FILM REVIEW: Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (Producer's Cut) (1995)

Let me start off by saying that I’ve never cared for the theatrical version of The Curse of Michael Myers.  My big complaint is that like The Return of Michael Myers and The Revenge of Michael Myers, Michael is an oaf. It would appear that while Season of the Witch was being made, Michael hit the gym hard on his time off and grew a few inches. Michael went from a normal sized guy to a pro wrestler, and the reason for this is because of Moustapha Akkad wanted to compete with Jason Voorhees. Where Akkad went wrong was ever trying to compare the Halloween series to an imitation. I also am not privy to the ugly mask nor its size. And I despise the ridiculous Thorn crap among other things. So, going into this Unrated Producer’s Cut (originally known as Halloween 666), I definitely wasn’t excited, but I was thinking it had to be better…

THROWBACK THURSDAY REVIEW: Rabid (1977)

Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg considers Rabid to be his “first epic”. And like most good movies, it almost didn’t get made. After Cronenberg’s first feature Shivers (1975), was considered too edgy, he struggled to get Rabid off of the ground for a few years due to the CDFC not investing. Then, he almost backed out of the project (originally titled Mosquito) when it was greenlit due to doubting the premise. However, cooler heads prevailed and Rabid, a film that’s said by many to be a foretelling of aids, was made in Quebec and Montreal on a budget of just $560,00.00. The movie needed a name attached to it that’s marketable, yet the production couldn’t afford a real actress. So, they hired popular 70’s porn star Marilyn Chambers over their original choice of Sissy Spacek. It worked out for the better in a sense, because you get to see Marilyn Chambers nude several times. And Cronenberg, himself, stated that he wouldn’t deprive his audience of not seeing Marilyn naked. You gotta appreciate a good director who cares about his audience, don’t ya?

THROWBACK THURSDAY REVIEW: Nightbreed: The Director's Cut (2014)

In 1990 legendary genre author and filmmaker Clive Barker, released a motion picture that was very dear to him. However, he was left with nothing but disgust and emotional anguish once he saw the final version of his beloved project. 20th Century Fox had every intention of capitalizing on the slasher craze, instead of keeping the integrity and point of Barker's vision. The result? A ton of cuts in editing to both shorten the length overall, and to try and portray the monsters as villains. This left Nightbreed falling flat on its face to a lot of cinemagoers who were confused by the mess it turned out to be. During commentary on the Hellraiser (1987) Blu-ray, Clive Barker, explained how Nightbreed (1990) was his metaphor for being homosexual. When you think about it, it makes total sense. You have a guy (Aaron Boone) who wants to get away from his surroundings and go to a place where people are like him, and where he can quite literally hide under a rock to get away from the society that doesn't accept him. Thinking of how gays weren't kindly received until recently, you can clearly see the connection to the story, which is very deep and powerful. And while the theatrical cut still allows you to see the metaphor, the director's cut makes everything come together in a more solid and likable way. Distributing company Scream Factory, went through 500 boxes obtaining sixteen hours of footage to give you the motion picture originally intended. Although it has 45 minutes of new footage, the director's cut is actually only 20 minutes longer, due to the fact that they replaced old scenes with alternate ones as well as added in things that previously ended up on the cutting room floor. Fans can finally see Barker's original idea, and how it flows a lot smoother than the rendition we were given back in 1990. The most satisfying part is the fact that people can now see and understand that the creatures are veritably good guys, as always intended. Some confuse this version with The Cabal Cut, but that's not the case. The Cabal Cut is an even more extended version, using a combination of the work print footage from the U.S. DVD and the CD Soundtrack by Russell Cherrington and Jimmi Johnson to make one cohesive version. The Cabal Cut has also been re-cut, and seven different versions have been shown at conventions.

