FAQ

How do you rate movies and books?

I used to use a 1-5 star rating system. Now, I don't use any sort of rating or ranking system because I believe everyone should watch movies for themselves and form their own opinion. Using a rating system just deters readers from viewing movies on their own if they read negative reviews. I am an honest critic. Like all true horror fans, there's a lot of bad movies that I like. However, that won't stop me from weighing it out fairly and being critical on it. Just because I love it, doesn't mean I'll give it a four star rating. My biased opinion is always set aside when fairly evaluating a film or book.

Will you review my film or book?

Yes! Click the contact me tab on the top right corner of my blog.

How long is the turnaround on you reviewing my movie/book?

Usually there's a maximum of a two week turnaround, although I'm usually done quicker. I get a lot of emails full of books and screeners that I shovel through just about every day, so it's first come, first serve.

Will you post/promote my Indiegogo movie?

No, sorry. I work with and promote what's already there and existing. Usually the people who ask for promotions are extremely rude, and don't reply to emails unless they just send an update on their movie that they want me to post about. Not interested. 

How many horror films have you seen?

Asking me this is like asking me to recall how much money I've spent in my entire life up until now. It's near impossible to know this answer, but it's a lot. Too many to count. I've been watching horror films for over twenty years now. One day, I plan to make it a project and track down and list every horror movie I've ever seen. One day. 

Why should I take your word on whether or not a movie or book is good?

You shouldn't. See/read it for yourself. My fanbase comes from the fact that I am always honest, and don't sugar coat things for the sake of getting my name put in a trailer or on a poster. It's cool when that happens, but being and staying true to me and my opinion is number one in my book.

THE COLONY won't save you

RATED- UNRATED

RUN TIME- 95 MINS

WRITER(S)- JEFF RENFROE, SVET ROUSKOV, PATRICK TARR, AND PASCAL TROTTIER

STARRING- KEVIN ZEGERS, LAURENCE FISHBURNE, AND BILL PAXTON

DIRECTOR- JEFF RENFROE

Synopsis taken from IMDb

Forced underground by the next ice age, a struggling outpost of survivors must fight to preserve humanity against a threat even more savage than nature.

This is another recent rental of mine. I've heard some pretty good things from friends, so I wasn't reluctant to give it a shot. However, there is a small part of me that was worried because Laurence Fishburne doesn't have a good track record with me. But, in all fairness, he has his share of good films. Also, the fact that it co-stars Bill Paxton helped to sell me on giving it a watch.

From the way this flick started, I instantly could see that it wasn't going to be that bad, and that it had promise. I definitely like the concept, and I actually was impressed with its delivery. There is a real sense of it being severe times for humanity, and I couldn't help but get pulled in, and sympathize with the characters. The year is 2045, and after we build climate controlling machines, they break down and ever since, it's never stopped snowing. So, all humanity is broken up into underground colonies, where they're quickly running out of resources. However, from what I understand, major critics accuse this movie of borrowing old ideas from sci-fi motion pictures, and I can't really disagree.

 Sam (Jeff Renfroe) is the main character and we follow him on the journey as he tries to accompany Briggs (Fishburne) to search out and save a fellow colony that isn't responding to radio contact. Upon the rescue mission, they come to realize that the death of the other colonists are by a group of cannibals, who ate them. Again, this is a great idea, and it kept me intrigued, even if it's originality is severely lacking. But, it's very entertaining.

The performances are pretty spot on, Fishburne and Paxton are at their best. The character development is dry and repetitive, but the acting is surprisingly convincing. I enjoyed the interactions between characters, and their dialogue isn't forced. Though, nothing remarkable stands out about the writing, it just works for what this film is. I would have liked to see more clever writing done, to really put it over-the-top and make it less predictable. 

There's things that this movie does fail at miserably, and the main thing, is the lead villain, the Feral Leader (Dru Viergever). I don't like or understand the need for him to be as menacing as he is. I understand he's the bad guy and main threat, but the acting and execution of his appearance looks like something out of a ridiculous sci-fi movie. I found this character to cheapen the overall effect this movie had before he became a player on screen. Had he been more fitting to the story, and not as cheesy, I think this film may have been really good. Not to mention the mediocre cgi, that reminds us all that this isn't a high-end motion picture, and also lessens the impact this film may have otherwise had.

