An American Ghost Story (2012)

A.K.A. REVENANT 

RATED- UNRATED

RUN TIME- 95 MINS

WRITER(S)- STEPHEN TWARDOKUS

STARRING- STEPHEN TWARDOKUS, LIESEL KOPP, AND JON GALE

DIRECTOR- DEREK COLE

Synopsis taken from IMDb

When Paul, an unemployed writer, decides to rent and live in a house that's rumored to be haunted, he puts his life and his relationships in grave danger as he obsessively attempts to get the story that will finally make his career. 

 

I viewed a private screener for this only a few days ago, after hearing about it from several other bloggers. Like everything, I went in open minded and gave it a chance. Made on an estimated $10,000, I wasn't expecting a whole lot out of it, but I always remain optimistic.

When the film ended, I had mixed emotions. There were things that I liked, and strongly disliked. For one, this is a slow burning horror film. I've got nothing against movies that take their time building suspense and atmosphere. This one, however, was a let down in the sense that nothing ever really happens. This one burns a little too slow, and instead of building the aforementioned atmosphere, it takes the viewer out of the film. 

It is excruciatingly boring at times. I don't mind that it takes a while for events to occur but, this movie really draws out and takes it's time. And the most disappointing thing of all is that the scares that do eventually happen, they aren't worth the tiring wait that you've sat through.

Secondly, when things did happen, when the big scares did occur, they weren't anything original that we haven't seen before. It was recycled scares. At first, I was a bit creeped out, and I've gotta give the film credit for managing to get a reaction out of me at all. However, the effect wasn't long lasted and was shortly lived the second I had a minute to register what had happened. The scares are good for quick responses but, other than that, nothing memorable there. The biggest of scares has to do with a moving sheet, something we've seen 100 times over in such films as the "Paranormal Activity" series.

I can't say that I was expecting great acting but, the performances actually weren't that bad. Like all films of this quality, a lot of dialog seems forced and not genuine, and the acting can be dry and flat at times, but in the end, it wasn't too shabby. Not saying it was anything worth talking about either...

The character development is there, but it's not fully brought out and allowed to bloom. So even though the story's there, we never see anything that brings these characters out of being one-dimensional.

The story however, to me, was a watered down version of 2012's "Sinister". Guy moves into a house, and is hellbent to stay, regardless of how much damage it'll do, all for the sake of writing a book. So, the film loses out on the originality aspect too. I get that resources for low-budget/indie films are very scarce, but I expect a little more than just the standard ghost story. I want to see an inventive take on things, and a movie that isn't afraid to take risks, in which this one takes none. 

Being unbiased, I've gotta take a second to mention that I do appreciate the vision this film was going for. Instead of blowing the budget on some cheap, terrible effects, simple and subtle actions were taken. On a positive note, this is a little effective flick for what it is. It's just nothing you're going to walk away from and recommend to friends.    

In conclusion, this is worth a one time watch to anyone willing to give it a chance. It's a good motion picture to get a few goosebumps out of you, if only for a few moments. Could have been better, could have been worse. Can't say I'm really impressed, can't say I despise it either. It falls in between somewhere. Not sure I can say me and this film will ever cross paths again, life goes on. If this picture had more substance it would have been a lot more effective. 

BAD MILO is a complete blast!

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 85 MINS
WRITER(S)- BENJAMIN HAYES AND JACOB VAUGHAN
STARRING- KEN MARINO, GILLIAN JACOBS, AND PATRICK WARBURTON
DIRECTOR- JACOB VAUGHAN



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A horror comedy centered on a guy who learns that his unusual stomach problems are being caused by a demon living in his intestines.

Here is a film that I have seen a lot of publicity for, even though the advertising seems scarce. I guess I was just around the right places at the right time, and I caught word. Luckily I did. I motion picture about a guy who has a demon come out of his ass and kill people? I'm all over it.

I knew I was going to like it from the opening credits. Believe it or not, if you're a cinema junkie like me, you can honestly usually tell if a movie is going to be good based on the first five minutes of it. This flick has absolutely nothing great about it, in terms of acting or story. But, it's completely awesome! The entertainment provided by this horror comedy makes it great in it's own way.

This may not be for everyone, especially those who don't like a little comedy in their horror. To me, horror and comedy are like peanut butter and chocolate, both taste delicious on their own, but together they're even better. 

It takes almost no time for things to pick up get crazy, packed with laughs all the way. By far the best thing of it's kind since Frank Henenlotter's "Basket Case" from 1982, there's a little bit of everything to go around in this piece of cinema. The most current example I'd say this resembles is 2012's "Ted", starring Mark Wahlberg. It's every bit as immature, and every bit as touching and endearing. There's moments where I was laughing, and moments where I was a bit moved.