FILM REVIEW: Mad Max: Fury Road

 It's been 30 years since the character of Max Rockatansky, played by Aussie Mel Gibson, graced the big screen in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985). And good things never die, because the writer and director of the original Mad Max trilogy, George Miller, decided to revive his well-received series with a shot of adrenaline he calls Fury Road. Only this time around the rugged anti-hero, Max, is played by the very talented brit, Tom Hardy (Child 44). There was a lot of speculation as to how Hardy would carry the role because to a lot of people, it's Mel Gibson's role. (Much like the case of Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger.) But as it turned out, Hardy's acting ability combined with Miller's strict direction and attention to detail kept the integrity of Max on course and intact. What's even cooler is that Hugh Keays-Byrne, the guy who played Toecutter in the original Mad Max (1979), returns to the series as the antagonist again. This time, he plays a sickly Warlord named Immortan Joe, a cold villain who starts a war over his own ego. Oscar Winner Charlize Theron (Monster) shares the big screen with Tom Hardy, as Imperator Furiosa: a woman bound on revenge and freedom from under Immortan Joe's dictatorship.

BLU-RAY REVIEW: The Sentinel (1977)

  The 1970’s is the best era for the Horror genre. Many timeless motion pictures have come from that decade, including The Omen, Jaws, The Exorcist, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween. It’s sad, but true that 1977’s The Sentinel directed by Michael Winner is considered more of a cult film than a classic. Perhaps, unfortunately, that’s why this Blu-ray release by Scream Factory isn’t one of their more showy Collector’s Editions with an artful cover and a plethora of extras.

The plot is one of originality: Young model Alison Parker, (Christina Raines) moves into a quaint brownstone apartment that’s full of elderly and perverted neighbors who turn out to be ghosts. The journey Alison goes through to find this truth causes everyone around her to believe she’s losing her mind due to trauma in her past and two suicide attempts. Add to that, her fiancé, Michael Lerman (Chris Sarandon), discovers that the creepy old priest that resides on the fifth floor in Alison’s building is guarding the gate to hell…which just happens to be the actual apartment building itself. He realizes Alison is being set up to replace Father Halliran (John Carradine) as the next Sentinel. Not everyone brings their A game to acting in this, just look to Sarandon for an easy example. However, a big positive for The Sentinel is its all-star cast including Ava Gardner, Burgess Meredith and, Beverly D’ Angelo in her big screen debut in which she double clicks her mouse for your viewing pleasure!

THROWBACK THURSDAY REVIEW: Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005)

As I mentioned in my review of the original Exorcist, HERE, I had never gotten around to seeing the second prequel that was made and went straight to video. That's all changed now, because I found a dirt cheap copy of it on DVD, and have already watched it a good three times, maybe four. Though it didn't see a release until 2005, the director, Paul Schrader, was approached to tackle the project in 2001. From the jump, I respected this picture more than the dreadful Renny Harlin movie, Exorcist: The Beginning, because unlike Harlin, Schrader didn't try and mock or imitate the original Friedkin movie in any way. In fact, Schrader said, "the feeling was [that] you had to get away from the Friedkin Exorcist, because it was such a classic. And one of the ways to do that was to switch the possessed person from a girl to a boy, but even more importantly, to switch the very nature of a possession". It's no secret that a pet peeve of mine is when directors try to make prequels to outdo an original, rather than just let it flow naturally and be its own movie. So, my hat's off to Paul Schrader for both being respectful of the 1973 Exorcist, and for making a stand alone effort. The story is more about Father Merrin's journey than trying to be a horror flick.

THROWBACK THURSDAY REVIEW: Dance of the Dead (2005)

 Director Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and the Masters of Horror series are both hit or miss with me. I've personally, never been a big fan of Hooper's work except for Poltergeist and Salem's Lot (TV movie). And, there are more episodes of Masters of Horror that I dislike than like. I've viewed "Dance of the Dead" (season 1, episode 3) before, but it's been so long since I've seen it that I couldn't remember my opinion of that particular episode. I mean, the combo of Robert Englund and Tobe Hooper sounds appealing, especially when it's based on a short story by Richard Matheson! So, when I found it on DVD (for only $3.50!) I couldn't pass up the opportunity to purchase it and give it another watch. I was hoping for the best, but expecting the worst so as to not be letdown. That all changed about 20 minutes in, when I realized that I did remember it, I just tried to erase it from my brain...