In the end, The Colony is more of the same. But it's enjoyable and an easy watch. Can't say I hated it, but I can't praise it. Could have been better, but wasn't. I am expecting this one to become forgotten very quickly, and it sucks. There was a lot of potential behind this one, and it just didn't add up to what it should have.

UNDER THE BED (2012)

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 87 MINS
WRITER(S)- ERIC STOLZE
STARRING- JONNY WESTON, GATTLIN GRIFFITH, AND PETER HOLDEN
DIRECTOR- STEVEN C. MILLER



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Two brothers team up to battle a creature under the bed, in what is being described as a "suburban nightmare" tale. 

This is one of those films that immediately appeals to the inner child in you. Seeing the cover instantly brings back times of when I was scared of what was under my bed. Of course at the time, I didn't have the sense to know it was only some board games and dust bunnies keeping me awake at night. But, I wanted to give this flick a chance, and see if something really scary can be made of this concept, or if it'll just be another flop. With a free rental from redbox, I had nothing to lose.

This comes off as a hybrid between "Feast" (2005) and the 1989 childhood classic, "Little Monsters". Weird combination, I know. But, it works for a brief period. Rather intentional or unintentional, the acting was pretty convincing, and I honestly didn't know if Neal (Jonny Weston) was telling the truth or completely insane with the stories he tells about the monster under the bed. I couldn't help but think that if he isn't crazy, what type of trouble he is going to cause his younger brother, Paulie (Gattlin Griffith)? I chose to believe the acting was intentionally supposed to make you guess as to what's the truth and what isn't, because even though the performances weren't great, they were fitting. And of course, there's stereotypical parents that don't believe them, and leave them to fend for themselves. 

Although the acting wasn't always convincing, the dialogue and the content were portrayed as very realistic and gave a good sense of how a normal family interacts. The interactions built a good foundation between characters and provided the story with a chance to develop.

There's moments that are downright funny (some intentional laughs and others not), and there's moments of genuine jumps. Best of all, there's some really well done gore, that isn't expected! Out of nowhere, we're hit with brutal scenes of devastating deaths.

Unfortunately, all that makes this movie memorable ends up getting forgotten due to so many obvious flaws. There's a few scenes that really puzzled me, because they were such obvious cop-outs that it ruined the overall effect. Something as simple as, if the little brother, Paulie, needs to stand on his older brothers shoulders to get out from under the bed, how the hell does Neal make it out with such ease when just a moment before he had no way out? Things that go unexplained like this ruin the realism and should have been given more thought and time.

In the end, "Under the Bed" is a fun monster flick worth a watch. Even though you won't be completely blown away, there's a couple good scares and some aforementioned gore. Nothing about this motion picture makes it memorable, but it's not the worst movie out right now. It had a lot of potential, and still manages to pull off a few good effects. I think had the story stayed more consistent and grounded, it would have pushed the pace a little better, and avoided some things that are downright ridiculous. 

I won't give away and spoilers, because this is a relatively new movie that most haven't heard of yet. But, it's available now, and Halloween is only a few days away. So, if you're in the mood for something a little strange and a little new, "Under the Bed" just may be for you.

CARRIE is a bloody mess

RATED- R

RUN TIME- 100 MINS

WRITER(S)- LAWRENCE D. COHEN AND ROBERTO AGUIRRE-SACASA 

STARRING- CHLOE GRACE MORETZ, JULIANNE MOORE, AND GABRIELLE WILDE
DIRECTOR- KIMBERLY PEIRCE



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A re-imagining of the classic horror tale about Carrie White, a shy girl outcast by her peers and sheltered by her deeply religious mother, who unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom.

Almost everyone knows about "Carrie" and how the story plays out. If by chance you're not knowledgeable of the tale, I advise you to not read this review. I'm going to specifically mention things that may ruin it for anyone not familiar with the content.

For starters, Kimberly Peirce, the director of 1999's controversial film "Boys Don't Cry", and most recently, "Stop-Loss" (2008), took on the task of directing this re-imagining of the bloody tale. I find it only fitting that this movie is directed by a female, honestly. From where I'm coming from, I would think that logically, having a woman behind the camera could help put a new sense of realism and urgency to the situations at hand. That's what I thought, anyway...