Ultimately, Ken (Ken Marino) puts up with so much baggage from his everyday life, that his self conscious becomes its own creature! Taking out Ken's aggression's for him by savagely murdering, the little critter is adorable and twisted. Ken names the being as Milo, a name he discussed with his wife for their future son. One of the many things Ken deals with is the pressure to have children, even though he's impotent and gets it thrown in his face almost daily.

Looking at things from a different standpoint, Milo is a creature from Ken's ass, we've established that. But, that's just a comic relief for the underlying story of the internal struggle we all have to not just blow up and take someone's head off when we're under severe pressure. Milo represents the demon in us all that we fight to stay at bay, and we're faced with the consequences and aftermath once we let that demon out. And for better or worse, it's always better to never let that hatred out, and instead move past it. Nothing good ever comes of these blow-outs except for a few moments of feeling justified but, then you usually just feel terrible once the self-righteous spaz passes. 

Watching this is like a blast from the past, it brings to mind memories of "The Ghoulies", and "Critters". There's as much blood and gore as there is laughs and entertainment. Regardless of any hate this film may catch, and I'm sure it will, (because a lot of horror fans love to think their opinion is law and not just an opinion), this film will be talked about for a long time. It sounds cliche, but it really is an instant classic! We haven't had a horror comedy of this caliber for a long time.  

On a side note, as good and enjoyable as this film is, it's still a film that doesn't take itself seriously and doesn't expect to be taken seriously. In the end, it's a film about a guy who craps out a demon on a regular basis. As entertaining as it is, I still have to rate it for what it is.

DEVIL'S PASS is another missed opportunity

A.K.A. The Dyatlov Pass Incident 

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 100 MINS
WRITER(S)- VIKRAM WEET
STARRING- GEMMA ATKINSON, RICHARD REID, AND MATT STOKOE
DIRECTOR- RENNY HARLIN



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Five young filmmakers retrace the steps of a doomed group of hikers in pursuit of an unsolvable mystery.

I'm actually behind on this one. I've seen a few fellow bloggers have reviewed it, so I jumped on the bandwagon and figured why not? 

After watching this film, I was actually angered. Here is yet, another wasted opportunity to do something new. I'm so tired of films having such potential and failing miserably. Remakes are all we get nowadays, so you've got people, like me, who are always saying that there's good horror out there, it's just not getting a chance. Then when a new and original film gets a chance, it fails miserably. Totally discouraging. People should take the time to make flicks like this one better, so we can have a new original horror film to be proud of. Instead of throwing all possibilities down the toilet due to laziness. 

Like "The Frankenstein Theory" and "The Chernobyl Diaries", this is another film about a group of young adults that stick there nose into the wrong places. Like the films just mentioned, this motion picture has something in common with both of them, and that is that it ended terribly. Huge realistic build-up for a less than lackluster payoff. These found footage films as of late don't seem to know how to end, and they just ruin the whole experience.

I actually was enticed with the film when it began. I saw that it had a good story, and that they could go anywhere with it. Unfortunately more sooner than later, the five filmmakers start falling into every cliche in the book. The leader of the expedition, Denise Evers (Gemma Atkinson) leads the gang blindly into the unknown and then uses her convincing capacities to make the other four colleagues stay overnight, against their wishes. I'm sorry, I will protect a woman if she's being hurt or about to be harmed, I have no problem being the gentleman. But, I'll be damned if I let some chick make me stay where I don't want to.

I wouldn't have blamed any of the guys or girls if they'd left Denise there by herself. Her selfishness ruins their lives, which is exactly why you don't follow people like that. If what she wants to do is so important, she can do it without my help. If the rest of the crew was smart, they'd have taken a page from my book and ditched her.

As the conspiracy unfolds, the movie becomes less and less interesting, which of course, is never  a good sign. Then, the film goes from bad to worse when they find a hidden bunker and enter it, only to discover they stepped onto the set of "I Am Legend". We're faced with cartoon cgi creatures/ people that look just like the vampires from the Will Smith film from 2007. Nothing entertaining about this at all. I stopped reacting to the movie at this point and officially gave up.

As I stated before, I'm almost certain that most of these found footage film's endings are just winged. There seems to be no need to satisfy the viewer. The ending to this film, and many others is a total let down and a cop-out. If this ending really took thought, it hardly shows. Scratch that, it doesn't show at all. 

The only thing that I walked away from the movie caring about is the actual case of the Dyatlov Pass incident from 1959. I have a need for my knowledge to grow on the topic. All this cinema did is make me want to know more about the real story behind the film, forgetting all that I just watched.

There's no scares, hardly any story and character development. There's nothing about this film that makes me ever want to see it again. Complete and utter disappointment. 

HELL BABY is funny as hell

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 98 MINS
WRITER(S)- ROBERT BEN GARANT AND THOMAS LENNON
STARRING- ROB CORDDRY, LESLIE BIBB, AND ALEX BERG
DIRECTOR- ROBERT BEN GARANT AND THOMAS LENNON



Synopsis taken from IMDb
An expectant couple who moves into the most haunted house in New Orleans call upon the services of the Vatican's elite exorcism team to save them from a demonic baby.