FILM REVIEW: The Expendables 3 (2014)

I'm pretty sure everyone my age is still caught up in the new TMNT flick and Guardians of the Galaxy, because my fiance and I sat in the back row of an empty theater Saturday, the only other people in the whole showing were five or six people who were all geriatric. I would be lying if I said that I expected much from this installment in the Expendables series, but I'm at the very least pleased that it's better then the dreadful 2012 sequel. You have to understand who these films are aimed at in order to truly appreciate them. If you still have a knack for 80's cheesy action motion pictures (the way that I do with 80's horror) with a cliche plot full of no story and tends to be overly loud, then the good news is that you'll more than likely "dig" this. So when watching, try to put on your 'I have to remember to forgive all these flaws I'm about to see because it's a senseless action flick' glasses (that they don't give you with your ticket purchase), so you can take it in properly. Unfortunately, I left my glasses at home...

THROWBACK THURSDAY REVIEW: Demon Seed (1977)

I first stumbled upon Demon Seed about two weeks ago at the local flea market, where it was sitting in the "rare finds" section. I was drawn to the cover instantly because it looked sexy, and because I had never heard of it before. I read the (ridiculous) synopsis on the back cover, and even though I wasn't totally sold on it, I decided to give it a chance anyway. I mean, a woman getting impregnated by a machine? Really? I've seen movies where women have been raped by rednecks, Satan, demons, and monsters. But I've never seen a woman victimized by a machine, so I was eager to add that to my 'all the crazy crap I've seen' list. And, when I found out that it was based on a Dean Koontz novel of the same name, I was a little more interested and more willing to give it a shot.

FILM REVIEW: Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

Director John Carpenter has done five films with actor Kurt Russel; Elvis (TV Movie), Escape from New York, The Thing, Escape From L.A., and Big Trouble in Little China. The thing is, I never got around to seeing Big Trouble in Little China until just a few days ago, and I'm an instant fan. This movie and I have crossed paths several times, it was one of those movies that just kept slipping by. I mean, I love John Carpenter, he'll probably always be my favorite director in the Horror genre. And, I've got no beef with Kurt Russell either, he's in some good movies with and without Carpenter behind the camera. But as far as I know, the work Carpenter and Russell do together is without qualms. The itch to finally watch Big Trouble in Little China came from a friend of mine who was posting pictures of his Blu-ray on Facebook. That, (coupled along with the memories that came back to me of several friends telling me I need to see it) really put a boot in my ass. When I sat down to watch it, it was about 9 pm and I was all alone, so I gave it my undivided attention. Right away I could see that it wasn't at all what I was expecting. No one ever told me what the hell the movie was about, so I was going off of the small synopsis on the back cover. But, I had a gut feeling that I was going to see the appeal in it. John Carpenter, Russell, the crew and studio all caught hell for this movie, slurs of stereotyping and racism from the Chinese began to make their rounds, but as Carpenter and Russell pointed out in the DVD commentary, the Caucasian guy (and star) in the film is the jackass who's clumsy and always messing up. So there's no truth behind the rumored racism behind this flick. Some truth though, is it only had $3 Million for advertising, and on top of that, the studio didn't know how to market it because Carpenter didn't make the movie the studio expected. So, Big Trouble in Little China has been somewhat of a sleeper, gaining its crowd and popularity after the point of its release. So, I guess better late than never for me, right?