The first thing that stood out to me was how everything is modernized. I expected it to be done, and I'm glad that it wasn't overdone. The girls locker room scene being uploaded on YouTube is a nice touch, and definitely sets the movie up right. However, aside from this flick being successfully placed in modern time, there's not much else it exceeds at. In fact, it comes up short in a lot of ways.

Such as, Carrie (Chloe Grace Moretz) and her relationship with her mother, Margaret White (Julianne Moore) is totally disappointing and flawed. I understand the need for a new take on the situation, but I'm not too happy with how this was done. From the go, Carrie is defiant and back talks her mom. The relationship between these two characters is the foundation of the entire story. So to have Carrie not be submissive and scared of Margaret doesn't work. I guess, to put it more simply, Carrie is too lively and not beaten down enough.

Not to mention, after Carrie realizes her abilities and overuses them to death, she uses them on her mom to basically throw her around and control her. Taking the control out of Margaret's hands and giving it to Carrie is a big mistake. The character of Carrie doesn't work as a strong and empowered person, it kind of takes away the point of the revenge at the end. And she uses her telekinetic abilities so much, that if you don't know what's coming at the end of the movie, you can tell it's going to involve her powers. The payoff is null and void because of how fabricated and fake everything is made to seem.

I dislike her semi-friendship with Sue Snell (Gabriella Wilde) as well. What should have been a key relationship in the story felt flat and hollow, with no heart and soul. Completely unconvincing acting.

 Also, I really didn't like how the prom scene was executed. The setting looked good, and looked like a genuine school prom. I also like Carrie's relationship with Tommy Ross (Ansel Elgort), and the differences there. But, the way Carrie's revenge is done is just downright watered down and lame. First of all, I hated the movements she made when she was using her abilities against her schoolmates. I also dislike how she saved certain people from her reign of terror, such as Ms. Desjardin (Judy Greer).

I didn't feel the rage and hatred, and hurt. It wasn't authentic. Add to that, the worst thing of all about this flick is the fact that Carrie flies. I literally face-palmed myself in the theater! I found it utterly stupid. Doing something that has such a high cheese factor has to be done elegantly, and in a way to make it seem even less ridiculous. 

Overall, I didn't like the cast. This motion picture has the cast of a PG-13 movie. Everyone is so Hollywood and fake, none seem like real characters that you can relate to. I like Chloe Grace Moretz as an actress, but I feel that her talents were wasted in a film that she wasn't suitable for. Even though she's made to look homely, it still doesn't work because she's too attractive. 

All I can really say is that I'm disappointed like hell with this one. I had people telling me that it was going to "suck", but that's what everyone says when a remake is coming out. So, I went in with an open mind, expecting it to be good, hoping it to be good. And I came out extremely let down. Maybe, if this film were on it's own, and had no predecessor, I could like it. But, when you have an existing film done by the great Brian De Palma, I can't help but compare. 

I understand why this movie went in the direction it did. It was the only logical step to take in putting a new take on the story. However, there's hardly any worthy advancements, and what is there is forged and expected.

I would say that this is a remake of the original film, not a re-imagining. The De Palma film is a re-imagining of the book by Stephen King.

In the end, this is just another remake that doesn't live up to it's name. 

THE CONJURING Blu-Ray giveaway!

Well sickos, "The Conjuring" landed on Blu-Ray and DVD yesterday. And I'm here to give a copy away!

All you have to do, is run your mouse over the GIFs and post your favorite freaky fact into the comments section below! It's that easy guys. I'll be posting the winner's name on Friday, October 25th. That gives everyone two days to get their entries in. Posting your favorite freaky fact enters you into into the contest, and I'll randomly pick the name of an entrant to take home the prize. Good Luck!

Based on a true story, the movie tells the horrifying account of how famed paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren were summoned to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in a secluded farmhouse which they recently bought. In fighting this powerful demonic being, the Warrens find themselves in the middle of the most terrifying case of their lives! 

*NOTE* When you post a comment in the comments section below, it will not show up immediately. I first review the comments before they're posted, to weed out any false entries. Your comment will be added after I've approved it.

