BLU-RAY REVIEW: Army Of Darkness (1992) Collector's Edition

In 1992, Director Sam Raimi ended his Evil Dead Trilogy with the practical effects extravaganza known as Army Of Darkness (Originally titled Bruce Campbell Vs. Army Of Darkness). This time instead of releasing the film independently, like the first two, Army Of Darkness was distributed through Universal Studios, making it the only studio film out of the three. Using like humor of Monty Python and The Three Stooges, the concept for Army Of Darkness was supposed to be the sequel to 1981’s The Evil Dead, but the recourses weren’t there at the time. So, what was then-called Medieval Dead was put on hold and Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn (1987) was made as a middle film. Army was made for a PG-13 rating, hence why there’s not nearly as much gore as the prior two flicks. However, as ridiculous as it is, the MPAA gave the film an NC-17 rating! So after editing nothing, the film was resubmitted and garnered an R rating. People involved in the making of Army wonder if the film would have been gorier had Raimi known the MPAA was going to screw the film in the end anyway. Some even assume that the MPAA deliberately put the boots to Raimi because of him bypassing them and releasing the first two films unrated. Either way, it doesn’t matter because since the studio didn’t want the film’s title to have Evil Dead in it, fans didn’t identify it as a sequel in the series. In effect, it failed miserably at the box-office and was pulled from theaters quicker than you could say “boomstick”. However, the film has since become an immediately recognizable cult classic thanks to word of mouth and home video releases…

WITHER is an explosive gorefest

RATED- Unrated

RUN TIME- 95 Mins

WRITER(S)- Sonny Laguna, David Liljeblad, and Tommy Wiklund

STARRING- Patrik Almkvist, Lisa Henni, and Patrick Saxe

DIRECTOR- Sonny Laguna and Tommy Wiklund

Synopsis taken from IMDb

Ida and Albin are a happy couple. They set off to a cabin in the vast Swedish woodlands to have a fun holiday with their friends. But under the floorboards waits an evil from Sweden's dark past.

A friend of mine gave me the title of this film, and told me it's the Swedish version of "The Evil Dead" (1981). Upon hearing which, I quickly found this flick and had to give it a watch. Those of you who read my reviews from time to time know that I'm obsessed with "The Evil Dead" series. So, telling me this is similar to the films I love so much isn't going to get any sort of reaction out of me other than me rushing to watch it.

Reading up on it, I came to discover that a lot of miss information has been spread about this movie, mostly by Swedish newspapers which stated that it was the first Swedish zombie film. False. The first Swedish zombie film is 2005's "Die Zombiejager". However, while reading, I found a quote from a critic stating that this is "the film that 'Evil Dead' 2013 should have been." So of course, my interest was only piqued even more.

What is clearly a low-budget production, opens with a paranoid and gory beginning. Right from the go, you know what type of motion picture you're in for. It's got balls like the original "Evil Dead", and isn't afraid to go to new lengths of brutality. About a minute into it, I knew I was going to like it. It was a little eerie watching such a crazy flick late at night, by myself. But, it's not scary.

Although the plot is far from original or inventive, it managed to keep me enthralled. Though, there's a lot of predictability, it's still a very fun watch for those who love their violence with an abundance of gore. You can smell the influence that Sam Raimi's classic has had on this entire project, and some can even say that this is a foreign remake. The lead character even has a blue button-up shirt on, and other obvious nods to Bruce Campbell's portrayal of the hero, Ash Williams.

There are differences though, such as, what's in the basement isn't a creepy book and a shotgun with some ammo. Instead, it's a Vittra. A nature spirit that lives underground and one of the animistic elements of the Norse religion. Again, while not scary, there is a level of creepiness to this creature and the entire film.

The only problem is, if you've seen the "Evil Dead" series, then you know what to expect from this. It doesn't really offer anything new that's worth mentioning. It's just very graphic and bloody. It's definitely a gore flick, for sure. There's not much story or character development, much like the "Evil Dead" remake. There's just a ton of chaos and confusion spread amongst characters.

My criticism would be that while I appreciate a good homage to a classic movie, you also need to have something of your own to offer. And this is one of those films where you've seen what's in it before several times over. I'm sure for the Swedish population who haven't ever seen "The Evil Dead", that this is something mind blowing to them. However, to me and the rest of us, this is just a fun rehashing.

So, if you're in the mood to see a bunch of young adults turn on each other due to possession, and start hacking each other up with various weapons, you should probably check this out. For those of you who have the "been there, done that" attitude, you're probably better off sitting this one out. I don't think there are too many positive things someone with that mentality will have to say about it.

Not the best thing I've ever seen, but I am definitely a fan. To me, it's fun seeing other cultures take a stab at this type of thing. And it's a testament to how Sam Raimi's original film is still as influential as ever, and one of the greatest horror films ever made.

TOP 5 HORROR FILMS OF 2013

Well, the year's almost at it's end. And we've had our hits and misses this year, like every year. But while some of the letdowns were severe, some films soared above and beyond expectations and gave us instant classics on the spot. All in all, 2013 was a good year for horror, and almost every other genre of film.