Throwback Thursday Review: 'HELLO MARY LOU: PROM NIGHT II' (1987)

In a genre where follow-up movies are especially known for "milking the cow", Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II is one of the greatest horror sequels ever made. I've said that since I saw it, and I still stand by that. Though it's not as dark or tragic, this always has and will give Carrie a run for it's money. Someone from the Village Voice once said that "it's like a Brian DePalma movie for slasher fans", furthering my point that it stands toe to toe with Carrie, and in my opinion is superior. For those of you who don't know, Brian DePalma is the director of the original Carrie, but is most known for his masterpiece starring Al Pacino, Scarface. This stand alone sequel in the Prom Night series is directed by Bruce Pittman who's been around the game for a while. His last directorial effort was in 2012 called The Last Movie, and while I've never seen any of Pittman's other works, this is enough for me to respect the mans talent. Even if all of his other work is throwaway stuff (which I'm not saying it is, I'm just saying...), he knocked this one motion picture out of the park. The cast offers Lisa Schrage (Food of the Gods II), Michael Ironside (Scanners), and Wendy Lyon (Warehouse 13 TV Series) in this supernatural tale of a prom night from hell as Mary Lou, a victim who died in 1957 at her school prom, returns 30 years later to wreck havoc and get revenge.

Don't feed the 'ANIMAL'

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

The Monkey's Paw (2013) director, Brett Simmons directs this survival story about a group of close-knit friends on the run for their lives from a beast within the woods. Starring Joey Lauren Adams (Chasing Amy), Elizabeth Gillies (Killing Daddy TV movie), and Paul Iacono (G.B.F.), Animal is an entertaining and relentless creature feature.

'JOYRIDE 3: ROADKILL' is relentlessly brutal

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

In the third installment in the Joy Ride series, we get a bloody (no pun intended) good sequel. This time around, a group of street racers who take a short cut to a race rally antagonize the vicious truck driver, Rusty Nail, and he won't stop hunting them until they all die gruesome deaths. Directed by Declan O' Brien (Shartopus) and starring Ken Kirzinger (Freddy Vs. Jason), Jesse Hutch (Smallville), and Ben Hollingsworth (Coming Home for Christmas).

Throwback Thursday Review: 'THE MONSTER SQUAD' (1987)

Directed by Night of the Creeps (1986) director, Frank Dekker, and starring Tom Noonan (Heat), Duncan Regehr (Air Bud 3), and Andre Gower (Sweet Deadly Dreams), The Monster Squad is a tale that adults and children alike can enjoy. It's a heartwarming story about a group of children who find themselves in a real life face-off against cinemas most famous monsters to ever grace the big screen.

'TORMENT' (2013)

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS 

Torment is a common and uninspired home invasion movie about a family who is sought out by a sadistic mask-wearing family is directed by The Marsh (2006) director, Jordan Baker. Having never seen any of Baker's prior directorial efforts, I was looking forward to this one although I was kinda disappointed by the obvious You're Next mockery of film promotion, such as the poster with the intruder wearing an animal mask. Another thing that drew me into the movie is that it stars Katharine Isabelle (Ginger Snaps), who is on a roll of good projects lately, such as being the lead in the all around successful American Mary, and making a few appearances in Season 2 of NBC's Hannibal. Sharing the screen with Isabelle is actor Robin Dunne (Species III) and young actor Peter DaCunha (The Barrens). 

'DEEP IN THE DARKNESS' will give you the creeps

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT 

Deep in the Darkness is directed by Colin Theys (Remains), and stars Dean Stockwell (Battlestar Galactica 2006-2009), Sean Patrick Thomas (Halloween: Resurrection), Blanche Baker (Sixteen Candles), and Kristen Bush (Blue Bloods). It's a lot creepier than I expected, not since The Woman (2011) have feral humans been so disconcerted to watch. Dr. Michael Cayle (Sean Patrick Thomas) and his pregnant wife Cristine (Kirsten Bush) move from New York to a small town called Ashborough where he picks up his medical practice in the hopes of bringing his family closer. However, their neighbors are mysterious and suspicious to say the very least, and they have a grave secret pertaining to the eerie creatures who live in the woods, which are in Michael and Cristine's back yard.