*GUIDELINES* Each household is only eligible for 1 The Conjuring Blu-ray via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.


1) The Conjuring is directed by the acclaimed James Wan, the Australian-born director of the fright-fests Insidious and the Saw series. His Twitter handle is @CreepyPuppet. Say no more. 2) The Conjuring has been given an “R” rating by the MPAA. Not because of blood, gore, or violence, but simply because it’s just so scary from start to finish! 3) The Conjuring’s cast and crew experienced creepy events during filming. Scratches appeared out of nowhere on Vera Farmiga’s computer soon after she agreed to act in the movie, the crew were routinely woken by something in the “witching hour” between 3 and 4AM, and the real-life Carolyn Perron fell and broke her hip while visiting the set. 4) The Rhode Island farmhouse where The Conjuring is set once belonged to an accused witch, Bathsheba, who tried to sacrifice her children to the devil and killed herself in 1863. 5) Hold your applause! The Conjuring will make you terrified to clap! Whether it’s playing a traditional game of hide-and-seek by following the clapping sounds like the mother and daughter in the movie, or being terrorized by ghostly claps in different rooms of the haunted farmhouse, these claps throughout the movie will give you the creeps!

CARRIE: THE MUSICAL

Although the "Carrie" remake did pretty well this past weekend, coming in third and grossing $16, 101, 552, I'd say it's opening weekend was a success. However, I wasn't at a showing of the film, because I was one state over, in North East, Maryland at The Milburn Stone Theater attending the musical adaptation of the tragic story. I'll be seeing the new movie later this week, but with a musical of this criteria, I had to prioritize. 

Not much to my surprise, there's some serious talent involved in this stage performance! And with such a broad cast, it was a genuine relief to see it go over so well. AJ Melendez, a former American Idol Juniors finalist plays Tommy Ross, Carrie's prom date. Melendez not only is convincing in his performance, but has a great voice for the role. 

Then you have Christy Wyatt, who plays Carrie's only friend, Sue Snell. Christy not only plays the biggest role in the act, but also was narrator of the entire show. With a solid stage presence, and elegant vocals, she carries the show quite well. Add to that, Wyatt is also a resident of Delaware, like me, and many others of the cast. Having graduated high school as a vocal and musical theater major, she's been in numerous stage performances and is currently a freshman studying the Elementary Education major at the University of Delaware. 

When I asked Christy what preparations she had to make in order to get into the role of Sue, she said, "I think I'm a lot like Sue in real life. I'm very studious and I often keep to myself. Like any teenager, I can relate to making bad decisions and wanting to make things right after the fact, so it was easy to draw from that for my character." 

And of course, you have the main focus of the musical, Carrie, played by Megan Valle. The high school senior has a dance background of 14 years, and plans to go to college for a BFA in musical theater. And if her singing and acting in this musical have anything to say, she's going far, I hope. She plays the character of Carrie with almost perfection. She's got the look, and really is suitable for the role. She's utterly convincing in her execution of the character! 

Valle told me, "I tried to pull from certain events or feelings that related to Carrie. Everyone in their life has been bullied or called certain names, and I took that emotion that I felt during that certain incident, and exemplified it during the show." 

All around, being entirely truthful, the entire cast is phenomenal, and it's easy to tell they work for it. Throughout the entire show, there wasn't one hiccup in a single performer! This really stood out to me, because I usually always encounter some sort of screw up amongst the cast whenever I attend things like this. So, it was a serious relief and surprise to see this local show done with such precision. Everyone on stage should give themselves a pat on the back. It's no surprise that every performer, individually and collectively, received a massive standing ovation when it all ended! 

The music is great, and really gets the audience going, and keeps them interested and invested. Although some of the lyrics can be a bit dark, this musical never loses it's quirkiness due to the high-energy acting and vocals of every single person on the stage. 

If I were to use criticism, all that I can really muster to mention is that although the music is big, the effects aren't. And I would have liked to see a more fitting stage setup. But, the thing is, the tunes and showmanship out weigh any negatives that you can find or point out. It's a whole hell of a lot of fun, and everyone in the crowd enjoyed themselves, just like I did. It's worth seeing over the music alone, but you get so much more. I'm really glad that I got to see a film that I hold dear, turned into a show that is done with complete professionalism. 