Below are the top five horror films to be released upon us this year. There's no question in my mind that these are the elite, and the ones people are still talking about in the horror community. For better or worse, they're here to stay.

And if you missed my review for any of the films listed, I've conveniently linked my reviews above the poster art of each movie!

5. EVIL DEAD

April 5th, 2013

Rotten Tomatoes Score- 65%

My Review

4. CURSE OF CHUCKY

October 8th, 2013

Rotten Tomatoes Score- 79%

My Review

3. YOU'RE NEXT

August 23rd, 2013

Rotten Tomatoes Score- 75%

My Review

2. MANIAC

January 2nd, 2013

Rotten Tomatoes Score- 43%

My Review

1. THE CONJURING

July 19th, 2013

Rotten Tomatoes Score- 87%

My Review

YOU'RE NEXT is a modern horror masterpiece

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 94 MINS
WRITER(S)- SIMON BARRETT
STARRING- SHARNI VINSON, JOE SWANBERG, AND AJ BOWEN
DIRECTOR- ADAM WINGARD



Synopsis taken from IMDb
When the Davidson family comes under attack during their wedding anniversary getaway, the gang of mysterious killers soon learns that one victim harbors a secret attack for fighting back.

I know, I know, I'm a bit late on this one. Sorry for the delay, I'm just simply backed up with stuff to watch, including screeners. I got back from seeing this film last night, and I left the theater talking about it, and smiling. It actually cracks me up whenever good motion pictures like this hit, and are a big deal amongst the horror community. Because, it shows all the people out there ignorantly boasting about horror being dead, that it's clearly not. Yeah, there's been a lot of bad horrors this year, films that didn't live up to their expectations, like "The Purge". 

But, however you look at it, there's been a good amount of good horror films made this year. With "Evil Dead", "The Conjuring", and "You're Next" all doing well at the box-office, and going over well with the majority of genre fans, I'd say horror is kicking and screaming. The list goes on, we've got "The Lords of Salem", and "Hatchet III" to include as well. But, let's move on to the film at hand here...

"You're Next" is a brilliant breath of fresh air! Yeah, it's a home invasion movie, and there's others like it. That doesn't matter, as long as the movie manages to mix things up and go to new places, which this motion picture does. Though this took two years to finally hit the big screen and get the theatrical release it deserved, it is more than well worth the wait! 

It begins with a slow, yet explosive opening that instantly sets the mood for the whole duration. There is nothing pretty about it, it's just very gritty and balls to the wall horror. And it manages to stay entertaining and not go too far into the realism to the point where it takes the viewer out of the picture, or becomes uncomfortable to watch. Being totally honest, with all the hype buzzing around this one, I was really worried that I'd be the oddball and not like it. That's not the case.

Aside from being fresh and hip, the film manages to be smart and sexy, and completely enjoyable. Best thing of all is that it's not predictable. The characters are well crafted and genuine, which does make the brutality of it a little unnerving but, that's the freaking point! I'm completely impressed overall. Not to mention that Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator) is in it and looks as beautiful as ever! 

Wilmington Delaware's own Ti West, director of "The House of the Devil" and "The Innkeepers", plays a quick role as Tariq. I found it amusing because his character is an exaggerated version of himself, pretty much. 

The thing that stands out the most about this movie, that really makes it a winner, is the fact that we're given the best female heroine since Jamie Lee Curtis' performance as Laurie Strode from the original John Carpenter classic from 1978, "Halloween". Sharni Vinson (Bait 3D) plays Erin, a bad-ass chick who can more than handle her own. She's smart, tough, and totally believable. On a side note, I'd like to mention that I like how there is backstory added in to explain how she's such a strong woman. Without that tidbit, her character wouldn't have held up as well.

Aside from the acting and characters, the story doesn't let up once it starts. It's just non-stop, in-your-face entertainment. I've got to commend Adam Wingard for not overusing gore. This film is kept grounded in the sense that it doesn't become unbelievable due to the amount of blood used. It's used where necessary. And the kills are both inventive, and things we've seen before. Even so, they're all bloody well done, no pun intended.

As the story plays out, everything comes into light and we realize that the killers actually have a motive, unlike 2008's "The Strangers", in which this film is often compared. And, the plot twists are on point, and keep you glued to the screen. It's heart pounding thrill after thrill, with plenty of jumps. Lastly, what I noticed and really appreciated about this movie, is that the scares aren't given away and made predictable with the music. "You're Next" just jumps out and grabs you! It's the best film of it's kind in recent memory.

Finally Speaking My Mind About "Evil Dead" (2013)

When the film hit in April, I went to a premiere screening of it. However, at that point I was taking a break from writing for a few months. So I never did a review for it. But I figured now, since it's been out a while and it hit home video, that I'd finally touch up on the subject of what is the remake of one of the biggest and most iconic horror films ever filmed.