Being totally straight forward, I was never a fan of the show Reno 911, or the film based after the series. Nothing against it, I know a lot of people like it, most of my friends. I just never got into it. So, when I saw that this movie is from the creators of, I was slightly apprehensive.

It starts with Jack (Rob Corddry) and Vanessa (Leslie Bibb) moving into their new home, in which there's already problems. Like you'll see in the trailer, there's a woman in an upstairs window of their home, and the neighbors aren't very excited and welcoming to see someone new taking residence on their street or in the run down house they just purchased.  

About five minutes into the film, I was laughing. Rob Corddry is the best he's ever been! I laughed aloud several times at him alone, not to mention the other characters in the film. Keegan Michael Key is also in this, and he is by far my favorite character, almost every time he's on screen I cracked up at something. He was a nice addition to the cast for sure. I'd like to see him in more stuff. Really, the whole cast was perfect for this movie. Leslie Bibb did a fantastic job, and was really the icing on the cake.

Not to mention, the priests, Father Sebastian (Robert Ben Garant) and Father Padrigo (Thomas Lennon), who were the best addition to the cast once they become really involved in the film.

The one aspect that this film had, that I really liked, is that it remains unpredictable. Even though you may think that you know how it's going to end up, it doesn't go that way. It ends up going even further into the ridiculousness and brings about more laughter and memorable moments. I still have the whole movie practically running through my head. It goes from funny to funnier, and it's a real relief to see a movie not drop the ball once the climax comes about, like so many do. This isn't a film that's only funny up until a certain point, it's full of laughs through the duration.

The dialog is probably the best part of the movie for me. What the characters say, and how they act is priceless. The lines spoken are as goofy as anything you can think of but, it's exactly what needs to be said. There's a lot of hit or miss comedies out there, and I believe this is one that hit on every aspect it could. I was sucked in. I wish I could watch it again, and when I do, it'll be with a group of friends.

 It's amusing to me, because I wasn't even sure that I was going to like this flick, and here I am loving it. As the story plays out and we start to understand that Vanessa is possessed, things really go over-the-top, and it's really well done. The birth of the devil baby is so corny and cheesy, it's brilliantly hilarious. This is by far, the best horror-comedy to come out since the first "Scary Movie" back in 2000. There's twists and turns, and a lot more.

Now we get to the crucial stage. Rating movies like this are tough, because off the bat, you know they aren't four-star films. They're just entertaining and fun, the acting isn't award worthy, but it's what it needs to be. The story is simple, and not very inventive. So ultimately, the rating doesn't reflect the enjoyment factor, if it did, my rating would be higher. I'm judging this as a film overall.

My Rotting Zombie Arm

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting up with an old friend who is working on making a career in special effects. With Monster-Mania Con right around the corner, she needed some new work to add to her portfolio. I stepped in and agreed to let her work her magic on me. She couldn't do my face because of my beard, so we decided on going with my right arm.

With a combo of rice, liquid latex, and makeup, she achieved a really nasty visual. I'm pleased with the way it turned out. With this done on such short notice, I can't wait to see what she does when she really goes pro!

I've never had anyone put any sort of makeup on me, so this was a really fun experience. If I ever get around to shaving, I may volunteer to be a mummy, and see how a full body job would go. Maybe one day.

Here's the final results after about 3 hours work. I figured here would be the best place to share these pics. Looks nice and rotten. I love the rice/maggots touch.

I GOT BLOG OF THE WEEK!

Click the link below:
Grimm Reviewz IS BLOG OF THE WEEK!

 

It was just brought to my attention yesterday that I missed a tweet directed at me by Horror Focus. They elected me as blog of the week! I am honored to not only get the attention of having blog of the week, but also that I'm the only horror-based blog to ever be picked for this!

I couldn't help but smile at the news. They say you should cherish and celebrate every victory, no matter how big or small it is, and I am. It feels great to be recognized after working so hard on this blog. But, the best is yet to come. I've got a really big interview coming up in a few months and even more reviews, as well as random posts on other horror related things.

So, thank you Horror Focus for choosing me, it's a privilege. And thanks to all of my readers and fans out there who've helped this site blow up as of late. I promise, it only gets better from here.



Cheers to you all!
Grimm

KICK-ASS 2 is a solid sequel

RATED- R

RUN TIME- 103 MINS

WRITER(S)- JEFF WADLOW, MARK MILLAR, AND JOHN ROMITA Jr.

STARRING- AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON, CHLOE GRACE MORETZ, AND CHRISTOPHER MINTZ-PLASSE

DIRECTOR- JEFF WADLOW

Synopsis taken from IMDb

The costumed high-school hero Kick-Ass joins with a group of normal citizens who have been inspired to fight crime in costume. Meanwhile, the Red Mist plots an act of revenge that will affect  everyone Kick-Ass knows.