But don't take my word for it, take Christy Wyatt's. "I don't think there's a kid out there who wouldn't find some part of this show that they like. It is really unlike anything out there..."

If you didn't get to see it last weekend, it's not to late! This coming weekend there will be another show from Friday to Sunday. If you're in the area, check it out. Trust me, you've got nothing better to do. Swing over and show some support. And enjoy yourself.

For tickets and other information, click here.

THE LOVED ONES (2009)

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 84 MINS
WRITER(S)- SEAN BYRNE
STARRING- XAVIER SAMUEL, ROBIN McLEAVY, AND VICTORIA THAINE
DIRECTOR- SEAN BYRNE



Synopsis taken from IMDb
When Brent turns down his classmate Lola's invitation to the prom, she concocts a wildly violent plan for revenge.

I am actually late to the game and just viewed this flick for the first time last week. This is one that came up during a horror discussion I was in, and I was strongly recommended to give it a watch. So, I did. And now, I can see what all the fuss is about!

First of all, before we get into the more detailed stuff, let me say how writer, Sean Byrne got something right, he composed a very simple story. So many horror films nowadays try and show off with an overload of special fx, and/or cgi. The majority of film makers fail to see how you don't need a complicated story or plot to make a good horror film. All you need is a basic, primal emotion to feed off of, such as resentment or revenge.  And you need the right mind to execute that idea right. All I'm saying is, this movie is a prime example of how you don't need anything out of reach to make a solid genre film.

Upon watching, I found the humor injected into the film, and actually laughed a lot. That being said, I also cringed a lot, and found myself not wanting to move from my chair! Once I started watching, I found it hard to pry away. It's not a long film either, so it's all paced very well and keeps you invested.

I can't really think of another motion picture like this, it's in a class on its own, really. It's a new type of revenge story, but keeps true to the gritty nature of what we'd expect to see. It also crosses a few lines that you don't expect, and has some very painful-to-watch torture scenes.

Lola (Robin McLeavy) is played to perfection, and is one twisted chick! I liked the concept of this film, it's something new and different, yet impeccibly simple. It's actually fun to watch even though it can be brutal in nature.

One of the things that I really took to, is how Lola's father is just as screwed up as she is, if not more! The fact that he's in on everything along with her, really sets off how screwed our lead character, Brent (Xavier Samuel) is. Basically, the point to the story is that you need to watch what you say to people and how you say it, just in case they turn out to be a crazy. In this case, being rude to a female who asks you to prom can end up being the worst choice of your life. You just never know when the girl you're making fun of with your friends may turn out to be a psycho, and make you pay for it in ways you don't want to imagine. 

Looking at the full picture, it's just as much about survival as it is torture. And I'm extremely impressed. This is one that left a good impression on me, to say the least. I actually plan on buying it on Blu-Ray as soon as I catch up on all the other movies I have to buy and catch up on. I'm telling ya, watching and reviewing movies is a work that you can get drowned and overwhelmed with, but movies like this are why I do it. Whenever you find that diamond in the rough, it makes it all worth it.

So, in other words, if you're like me, and late to the game on this one, go find yourself a copy and watch it asap! It's damn good, and I wish I was ahead of the ball on this one. But, one of the best things about watching so many movies is that regardless of how many you've seen, there's always ones you find that you didn't know about before. If you like creepiness, gore, and laughs, then you need to see this. Essentially, it's a horror film that has it all! 

7TH DAY (2012)

RATED- UNRATED
RUN TIME- 80 MINS
WRITER(S)- MARK LEAKE
STARRING- CHAKA BALAMANI, HELENMARY BALL, AND ALEX BARONE
DIRECTOR- JASON M. KOCH



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A pervert, murderer, and hopeless romantic, Allen Dean is on a a 7-day journey to discover his real true love. He is torn between Denise the waitress, who he believes he loves, and his first true love, murder.

Every now and again, there's a film that'll make you take a step back and shake your head. Such is the case with "7th Day". Even though there's a very good amount of dark humor, some have even compared it to "American Psycho" (2000). But, although there's quite a bit to laugh at, it's not a funny movie in any way. In fact, it's very disturbing due to its realism, and partially why I liked it.

