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.

Inverticrux's Malcontent Manifestation Monitoring Program (Album Review)

This six track album by Inverticrux titled "Malcontent Manifestation Monitoring Program" is as relentless as anything you're bound to hear in the metal genre. While I don't listen to much Satanic metal personally, I can honestly say that this is good. With songs like "Sin Be Thy Guide" and "Here Fades All Worldly Pleasure", it comes off completely sinister and compels you to nod your head as the guitar riffs and solos invade your ears. The vocals are a combination of harmony and harshness, as we hear some singing that's impressive and almost opera-like and some growling that sounds like it came from the pit of hell. Together the overall product makes for a headbanging medley that made me feel almost uneasy, but I really liked that about it. The sound is reminiscent of the band Ghost, but much more mean and aggressive.

Horror Toy Tuesday: 'ALIENS' Ultra Deluxe Alien Queen

The following is an article I originally wrote for MoviePilot. It has (barely) been edited:

'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). 

Picked up 'CASSADAGA' on DVD for real cheap!

PLOT: Devastated by the death of her youngster sister, Lily Morel seeks solace at the spiritualist community of Cassadaga. But instead of finding closure, she contacts something else- the vengeful ghost of a murdered young woman. With her life crumbling all-around her, Lily races to unravel the mysterious circumstances surrounding the woman's death- a task that will bring her face-to-face with a sadistic serial killer known only as "Geppetto."

'SEE NO EVIL 2' Cover & Trailer Revealed

Being completely honest, I think the first See No Evil movie was mediocre at best, and I am not a fan. But with the Soska Sisters (American Mary) directing this sequel, I've got some hope for it. Judging what I've seen in the official trailer released yesterday at Comic-Con, this one seems to have a much darker plot and definitely seems like something I could get into. It's a crazy thought, but with this and Leprechaun: Origins on the way, WWE Studios may have a firm grip on the horror genre for the better. That is of course, if both of these are actually as good as their trailers make them look.

'LEPRECHAUN: ORIGINS' Leprechaun Teaser Image & Official Trailer Released

Today at Comic-Con we got a taste of what the new film in the Leprechaun series has to offer. It definitely looks a lot better than I expected. What I didn't expect was the way the Leprechaun looks! They went totally creature-feature with it, and erased the whole goofy image put on the character previously. In a way, I'm used to the little red-bearded creep in a spiffy suit, and yet I know that change was inevitable if the franchise was going to survive. What can I say, I'm looking forward to it. WWE pictures just may have hit this one out of the park. Only time will tell when it's released on August 26th.

'ABNORMAL' comic series creeping your way!

"This story is about taking a new approach on the famous, and not so famous, monsters that we've heard about in myths. A secret FBI division is assigned to handle these "Abnormals." If you think you know the true story behind their legends be prepared to be surprised! Do you love chills? Thrills? Are you aching for a series that plays like classic creature features? Then, 'Abnormal' by Martinez/Butler is for you!"

'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.

'UNDER THE FLESH' creeps onto Kickstarter

"Independent comic book creator Gilbert Deltres, with artist J.L. Giles, are set to launch their first Kickstarter for Zombie Comic UNDER THE FLESH.

My Batman Day Purchases

If there's one thing that I'm almost as passionate about as horror, it's Batman. As a lot of you know, I grew up a fan of the character and still am in present day. And while I'll admit that Batman having his own day is a bit over the top, it's also really cool for the nerds out there, like me.

'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.

Horror Toy Tuesday: 'Jeepers Creepers' 1:4 Scale Creeper Statue

Hollywood Collectibles Group has taken it upon themselves to make a piece from the cult classic film that is worth a purchase from collectors around the globe. As a memorabilia collector, I can tell you that I know of a lot of people who have been waiting for a piece like this one. And, although the price tag is a bit harsh at $299.95, you've gotta remember you're getting a 20 inch statue, and not a toy.

'DEVIL'S MILE' (Screener Review)

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT 

RATED- Unrated

RUN TIME- 88 Mins

WRITER(S)- Joseph O'Brien

STARRING- David Hayter, Maria Del Mar, and Casey Hudecki

DIRECTOR(S)- Joseph O'Brien

Synopsis taken from IMDb

A relentlessly-paced hybrid of a gritty crime thriller and Lovecraftian supernatural horror, The Devil's Mile follows a trio of kidnappers who take an ill-advised detour en route to deliver their hostages - two teenage girls - to their mysterious and powerful employer. When they accidentally kill one of the girls during a botched escape attempt, their simmering mistrust explodes into shocking violence. But what they thought was their worst case scenario is only the beginning, as they are engulfed by the hellish forces that haunt the road - a road they realize they may never escape. Now captors and captive must fight together to escape the monstrous forces pursuing them and somehow survive...THE DEVIL'S MILE.  

