dad from Wonder Years, Dan Lauria - and story are great. Perfectly capturing the era and those classic monster matinées!
RECOMMENDED
Nick Cage escaped from hell and out for vengeance?
Nope, not a Ghost Rider sequel, but a grindhouse/70's dark hero send up from the team that did the 3D My Bloody Valentine remake.
Should be cool right?
Well, in theory, not so much in execution.
It is an entertaining enough watch though.
MILDLY RECOMMENDED
Zombies? Check.
80's zombies? Oh yeah.
80's zombies that spring out of a fucked up old tv set!?!? Hell yes!
Video Dead is great.
What a cool fun story concept, and it's well done too.
Though the human cast is serviceable, the zombies are inspired... with "iron head", and the bride. Wow!
And shit, they made up their own video zombie rules!!!
Shoot or harm them and they'll think they're being hurt!
Show them their reflection and they'll be reminded they're dead and freak out!!
Lock them up and they'll go crazy and eat themselves!!!
RECOMMENDED
Twisted, if a bit cold, but still some demented fun... if you want to see a kinky couple come into a home and kill for no reason, other than to make snuff videos... with the cast of True Blood (Sookie and Bill) and Cylon number 5 (Tricia Helfer).
MILDLY RECOMMENDED
This is one of those where you know crazy demonic shit is going to happen, eventually. Only in this case it's set in medieval times with Sean Bean.
I wanted this one to go further... but it's still effective.
MILDLY RECOMMENDED
Very similar to Open House, where a serial killer, this time instead of a young couple, a young girl, goes from home to home torturing and killing people for no apparent reason. Here though, there's a little more gonzo flair, and gore (some very graphic), as this killer is really twisted. It shines though, thanks to the performance of the main sadistic killer girl. It's hurt though by it's convoluted beginning that's hard to follow and confusing (and I never have that problem with movies)...
Neighbor has a meant streak that's beyond most.
RECOMMENDED
Standard cookie cutter horror here. A group of college kids going to a family ranch, stalker/slasher horror ensues. However, what it lacks in any kind of originality is a fun spirit that makes it easy to watch and enjoy.
Plus it's got Tobin Bell as a dirty old caretaker...
MILDLY RECOMMENDED
Late 60's camp with zombies unleashed from reanimating corpses to use as astronauts, that sport luchador style masks, and are being chased by a Chinese commie spy played by Tura Satana!?!?
Yep.
This is epic b-movie at it's best. From the opening sequence and it's antique robot toys flailing to mod music, to the CIA agents who spend their time at a go-go bar, to the aforementioned robo-zombies who stalk young women...
RECOMMENDED!
This collection of Spanish horror packaged by Lionsgate in 2006, proceeds their 8 FILMS TO DIE FOR series, and is much better. In this case each disc has two features, so 3 DVDS total...
Of the 3, 2 are very good, and 1 is just okay. Not bad.
BLAME / SPECTRE
These are the weakest two.
NOT RECOMMENDED
THE BABYS ROOM / TO LET
The Baby's Room is an entertaining suspense thriller in the spirit of Twighlight Zone or Hitchcock... not great, but a decent watch that's well done.
MILDLY RECOMMENDED
To Let is from the modern torture genre, where a young couple are held against their will in a forgotten apartment complex with some twisted inhabitants. Some inspired leftfield stuff, and strong performances reel you in...
RECOMMENDED
A REAL FRIEND / X-MAS TALE
These are by far the best two of the bunch...
A Real Friend, while subtle and slow, is charming and just a really cool idea. If you like the horror genre, you'll get a kick out of this one that features a young girl, neglected by her single mother, who conjurs up some cook imaginary (or real?!?) friends.
RECOMMENDED
X-Mas Tale, like Super 8, is inspired by those 80's kid-centric fantasy tales, where a group of friends deal with the supernatural. In this case a wanted covict woman dressed as Santa Claus who's fallen down a pit, that the kids blackmail into giving up her stolen loot... who may or may not be undead! It's fun, well done, and inspired.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Hey look, another sci-fi movie!
Well, Skyline got drubbed at the theater, for not being Battle LA I guess.
It is however an effective small budget sci-fi/horror survival piece, that while not great, is not nearly as bad as people with high expectations thought it was...
RECOMMENDED
A war vet biking in Europe stumbles into torturous evil.
Like many modern European horror works, it's got some unique spins on modern torture porn horror, but at it's core we've seen it all before.
There are some nice creative touches though...
MILDLY RECOMMENDED
No, that's not Nick Frost of Shaun of the Dead fame on the cover... though I'm sure it's meant to look like him.
And that's fine, because Relic Hunter is to Lovecraft, what Shaun was to zombies.
Twenty-somethings dealing with Lovecraftian creatures come to life.
It's inspired, but not executed as well as it could be.
The humor, while amusing, is pretty flat.
But it's still really fun.
RECOMMENDED
Kind of a modern spin on the siren song.
Not bad.
MILDLY RECOMMENDED
Modern torture porn horror meets French hiking story that paralels The Descent.
It's pretty good, til it devolves into your standard inbred Hills Have Eyes scenario...
But the first act, with the scenery and hiking that's involved is pretty spectacular.
MILDLY RECOMMENDED
Food critic torture porn!
James LeGros (Ally McBeal, Phantasm II) is really good as the pompous TV chef who goes psycho when Joshua Leonard (Blair Witch Project) gives him a bad review.
Some fun food based items ensue...
MILDLY RECOMMENDED
Even though I liked the first, in spite of itself, you know a straight to DVD sequel with an all new downgraded cast (except, or including, Danny Trejo) can't be any good... and it's not.
NOT RECOMMENDED
While not a genre movie, it is off-the-beaten-path, and boy is it good.
A much better Facebook movie.
And one that creates such edge of your seat suspense and drama!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Though it can't be as good as the first, it's surprisingly effective.
RECOMMENDED
Yay, one more modern torture porn!
This time another remake of one of the true classic torture porns (like Last House on the Left etc)...
Look kids, gang rape! Yeesh.
NOT RECOMMENDED
I'm sure I've missed some, but that'll have to do for now!
Now get over to Netflix and queue some of these up! (But keep in mind, these recommendations often times assume a predisposition to liking these types of movies... if you're not a big horror/genre fan, you may want to bump the recommendations down a notch)
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