Viewing the film, you're following Allen (Mark S. Sanders) for the duration of a week. In that week, we learn a lot about Allen, and what makes him tick. Very chilling performance, and although the acting wasn't anything of brilliance, it is done effectively. He doesn't understand why he's a psychopath. He thinks he was born the way he is, and truth is, he's just desensatized to all of the trauma that he's undergone. As the viewer, it's clear as day where his problems began and why he is the way he is.

His mother was basically the whore of the neighborhood, his brother did some despicable things to him growing up, and his father committed suicide in a very stomach churning way. Yet, Allen talks about all of this as if he were discussing what he wanted off of a menu at McDonalds. He's so resigned to it all, that he doesn't think it's out of the ordinary or abnormal. So, to subconciously take out his hurt and anger, he enjoys the torture and slaughter of random "selections". Within the week, we see him at his dishwashing job, all the way to how he hunts and stalks his prey. You really get to see all sides of the box with this character, and it's why the movie has the effect it does.

Allen's obsessed with Denise (Daisy Gibb), a waitress from his job. And his relationship with her really shows you how delusional he is. He sees one thing, and thinks something else is going on. You really see how out of touch he is with reality, and it's unsettling and very believable.

Aside from the story, there's also some fantastic visual effects by Aftermath FX Studio who also did work on "V/H/S/2" (2013). There's actually not an abundance of gore shown throughout but, there's plenty to go around in the scenes where it's present and we see Allen at work!

Though the pace seems a bit drawn out at times, and as I mentioned, the acting suffers, but there's still a lot to watch this movie for. Very rarely does a film of this quality achieve the effectiveness that it does. It sounds typical, but you may really want to wash your hands after giving it a watch. It leaves you with an uncomfortable feeling...

The overall presence of this film is one that you won't forget. Despite its flaws, it'll stick with you and really get under your skin. The realism of it really sets everything off, and works very well. Give it a shot when you can find it, and prepare yourself. It's not the grossest or most disturbing thing you'll ever see, but it's one you'll talk about, for sure.

5 PG-13 Horror Films That Got It Right

I thought that this would be relevant post to make with the abundance of PG-13 horrors streaming our way. I am like many, and don't like most films with this rating. However, when you have films like "Jaws" (1975) and "Poltergeist" (1982) scaring audiences around the world with only PG ratings, I think the point has been made that you don't have to have an R rating to make a good or scary horror movie.

All the hatred for films that are PG-13 came from the laziness that has been being put into making recent cheap trick movies like "House at the End of the Street" (2012). Some however, know how to work with what they have, and still make a good scary flick. The list below is of the best motion pictures in the horror genre that were able to pull off the impossible.

1. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

2. The Sixth Sense (1999)

3. The Ring (2002)

4. Tremors (1990)

5. The Woman in Black (2012)

PACIFIC RIM BLU-RAY GIVEAWAY

 As most of you know, I'm very big fan of the summer blockbuster "Pacific Rim". And, now I'm here to giveaway a copy of it on Blu-Ray for free, to a lucky reader!

THE RULES: Take the superfan trivia below and post your results in the comment section. Everyone who participates will be entered to win. Tuesday night (10/15/13) I will randomly choose the name of a contestant who participated, and they will win and receive a copy of "Pacific Rim" on Blu-Ray. Best of luck to you all!

GUIDELINES: EACH HOUSEHOLD IS ONLY ELIGIBLE TO WIN 1 PACIFIC RIM BLU-RAY VIA BLOG REVIEWS AND GIVEAWAYS. ONLY ONE ENTRANT PER MAILING ADDRESS PER GIVEAWAY. IF YOU HAVE WON THE SAME PRIZE ON ANOTHER BLOG, YOU WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO WIN IT AGAIN. WINNER IS SUBJECT TO ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION.

The B Movie Celebration October 25th-27th

This month marks the seventh annual "B" Movie Celebration. For the past seven years, fans have come to this event to not just watch, but celebrate classics along with emerging B films. This year, the Hollywood Boulevard Cinema  in Woodridge, Illinois  is hosting this celebration of emerging B films, along with classics.