Quite literally, this film starts off with a bang. We see Jacinta (Casey Hudecki), Cally (Maria Del Mar), and Toby (David Hayter) who apparently don't get along very well, traveling by car. After taking a wrong turn, and tempers flare, we come to realize that they're kidnappers who have two helpless Asian girls in the trunk, who will be held for ransom. However, things go terribly wrong when we find out that one of the girls isn't the right one, and her parents aren't rich. The proper girl, who was meant to be kidnapped, tries to escape but is ran over and killed instead by Cally on "accident". So the trio of criminals' situation goes from bad to absolutely terrible.

'LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW' (short film)

A biology student's failed science experiment has caused a deadly virus to be released on the United States. Enter Joe, an everyday working man infected by the outbreak who chooses to go into seclusion at a cabin. As he suffers through stages of grief, Joe waits to see if he is one of the lucky few to be immune to the virus. 



Like There's No Tomorrow  is a sad zombie short that's about 27 minutes long. It centers on a man named Joe who was bitten on his right forearm after trying to help an infected civilian. I really like how everything is explained and thought out thoroughly, as we find out that the zombie outbreak was caused by a man-made zombie rat created in a lab. Only 2% of the population is immune to the virus and can overcome it, and while Joe is hoping he's in that small percentile, we see him go about his everyday life and doing things like practice shooting with his rifle. But mostly, we see him worrying and feeling sorry for himself. As the story progresses we learn that Joe is separated from his wife and daughter, and misses them dearly. He also starts to decay and darken around the eyes, which is a nice touch.

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.

Horror Toy Tuesday: Michael Myers (2007 Version) 1/6 Scale Custom Figure

Over the years of being a hardcore collector, I've met some very colorful characters. Some even have a real knack for making figures themselves! When the studios and toy companies won't make a certain figure, some people have the talent to make them themselves. And the bitch of it is, they make them better than any factory could, because they put so much time and detail into it. Just recently, I befriended someone who makes some of the most incredible figures that I've ever seen in my 10 years of collecting. Most notably, his Michael Myers from Rob Zombie's Halloween. I myself, have seen countless customs of this version of the character, but none as perfect as this one. Granted, I'm not even a fan of the remake, but this thing is amazing!

'THE PERFECT HOUSE' (Screener Review)

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT

RATED- Unrated

RUN TIME- 86 Mins

WRITER(S)- Kris Hulbert 

STARRING- Felissa Rose, Jonathan Tiersten, and John Philbin 

DIRECTOR- Kris Hulbert and Randy Kent

Synopsis taken from IMDb

A young couple's dream home turns into a house of horrors when the disturbing, violent acts of three generations of doomed families is reawakened for them to witness. 

Coming to DVD July 22nd, The Perfect House starts with Mike (William A. Robertson) and Marisol (Andrea Vahl) being shown around a really nice and big house house by a seductive real estate agent. It's obviously too good to be true, and they're being lied to and schemed into possibly buying it. There's no mention of the house's past, but the movie is constructed with long, detailed flashbacks of the previous owners and the owners before them, who were all driven mad by the so-called "dream home".

'ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE' is a true-blooded vampire film

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT 

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 123 Mins
WRITER(S)- Jim Jarmusch
STARRING- Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston and Mia Wasikowska
DIRECTOR- Jim Jarmusch 



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A depressed musician reunites with his lover, though their romance- which has already endured several centuries- is disrupted by the arrival of uncontrollable younger sister.




Honestly, I'm about sick to death of vampire films and all the baggage they bring. Mainly because, no one in this day and age seems to know what vampires are anymore, and make them your boyfriend instead of the monster scratching at your bedroom window. So, I can't say that I went in with high hopes to see Only Lovers Left Alive, simply off of principle. And, I'll be the first person to admit that I was wrong in judging it. Nowadays, big moviegoers like myself, are preconditioned at this point to just deal with whatever crappy vampire movie is out there at the time. There's some like me, who still keep their eyes open waiting to be surprised.

Throwback Thursday Review: 'THE SENTINEL' (1977)

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 92 Mins
WRITER(S)- Jeffrey Konvitz and Michael Winner
STARRING- Cristina Rains, Ava Gardner and Chris Sarandon
DIRECTOR- Michael Winner



Synopsis taken from IMDb
Not ready for marriage, a fashion model moves into an unbelievably nice Brooklyn Heights apartment, where scary occurrences turn into a much more frightening turn of events. 