I liked the first film a lot more than I ever expected to, so I was ready going into this one. I haven't heard much about it, I stay away from spoilers as often as I can. I've only read two reviews on it I believe, both of which were positive. 

I like how it starts, Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) no longer fighting crime, but others around the city have picked up where he left off. He's inspired a group of vigilantes that call themselves superheros, just like he once did. Even though you can see where this storyline will inevitably end up, it's still enjoyable. Dave meets up with his former pal Mindy Macready/Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz), and she gets him back into training and fighting crime. Dave starts taking everything a bit more seriously, and is proud to be partners with Mindy.

There's a lot of growing, both physically and mentally, from Dave and Mindy. All of which is fantastic.

After Mindy decides to give up fighting crime, Kick-Ass joins forces with a team of masked superhero's headed by Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carey). Carey gives a very good performance for this film, and is one of the most memorable things about this sequel. As a team they conquer the streets and shut down criminals left and right. Donald Faison is in this flick as well, and he plays Dr. Gravity. Another memorable and funny character. 

Chris D'Amico/The Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) is hellbent on revenge and takes things to a new extreme, which doesn't limit his new name, which he gives himself when he decides to become the worlds first super-villain. He now goes by The Mother F'er, in short, and even though Plasse seems to be the same damn character in every movie he's in, he still pulls off the annoying character. All the while I was just waiting for Kick-Ass to beat the hell out of him. In the name of his deceased father, The Mother F'er hires a team of ex-cons and street criminals to join his army in alliance to kill Kick-Ass and destroy the city.

Like the first film, I really adore how they are able to balance such humor and ridiculousness with serious vibes. It gets very dark and gritty really quickly, and there's a lot of death. But it never loses it's quirkiness. And while this film kept me happy, nothing changes that it doesn't have that magic that the first one had. I believe this is as close as you can get to capturing that lightning in a bottle again.

The acting is over-the-top, but exactly what it needs to be for this type of film. The story isn't as strong, although all of the stakes are upped. Without the origin story the original film had, this one almost falls flat aside from the action. However, the story between Dave and Mindy is well done, and adds a great depth to the story, stopping the story from becoming weak and too much action. There's also good character story and development with Dave and his father, which I liked a lot. They do the same with Mindy, showing her home life and how she interacts with her new dad, Detective Marcus Williams (Morris Chestnut) after her real father's passing.

The climax of the film is touching and well written. Full of despair, hope, and strength, as well as blood and violence. We're left wondering if there's going to be a third film. My sources have told me that a 3rd installment probably will happen, this just leaves me guessing what it will be about? Hopefully they won't do a third and fall into the trilogy curse. We'd rather have just two good movies than to have two good movies and one bad one. Hopefully they aren't reaching too far in order to make a third happen.

All in all, "Kick-Ass 2" is a solid action film that'll invoke all emotions in you from sadness, to complete happiness and laughter. It's a blast, and if you liked the first motion picture, you're bound to like this one. I left the theater satisfied, and I guess as a movie buff, that's all I can ask for. I'm definitely glad this film happened. It kick's ass!

ROOM 237 will blow your mind

RATED- UNRATED
RUN TIME- 102 MINS
WRITER(S)- RODNEY ASCHER
STARRING- BILL BLAKEMORE, GEOFFREY COCKS, AND JULIE KEARNS
DIRECTOR- RODNEY ASCHER



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A subjective documentary that explores the numerous theories about the hidden meanings within 'Stanley Kubrick (l)' 's Kubrick' 's film The Shining (1980). The film may be over 30 years old but it continues to inspire debate, speculation, and mystery. Five very different points of view are illuminated through voice over, film clips, animation and dramatic reenactments. Together they'll draw the audience into a new maze, one with endless detours and dead ends, many ways in, but no way out.

   

Again, I don't usually review documentaries because it's hard to judge them as films, seeing as they're meant for more educational value than entertainment. I had to make an exception with this one though.

I didn't even know it was possible to like "The Shining" even more, but guess what? After watching this, I most certainly do! This has got to be the most in-depth documentary on a film I have ever seen! And the stuff you learn both about the movie and Kubrick can actually be jaw-dropping. The second the documentary ends you want to watch the film and look for all the hidden things spread throughout.

I've actually been doing my research, and went on to find more videos and articles on Kubrick's film, that's taken me in even deeper. I've never walked away from a documentary wanting to learn more, except for this one. It's absolutely fascinating! All the people who say that "The Shining" has flaws, need to watch this. It may not pull you into liking the film, but it will absolutely make you see the film in a new light.

There's a lot of hidden meaning, messages and images throughout the film, that you can't help but be enthralled finding out what some of it means. So much knowledge! I truly know now, that the film is a masterpiece, not just from my own opinion, but from knowing how flawless it is. Everything is intentional and has a meaning and purpose.