This year, there will be screenings of over 68 B movies, including 26 feature films and 42 cutting edge shorts. The organizers of the event have scoured their way through the independent underground and dug up some goodies that shouldn't be missed.

There's even going to be guest appearances there by Jim Wynorski, Fred Olen Ray, and Kevin Tenney. They'll be launching digitally remastered versions of Wynorski's "The Lost Empire" (1985) and "Chopping Mall" (1986). Fred Olen Ray will have the World Premiere of his latest film, "After Midnight". And Kevin Tenney will be present during a screening of is movie, "Witchboard" (1986).

For those in the Chicagoland area, don't miss out on this event! You're guaranteed to have a good time!

For tickets or any other info, visit their website here.

THE RELIC (1997)

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 110 MINS
WRITER(S)- DOUGLAS PRESTON, LINCOLN CHILD, AMY HOLDEN JONES, JOHN RAFFO, RICK JAFFA, AND AMANDA SILVER
STARRING- PENELOPE ANN MILLER, TOM SIZEMORE, AND LINDA HUNT
DIRECTOR- PETER HYAMS



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A homicide detective and an anthropologist try to destroy a South American lizard-like God, who's on a people eating rampage in a Chicago museum.

 
This one goes out to my buddy, Lee. After briefly discussing this flick along with other horror nerds, he requested that I review it. Now, I don't usually do older film reviews unless I've just recently seen them for the first time. However, I've only seen "The Relic" once before, back when it came out on VHS. So, watching it again would be like watching it for the first time. That's my logic, anyway.

Now, one thing that always comes up when ever this film is the topic, is the book by Douglas J. Preston. I've never read it, but apparently it's even better than the movie. And from what I understand, has a lot more depth and more characters. Even when watching the film, I can see areas that I think are going to be touched up on more. Such as Margo and Dr. Greg Lee's rivalry. 

The one thing that I remembered about the film going into it again was how little you see of the Kothoga. Although it works, because less is more, it's a shame there just wasn't some really bright lights on this Chimeric beast if only for a brief period. I like the quality of darkness kept to set the mood, even if it does deprive us of a great visual creature. The late Stan Winston's masterful skill and genius gave birth to yet another one of the best designed movie monsters ever.

Watching this again was like experiencing it for the first time, I had forgotten so much. The heavy footsteps the Kothoga has, and how eerie it's breathing is, sounding like an old man wheezing. The ferocity and viciousness make it a truly terrifying creature.

Now, on with the plot. Very suspenseful, there's many scenes where nothing happens and yet you're on edge. The mystery behind the Kothoga, and where it could be at any and all times adds a strong sense of paranoia whenever a scene is dark. I also like that it takes place in a museum. It's like the last bit of "Jurassic Park" (1993), only more terrifying than fun. Although this film is entertaining, it does suffer from not enough interactions between characters, there's not really any character development.

The acting is surprisingly well done. Tom Sizemore does very good at playing a really likable character. It really is a shame what's become of his career. Anyway, the performances all around are strong, especially Penelope Ann Miller and James Whitmore. I just wish we had more time to see the characters grow, and really get to know them. For this reason, I am very much excited to read the novel. 

The scenes with the Kothoga, are downright scary. It has a seriously intimidating presence, and I genuinely felt scared for the people who got close to it. I knew it wasn't going to end well. This thing pulled the heads off of humans like it was opening a beer! The gore isn't overdone, but used very properly to push the realism.

There's good story development, and a solid little twist at the end. Overall, I think this is a really well done and underrated motion picture. Completely original, and it delivers as a horror movie. What else can you really ask for? Although it's not a perfect film, and needed more room to grow, it's very effective and memorable. But, I think the studio execs should have let this have an extra 20 minutes, at least.

As a matter of fact, after seeing this film again, I've decided to buy a collectible from it for my mancave. The paint job isn't quite right, but I know people who can fix that.

10 Favorite Death Scenes

With all the 5's and 10's lists I've been doing lately, I figured it only to be natural that I mention my favorite death scenes. This list, however, was tremendously difficult. Because I've simply seen too many horror films to narrow it down. But, after tedious thinking, I was able to compose a list of the scenes that have impacted me in some way or another.