 The 1970's took on a different approach to horror films then we do today. The early to mid 70's gave us films like The Exorcist, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Jaws. The entire decade is filled with great movies that have stood the test of time, and they achieved it by scaring their audiences. In the late 70's and early 80's is when comedy started sticking its head into the genre, but before that movies were more cruel in the sense that there was no comedic relief.

'THE UPPER FOOTAGE' (Screener Review)

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT 

RATED- Unrated
RUN TIME- 90 Mins
WRITER(S)- Uncredited
STARRING- Uncredited
DIRECTOR- Justin Cole



Synopsis taken from IMDb
'THE UPPER FOOTAGE' is the first film experience of its kind. The film is an edited version of 393 minutes of recovered footage documenting a young girl's tragic overdose death and subsequent cover up by a group of affluent socialites. What started as a blackmail plot played out over YouTube, became Hollywood's biggest drug scandal, turned into a heavily controversial film property that was rumored to be held by some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Now, after playing itself out in the media for 3 years it is finally making its way to the public. 

First of all, I have to mention that I cannot believe that I saw someone online say that this is "One of the greatest movies I've ever seen". I don't know, maybe some people like myself just have higher standards in terms of what constitutes as a great movie. That quote is even more ludicrous than the actual movie.

Horror Toy Tuesday: Bank Robber Joker version 2.0

That's right, this week for Horror Toy Tuesday, it's not an actual horror product I'm talking about. Although some say that the Joker performed to perfection by the late Heath Ledger is in fact a horror character. Premium action figure company Hot Toys is at it again with yet another Joker! If you ask me, it's a bit ridiculous that another figure of The Joker is being made, especially since it's just a revamp of a previously released figure, same as the very last Joker they did. Fans who collect their line of action figures such as myself, have waited throughout the years for a Ra's Al Ghul from Batman Begins, and a Lucius Fox from any of the three films in the trilogy. I wouldn't mind a John Blake (Robin) action figure either, to be frank.

I want to suck your Blood: 10 Scariest Movie Vampires

Seeing as I've touched up on the best movie werewolves (if you missed it click here), I figured it's time to name drop the scariest vampires in cinema history. Again like in my lycanthrope post, this list does not reflect my opinion on the films listed, for I myself, don't necessarily like all of the flicks on this list. This is simply a look at the 10 scariest designs that blood suckers have had throughout history. We're talking the ugly of ugly, and the nasty of nasty.

'ALL CHEERLEADERS DIE' but they come back hungry

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT 

RATED- Unrated
RUN TIME- 90 Mins
WRITER(S)- Lucky McKee and Chris Sivertson
STARRING- Caitlin Stasey, Sianoa Smit-McPhee and Brooke Butler
DIRECTOR(S)- Lucky McKee and Chris Sivertson



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A rebel girl signs up a group of cheerleaders to help her take down the captain of their high school football team, but a supernatural turn of events thrusts the girls into a different battle.




Finally, I've dug my way out of screeners for filmmakers and studios, and I'm able to review this one. I've been a fan of director Lucky McKee since his 2nd film, May. Most notably, he's the man behind The Woman, which came out in 2011 and made a name both for itself and him due to the graphic violence depicted, and all around being a very good movie. When I found out that Lucky was doing a new film, I instantly tweeted to him asking him three reasons people should watch All Cheerleaders Die, and he replied:

'DELIVER US FROM EVIL' is contagiously scary

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT 

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 118 Mins
WRITER(S)- Scott Derrickson and Paul Harris 
STARRING- Eric Bana, Édgar Ramírez and Olivia Munn
DIRECTOR- Scott Derrickson 



Synopsis taken from IMDb
NY police officer Ralph Sarchie investigates a series of crimes. He joins forces with an unconventional priest, schooled in the rituals of exorcism, to combat the possessions that are terrorizing their city. 




Ralph Sarchie (Eric Bana) is a New York police officer who is estranged from his wife and daughter due to working long laborious hours cleaning scum off of the streets. His partner, Butler (Joel McHale), is rough and rugged and full of confidence, and a great sense of humor. Together they bring criminals in, but they do it based off of what Sarchie's "radar" is telling him. Officer Sarchie has a gift where he's borderline psychic, he simply gets a gut feeling, and looks for civilian call-ins that suit whatever he's feeling.

Horror Toy Tuesday: Super Freddy Retro 8" Clothed Action Figure

Every year at San Diego Comic-Con, certain collectible companies offer exclusive merchandise only available at that specific convention. This year, Neca has revealed their first exclusive to be an 8" retro action figure of "Super Freddy" from A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child.