Finding out that Kubrick had an IQ of 200, and read up on subliminal messaging was when I knew "The Shining" would be laced with things right in front of our faces that we've probably never seen. And I was right. Kubrick also went to advertising corporations and got tips on their methods of subliminal images and messages. He really did his research, and then packed his film with stuff that people still haven't deciphered or discovered.

Also, in this documentary, it's brought to your attention of how obvious it is that the film is about Native Americans being slaughtered. There's a lot of history and politics involved in the subliminal underlining of the movie, that you really catch on to and see how obvious it is.

I appreciate that this documentary has such insightful people exploring the film's messages for us and making them obvious. It really does just put everything in a new light. I'm not going to go further into things that are discussed, I'm not spoiling anything because it's something you need to experience on your own. I mean, they even go into what Jack's typewriter means. Trust me, you'll never watch "The Shining" the same way again. 

COFFIN BABY lacks everything but gore

RATED- UNRATED
RUN TIME- 95 MINS
WRITER(S)- JOSH EDWARDS AND DEAN JONES
STARRING- BRUCE DERN, BRIAN KRAUSE AND ETHAN PHILIPS



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Hollywood, California is turned upside down by a series of strange and horrific murders creating chaos and turmoil in tinsel town. One particular victim is kidnapped, held captive and subjected to witness the torture and murder of numerous other victims. It is by her will, strength, and faith that she must survive the ordeal. Her escape seems hopeless and only worsens when outside supernatural forces become more difficult to contend with than her captor. 

   

This film was brought to my attention by a fellow horror nut, who told me I should check it out. And me, being someone who will give anything a chance, went and watched it. Sadly, I don't have the positive remarks to place on this movie that he did when suggesting it to me. As a matter of fact, I didn't really feel anything but disappointment. I really felt like this picture had a chance to go somewhere and do things, and it didn't.

What's funny about this film is that it's the sequel to Tobe Hooper's 2004 remake of the 1978 film of the same title "The Toolbox Murders", which is about a masked killer murdering people in a hotel undergoing renovations  So, what I'm wondering is, where is all of the publicity for this film? Even though I was never a fan of either the original or remake, I know of a lot of people who are. I guess the filmmakers felt as obliged to make a sequel as it was necessary, so there's an over abundance of laziness when it comes to this film, which includes but isn't limited to the acting and script. This is another scenario of someone(s) making a motion picture just for the sake of making it, hoping to make some dough off of it. 

Honestly, I don't even know the lead character's name. I'm not even sure they say it in the film, and if they do, clearly it isn't stated enough. How can you feel attached to a character when you don't even know their name? There was no story to the characters other than being tortured and watching others get tortured. The filmmakers promised a lot of gore, and they delivered with some brutal and disgusting scenes. But, what's left after the gore and guts settle is absolutely nothing. 

Yet again, here's a film that tries to get it's name out there and known for gore as opposed to being known for a good film. Using gore as a focal point almost always automatically fails for films, and this isn't an exception. Watching a girl cry and whine for the entire length of the movie for some blood and gore, isn't worth it for me. Give me characters, give me story. This movie has neither.

I'd like to credit this film for not only having nothing to offer but gross gore effects, but for having absolutely no creativity whatsoever, not even the gory kills are new or inventive. Everything that is done, has been done better, so the whole selling point of this film automatically drops this one down a few notches. It doesn't have a leg to stand on. 

As I mentioned above, the acting is so poor, there's no heart to this movie. It's my belief that this film was just a payday to the filmmakers and crew. You'd have thought that with Tobe Hooper as director of the previous film that they'd step it up a bit. That's not the case. If you don't put effort into your movie, how can you expect positive responses? You can't just hope it does well and half-ass everything. Making a good movie requires hard work, and it really shows how little work and thought process went into this one.

If I didn't know better, I'd say that the crew watched "Captivity", "Amusement","Hostel", and "Friday the 13th", and just picked out parts they liked and imitated them. This is just not acceptable for a film that should have delivered to the fans! Like I said, I'm not even a fan of the original or remake, and I'm saying this could be better. That's pretty sad if you think about it. 

It would be a lot easier for me to keep listing off things that I didn't like about "Coffin Baby", than it would for me to say what I do like about it, in which there's really nothing. Honestly, I actually had to stop this movie half way through because I was so tired. I didn't realize until the next day when I went to finish it that it's the film that was putting me to sleep. Very dry, very boring. Some part of me can see why some people would enjoy it, it's just not for me. This is the 2nd review I've done in a row on films that I'll never watch again.

DO NOT DISTURB is more of the same old crap

RATED- UNRATED
RUN TIME- 85 MINS
WRITER(S)- B.C. FURTNEY
STARRING- STEPHEN GEOFFREYS, TIFFANY SHEPIS AND COREY HAIM
DIRECTOR- B.C. FURTNEY



Synopsis taken from IMDb
After his fiance is brutally murdered, Don Malek sets out for revenge.