There's such an abundance of films that I've viewed that I could easily make this a top 20 list. There's too many honorable mentions to even begin naming. The scenes below are the ones that made the list, and the ones that have burned their way into my mind.

Having watched horror films since I was a small child, I had to dig my way through all the great and terrible films I've seen in order to assemble this list. I give credit where credit is due, and everyone has a few scenes that they think of when they think of certain horror films that make them cringe or look away. Well, here's mine.

1. Halloween (1978)

2. Suspiria (1977)

3. Final Destination 2 (2003)

4. High Tension (2003)

5. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

6. The Lost Boys (1987)

7. Alien (1979)

8. Sleepaway Camp (1983)

9. The Blob (1988)

10. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

PARANORMAL ASYLUM: THE REVENGE OF TYPHOID MARY Will Make You Sick

RATED- UNRATED
RUN TIME- 90 MINS
WRITER(S)- FRED EDISON AND GREGORY SCOTT HOUGHTON
STARRING- ROSALIND ASHFORD, PAUL BRIGHT, AND CAMERON CHIUSANO
DIRECTOR- NIMROD ZALMANOWITZ



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Best friends Mark (Aaron Mathias) and Andy (Nathan Spiteri), both aspiring filmmakers, are seeking their next project. They decide to investigate the mystery of Mary Malone, aka Typhoid Mary (Jenny Lee Mitchell), who was sent to North Brother Island, a New York insane asylum, to live in a quarantined isolation after she was blamed for spreading Typhoid Fever.

This is a flick that can be viewed on Netflix, the source in which I watched it. Now, some of you may not be familiar with Typhoid Mary, and neither was I, until I did some research. Turns out that in 1900 to 1907, Mary worked as a cook in the New York area. Pretty much, everywhere she went and worked, resulted in people getting really, really sick. And after all fingers pointed back to her, she was put away in quarantine, then released. Then, she was put back in quarantine, and that's where she died of pneumonia in 1938, at age 69.

Now, after reading up on Mary, and Typhoid Fever, I was anxious to see how "Paranormal Asylum: The Revenge of Typhoid Mary"  would play out. And if used properly, Mary's story could be tweaked to be made into a horror film. The question was, would this film take that leap and succeed? Unfortunately, the answer is no.

I am truthful when I say that this film had potential, but it's vision was just out of reach for such a low-budget movie. The story ends up becoming cliche and typical, and it doesn't go anywhere daring to keep the viewer engaged. I honestly don't know how many paranormal films can keep being made. There's a film for just about every haunting now, and most of them fail miserably. It would be nice for once someone could pull a rabbit out of a hat and really deliver a solid film.

The story and plot are so common that the lack of effort takes the wind out of the movie's sails. It tries to remain suspenseful, but lacks in all suspense and scares. And tries to get away with cheap, loud jumps and quick flashes, simple tactics that don't work on a professional level. I don't know what's so hard about making a ghost story! All the writers, Fred Edison and Gregory Scott Houghton, had to do is look at every other common ghost story around and make a film that's not like them. 

Instead, we're given a film that joins right along side the weak and lackluster ghost stories.

The acting suffers dearly along with the slow and boring pace of the movie. It's a flick that you pay attention to, but don't get anything out of. I just watched as the non-layered character development went on, never feeling or caring anything for any of the cast. Seems like some actors and actresses didn't try at all, and others that did try, tried too hard.

Andy's fiance, Michelle starts acting strange, and both Andy and Mark can see something is wrong with her. This of course, ties in with the fact that Michelle contacted the spirit of Mary through a seance. Some people just never learn...

The film becomes a struggle of survival, but the threat never really seems there due to the seriously low suspense rate. It's very dry and dull, and misses the point. Ghost stories like these are a dime a dozen. They're ridiculously common, and it's a shame that ghost stories like this are currently mimicked and used as the latest standard. Sorry, I just expect films with a little more effort. Can't say I'm a fan of this one.

On a side note, I am currently in a slump of movies. Every so often, I will be on a roll of good movies. Sometimes, I view 10-15 decent flicks in a row. And then, I hit a low, where I watch a large amount of bad pictures in a row. Hopefully, I'll get past this rut soon and get back on track with reviewing films that I actually like. Of course, I have to find some first.