Throwback Thursday Review: 'THE WITCHES' (1990)

RATED- PG

RUN TIME- 91 Mins

WRITER(S)- Roald Dahl and Allan Scott

STARRING- Anjelica Huston, Mai Zetterling, and Jasen Fisher

DIRECTOR- Nicolas Roeg

Synopsis taken from IMDb

A young boy stumbles onto a witch convention and must stop them, even after he has been turned into a mouse. 

The Witches is one that I watched religiously as a child, I even used to go around quoting Bruno Jenkins' line of "just because you're a...doesn't mean I'm a...good Lord". I just recently acquired it on DVD, and I watched it for the first time in what was honestly the better part of ten years or more, and I actually still think it's great! Usually there's a sense of dread when I watch a movie that I haven't seen in ages, because odds are I'm not going to like it now that I'm older. That's not the case with this one. I still found it to be an amazing film, and I can still understand why some children are terrified of it. The Witches was made when children's viewing material still had balls. Sure, it's for kids, but it didn't hold back on trying to scare the hell out of them. The crazy thing of it is, despite how good the motion picture is, the author of the original 1983 book of the same title, Roald Dahl, actually had it put in his will that none of his other literary works get made into a movie because he hated this adaptation so much. Particularly the ending was what he disapproved of, and how it goes off in a happy fashion. In the book, it's hinted that due to being a mouse, Luke has a short life expectancy, where as in the movie, he becomes a boy again and all is happy-go-lucky.

'THE MONKEY'S PAW'

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT

RATED- Unrated

RUN TIME-  100 Mins

WRITER(S)- Macon Blair 

STARRING- C.J. Thomason, Stephen Lang, and Michelle Pierce

DIRECTOR- Brett Simmons

Synopsis taken from IMDb

Jake is given a monkey's paw that grants three wishes. After the first two wishes leave his friend Cobb undead, Cobb pushes Jake to make a final wish.

I grew up loving the story of The Monkey's Paw, I even remember the first time I read it in school. Being a fan of horror since I was a child, story's about supernatural things never bothered me. Tales From the Crypt even did an episode about The Monkey's Paw that I remember watching on my parent's couch in their living room. So, having been a fan of the story for many years, there's no way I was going to miss the new feature-length film based on it. Especially since Chiller Films are behind it. While Chiller's movies tend to be on the low-budget side of things, they also hit some of their projects out of the part. Other times, it's hit and miss with them.

Throwback Thursday Review: 'THE OMEN' (1976)

RATED- R

RUN TIME- 111 Mins

WRITER(S)- David Seltzer

STARRING- Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, and Harvey Stephens

DIRECTOR- Richard Donner 

Synopsis taken from IMDb

Mysterious deaths surround an American ambassador. Could the child that he is raising actually be the anti-Christ? The devil's own son? 

Like last week, this Throwback Thursday review is of another great horror gem from the 70's. A lot of films back then were based on, or around religion, mostly because everyone always feared the world was going to end. Back then, people weren't as eager to dispel the Bible like they are today. The book of the same title by David Seltzer, was released the same year in which the film, The Omen was distributed. Having grown up in a religious household, these types of movies often got watched, and I still have the old tattered hardback copy of the book that was my Dad's. Devils and demons have always scared me, but The Omen didn't have that kind of hold on me.

'LOCKE' is a drive you won't forget

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 85 Mins
WRITER(S)- Steven Knight
STARRING- Tom Hardy, Olivia Colman and Ruth Wilson
DIRECTOR(S)- Steven Knight



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Ivan Locke, a dedicated family man and successful construction manager, receives a phone call on the eve of the biggest challenge of his career that sets in motion a series of events that threaten his careful cultivated existence. 

If there's one thing that we can trust, it's that Tom Hardy carries motion pictures on his shoulders with incredible ease. After his masterful performance in Bronson, Hardy has been on a tear of good movies, all with memorable performances including Inception,The Dark Knight Rises, and now Locke.