At first, before actually going into this film, I was actually excited to be seeing Stephen Geoffreys  in a film again. I know he's been around through the years but, this is the first time seeing him in years for me. I'm a fan of some of his films such as Robert Englund's "976-Evil", and let's not forget his role as Evil Ed in the original "Fright Night". After watching the movie though, I couldn't help feel anything but disappointment. I can't say I expected much, but this is below par.

Off the bat, I'd like to say, that Stephen has become a Jean-Claude Van Damme lookalike. The age has seriously turned him into a twin or easy stand-in for Van Damme. The whole time watching the flick, I couldn't shake that out of my head. I found it quite funny because, I'm actually a fan of Van Damm's older films. And because I also know exactly how ridiculous and corny he can be.

Aside from a tad deeper of a voice, Geoffreys comes off like he stepped right out of his 80's cinema's and into a modern picture. Which I would like, if this was made as a throwback 80's horror film, such as Ti West's "The House of the Devil" from 2009. But this isn't made to look like it's from the 80's, and some bad acting shined through. Nothing against Geoffreys though, not any of the cast offered anything. No disrespect to Corey Haim, but his British accent was really, really bad. The only member of the cast that brought some convincing acting to the table is Tiffany Shepis.

Let me stop here and mention that if you didn't know this already, this is actually the same film as 2010's "New Terminal Hotel", which is a longer version. This version is re-cut and renamed either for the sake of the director trying a second attempt to make more money on his film, or the fact that the film changed distributors. So yeah, if you're wondering how the hell Corey Haim is in this film, it isn't because he pulled an Elvis or Tupac, and it isn't because the film was on hold and just released. It's because the film was already out there, collecting dust.

The film tells the story of Don Malek who seeks revenge for his wife's murder. He gets his kicks off on doing it and then, things get out of hand. It's so common of a story, I don't see any originality to it! It's just there. And this is going to be just as forgotten as it's original cut in probably just a few short months. 

I can say that I was surprised by the ending, since I've never seen the original film. It still doesn't do anything for me. It's hard to walk away from this movie with anything but a shake of your head. I try to be constructive in my criticism, but there's too much wrong with this film. And everything I have to say is negative, because all I can do is pick it apart.

So I'm not going to go on a rant. I'm not going to bother digging up all the dirt on this film. All I'm going to say is that it's never going to be watched again by these eyes. I got no enjoyment out of it whatsoever. Looking at Tiffany Shepis made the movie tolerable until it finally ended. Other than that, this movie is a modern piece of forgotten history. 

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D WINNER AND NEXT MONTH'S PRIZE REVEALED!

OKAY GANG, THE MOMENT IS HERE. OUT OF 155 PEOPLE, ANDREA STAPLETON WAS CHOSEN AS THE WINNER OF THE "TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D" POSTER. ANDREA HAS BEEN MESSAGED ABOUT WINNING THE POSTER, AND HAS 15 DAYS TO REPLY AND ACCEPT THE POSTER, OR ELSE IT WILL BE OFFERED TO SOMEONE ELSE.

SO CONGRATS ANDREA! THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF GRIMM REVIEWZ. FUNNY ENOUGH, SHE'S A RECENT FOLLOWER. GOES TO SHOW YOU THAT ANYONE COULD WIN.


AND NOW IT'S TIME TO REVEAL NEXT MONTHS PRIZE, BUT BEFORE I DO, I WANT TO STATE THE RULES:

FROM HERE ON OUT, EVERY MONTH'S GIVEAWAY WILL BE ONE THROUGH CHALLENGES AND OR TRIVIA. IN ORDER TO WIN, YOU HAVE TO KNOW YOUR TRIVIA, AND BE THE FIRST TO ANSWER.

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...

NEXT MONTH'S GIVEAWAY IS GOING TO BE....

AN ORIGINAL PRINT, THEATRICAL 27X40 "SILENT HILL: REVELATION" POSTER! I WASN'T A FAN OF EITHER FILM, THOUGH I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE, SO THIS ONES FOR YOU!

AGAIN, THESE CONTESTS AND GIVEAWAYS ARE FOR FOLLOWERS ONLY.


GRIMM

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D POSTER GIVEAWAY IS HERE!

OKAY GANG, THE DAY IS HERE. LATER ON IN THE EVENING I WILL BE ANNOUNCING THE WINNER OF AN ORIGINAL THEATRICAL "TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D" 27X40 POSTER. I'LL RANDOMLY PICK A NAME OUT OF ALL OF MY FOLLOWERS AND REWARD THEM WITH THIS POSTER SHOWN ABOVE. IT'S COMPLETELY FREE, NO CATCH. THIS IS MY WAY OF GIVING BACK TO YOU ALL FOR READING AND BEING FANS.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE ELIGIBLE TO WIN, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS JOIN MY SITE BY CLICKING THE FOLLOW BUTTON WHERE IT SAYS "GRIMM'S MINION'S" ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THIS SITE. VERY EASY AND SIMPLE.

WHEN I ANNOUNCE THE WINNER OF THIS GREAT POSTER, I'LL ALSO REVEAL NEXT GIVEAWAY  PRIZE THAT WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE 15TH OF SEPTEMBER.



GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!
GRIMM

Watched "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters", Finally

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 88 MINS
WRITER(S)- TOMMY WIRKOLA
STARRING- JEREMY RENNER, GEMMA ARTERTON AND FAMKE JANSSEN
DIRECTOR- TOMMY WIRKOLA



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Hansel & Gretel are bounty hunters who track and kill witches all over the world. As the fabled Blood Moon approaches, the siblings encounter a new form of evil that might hold a secret to their past.




I'd like to start this off by clearly stating that I knew what I as getting/going into watching this film. Watch the trailer, and you can see for yourself exactly what this movie is going to be like. So no, I'm not going to rip it apart for bad acting, or stupid story, or any other nonsense. That would be pointless. This was clearly made for the sake of pure entertainment, and that's how I'll judge it. I'm not taking this movies side in any argument, because quite frankly, as a film it's very weak. 

However, as I mentioned above, I knew what this movie was going to entail. So, I never expected an Oscar nominated movie experience, and those that did should think twice before watching or reviewing movies. It's amusing how people will bash films for things that are pointless. After watching any of the trailers or commercials, did you honestly expect to go in and see a five star movie? 

It starts off with a modern twist on the classic story, that foreshadows the sibling's journey ahead. I really liked the look of the witch in the beginning, in the candy house. Very reminiscent of some of the deadites in "Army of Darkness". The fact that this movie got an R rating actually saved this movie, because they were allowed to use some scary images and witches as opposed to dulling it down for a younger crowd.

Also, that R rating came in handy for the gore as well! Without the looks of some of the more scarier looking witches, and the gore, this movie really would have been a travesty. Fortunately, those are it's saving graces. Because without them, this would just be another "Van Helsing", and one of them is enough.

I found this flick to be total entertainment. This was never supposed to be a motion picture that requires you to think or pay close-up attention. So if you're going to watch this film, grab a beverage and kick your feet up, lay your head back and relax and just watch. If you've seen it already, you know what I'm saying is true. It's a very fun movie that actually has some good spots of humor throughout. Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton did really good jobs at playing Hansel & Gretel, about as good as you can do for such one dimensional characters.

This cinema isn't even a solid 90 minutes, so even if you absolutely hate it, it won't sting too bad. Going in for fun's sake, you'll have a good time. Just don't judge it on a serious standpoint, comparing it to "The Godfather" and you'll be just fine.

The action scenes are something else that I need to mention. There are some scenes that are actually pretty sweet and juicy with good moves and things that I haven't seen before. For the most part, there's nothing to savvy in the way of these scenes, and a lot of the fights aren't anything memorable. The only thing that makes them stand out is the fact that it's witches and trolls getting in these brawls along with humans.

There is a twist towards the end of the film, right before the final showdown with Muriel (Janssen), the lead villain and very powerful witch, that I did not see coming. Now, it wasn't an epic twist that makes your jaw drop, but it's a twist nonetheless, and it does change the story from there on out.

All in all, I can't say I liked the movie. I can say that I found it entertaining. It's senseless fun and amusement. There's far worse you can watch out there. I will say, and I know most will disagree with me, that I liked this more than "Troll Hunter" (2010). This was at least justifying in how cheesy and bad it was. It never tries to be taken seriously, and that's what saves it from truly failing and falling off the deep end. This would have been even better if I'd gotten to see it in 3D but, that doesn't alter my rating.

Two Horror Shorts That You MUST See

Peter Dukes (right) preparing to shoot a scene.

After an insightful email from filmmaker Peter Dukes, founder of Dream Seekers Productions, I was turned onto two horror short films that he's made. The description of which, had me automatically invested. Peter Dukes has directed more than 14 films, most of which are horror. He's also had critical appraise around the world for his sense and style of filmmaking.

Upon watching these short films, I couldn't help but smile. Here are two mini movies that were done on very little time and money, yet they somehow manage to be high quality and very well shot. I'm not saying I'm the hardest guy in the world to please (because I'm not) but, I usually don't enjoy short films as much as I do these ones.

These works of love for the genre show true skill and will for making entertaining horror films. I'd like to see what Peter Dukes could do with a full motion picture production budget, now that'd be interesting! There's very good visual clarity to these shorts. And although they're very simple concepts and not much really happens during their duration, you're never not entertained while watching. And the fact that something so simple could be done in such a way as these are is a true achievement. I'd sure as hell be proud of these if they were my films.



First up, you've got "LITTLE REAPER"- A horror comedy about the grim reaper's difficult teenage daughter and how she must take her dad's duties for one day. Chaos ensues.

Starring- Athena Baumeister and John Paul Ouvrier, with John Michael Herndon, Katharine Stapleton, Allisyn Ashley Arm, Katy Townsend and Sorsha Morava.

This one is funny, charming, endearing and thoroughly enjoyable. There's quite a few funny moments actually. Especially considering it's so short. But don't just take my word for it, watch it for yourself!

Next up is "THE BEAST"- An old fashioned horror picture about a father struggling with how to handle his only boy, who's been afflicted with the curse of the werewolf.

Starring- Bill Oberst Jr., Peter Le Bas and Alexander Le Bas

This one is probably my favorite of the two, even though I like them both. I've always been a sucker for werewolves, and this is the more serious of the two. This one is more intense and plays on a serious level, there's no humor to this one. The acting is remarkably good as well!

I'm glad these were brought to my attention, and hopefully some of you will enjoy them as much as I have. You've really got nothing to lose trying them out. They're barely longer than ten minutes a piece, and there's a lot worse ways you could waste your time.

Usually when I think of short horror films, good memories don't turn up, because there's a lot of them out there and the majority of them aren't watchable. These however, are in a different league, and are very well done. If I could find more like these, I'd make a day of watching them!


Check Dream Seekers Productions out on the web!
WEBSITE: http://www.dreamseekersprods.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/DreamSeekersProductions
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/dreamseekerfans
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1088478/?ref_=fn_al_nm_

The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh (2012)

RATED- UNRATED
RUN TIME- 77 MINS
WRITER(S)- RODRIGO GUDINO
STARRING- AARON POOL, VANESSA REDGRAVE AND JULIAN RICHINGS
DIRECTOR- RODRIGO GUDINO



Synopsis taken from IMDb
An antiques collector inherits a house from his estranged mother only to discover that she had been living in a shrine devoted to a mysterious cult. Soon, he comes to suspect that his mother's oppressive spirit still lingers within her home and is using items in the house to contact him with an urgent message.




Today I'm reviewing a chilling, mind turning film called "The Last will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh". Again, this is another film available on Netflix, so if you want to give this a watch, it's right at your fingertips. I watched this one late at night and by myself. To be truthful, I'd be lying if I said I fully understood it, there's a lot to this movie, and it may take more than one viewing to fully digest what the movie offers. I myself, will be watching it again very soon, maybe even tonight.

I've heard mixed reviews on this one, and I can be totally truthful when I say, that I see both perspectives when it comes down to it. I can see why some would love it, and I can see why some would hate it. Like a lot of horror films, not all genre fans are going to be on the same page when it comes to opinions. This is aimed at those who don't need gore thrown in their face. This is a slow paced haunting film with story and characters. It takes the slow burn route and really just slowly seeps into your skin and brain. 

I'd like to think it's aimed at mature viewers, because it's not all about what you see. You have to think and use your brain. The viewer is treated as intelligent, instead of throwing around cheap jumps and noise to scare you. Though, I will add that some of the music gets to be a bit much, and may make you want to turn your television down. It can actually get quite annoying at times.

What drew me to this film is that it has a sad undertone to it. It's not a happy film and it doesn't try to overcompensate by trying to be overly scary. The pace of the film may seem to move at the pace of a snail at times, but it still manages to keep you watching. Mostly because you're trying to figure out what the hell is going on! Don't take that in a negative light though, I always like a little mystery to my films. Sometimes explanations can kill the hook the movie has on you.

The narration by Rosalind (Vanessa Redgrave) is somber, touching and creepy. You really get a wide array of emotions going when watching this film. One minute you feel one way and the next minute you're all twisted up. This works exceptionally well when applied to ghost/haunting stories. This may not be the greatest paranormal film you'll ever see, but it certainly will sit with you for a bit after you watch it, and make you do an aforementioned second watch.

Leon (Aaron Pool), Rosalind's son is settling his mother's estate and starts to encounter weird things and happenings such as statues showing up and moving on their own. What's unique about this film is that Leon is practically alone through the duration of the film. The whole film centers around him and how he's reacting and dealing with his mother's death. We almost instantly know how he feels of her, which isn't very good. There's a lot in his past that he's not happy to remember. We come to understand that he was harshly abused as a child by his mother for not sharing her belief in God, and moved away to get away from it all.

When Leon comes back to deal with his mother's estate things go from weird to crazy, and them back to weird. The whole movie keeps you guessing as to what is really happening, up until the sad and haunting ending. There's really not too much to give away without confusing any reader, so I'll stop right here. Just know that if you're in the mood for a film that will keep you intrigued and may cause an eyebrow to be raised a time or two, this is worth a watch. Especially if you like haunting films and wouldn't mind giving it a second viewing once the smoke clears from the first time.

There's some bad acting at times throughout, which is the same I can say for the editing. This isn't one of the best ghost stories you'll ever see, not even close. It's also not the worst either. This is a movie that manages to do it's job without an abundance of gore, nudity and killings. It's an easy, laid back horror film that'll keep you're mind going the whole time. So yeah, it's absolutely worth at least one watch by anyone up for a decent haunting story.