The day of the premiere I had my close group of horror friends over, and we watched the original Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell trilogy and had a good ol' time. I don't think there's a chance of not having fun when you watch any or all of the original 3 films. Though 2 remains my favorite, they're all perfect in their own ways and for different reasons.

Before we left, I had to dress in fashion, so I got out my limited edition t-shirt of "Evil Dead 2" and headed to the event.

Watching the film, I remember feeling very tense and on edge, ready for anything to happen. I had a lot of hope going into the movie, and watching it was a thrill. I loved the way the possessed looked, they were creepy as hell! Definitely some scary makeup effects.

The violence and sheer brutality of the film had me guessing as to how it managed to get away with an R rating. Not to mention the gore! This has to be the goriest horror film I've seen in a cinema in a long time. Usually you don't get blood like that until the unrated version hits video.

Leaving the theater, the one part that stuck with me the most is the nail gun scene. That is the most terrifying scene in the film in my opinion, it is just non-stop, relentless terror. Then there's the bathroom scene with the syringe, which was the other part I kept thinking of. Once the scares started, they never really let up!

I felt something else leaving the theater as well; disappointment. Not because I disliked the film, but because aside from the 2 scenes I mentioned above (although I knew most of the bathroom scene already), all of the good parts of the film were already showed to us in the awesome red band trailers. So really, seeing the film was just filling in the gaps of what you weren't shown in the trailers. I remember thinking upon first viewing them, that if they let that much out in the commercials, what are they saving for us in the movie that they aren't showing us? And it was a letdown to find out that there really wasn't that much else to it. It would have been  much better had they not released all that footage and saved it, and I think it would have gotten even more positive reviews than it did.

There's two things that I really didn't like about the remake, and I'm not comparing it to the original when I say this, but I felt that the possessed were dulled down. I think for a remake you're supposed to go bigger and badder, and instead, they died way too easily. In the original film, you had to cut them up into pieces in order to stop them. Now in the is one, one of the possessed loses both her arms and dies. I don't like that. Being a balls-to-the-wall remake, they should have gone better and made the possessed even more resistant and unstoppable as opposed to making them easier to kill.

The other thing I disliked is the tree rape. I'm not sick or perverted, well, okay, maybe I am. But I'm not going to bash a film for having a bad rape scene, because saying there's such a thing as a good rape scene is a bit twisted. But, yet again, I felt that this was dulled down and lessened as well. Now that I've watched the film on my exclusive Target steelbook blu-ray 5 times since I bought it on it's release date, I realized that the branch that penetrates Mia is covered in thorns! This makes up for the scene being lackluster a bit, but it still could have been done better.

It wasn't really rape, it was just something that crawled insider her like a snake.

With these two major flaws, I know why that one critic said "A near perfect experience". It's very close to being a great film, it just doesn't deliver on all fronts like we were lead to believe it would. And something else that I thought that made the original superior was that, even though the remake had more of a story and character history to it than it's predecessor, there wasn't as many likable characters. If the film wasn't so short, it could have changed that by not feeling so rushed and allowing true character growth. Which is why so many of us crave for an unrated edition!

I know it seems as though I'm only mentioning things about the film that I don't like, but I actually loved the movie! As a stand alone film it's awesome, and it's a nice nod to the original and fits in with the series rather lovely. It's a modern day take on the original, and it's extreme. Overall I rate the film  3.5/5. And had there not been so many hiccups, I would have gladly given this film a 4. Remake or not, this is a real horror film, and we haven't had a movie like this that's mainstream in a long time.

As I mentioned above, this movie does have more story to it than the original 1981 film. It's not just some college kids going to hang out in a cabin, the 2013 version has a back story that's simple, yet relatable and fitting. One of the major things that I've heard people criticize the reboot for is that there's no character development which is false. And there's hardly any in the original, so to bash this one for being no different doesn't make a lot of sense.

People were really saying that horror is dead when they didn't like this remake, and they think they're being taken seriously when they say this. I'm convinced that some people only bash movies just because it gets them attention. To say a genre is dead over one film? Unheard of. And besides, most of the people who harshly criticize things and make idiotic statements are so used to giving out bad reviews that they don't even know a good film when they see it anymore.

For more on why and how horror isn't dead and never will be, read my critically appraised article for MoviePilot.com, that will about sum it up for you. Why some say Horror is Dead

Ultimately, this film is not the original. But guess what? It wasn't supposed to be! This is it's own film, and it's a really good one at that. Those who don't like it, and say that it ruined the integrity of the original need to pull their head out of their ass. Remakes don't tarnish originals, and if you don't like it, you don't like it.

Nobody's forcing it on you! Hell, I hated Rob Zombie's "Halloween" remake, does that mean the original isn't the same to watch anymore? Hell no, that's moronic!

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and cannot wait for the sequel! Let's just hope this time that they don't put too much in the trailers and spoil the best parts for us again.

Evil Dead (2013) 2ND REDBAND TRAILER UP NOW!

The Haunting of Whaley House (2012)

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 89 MINS
WRITERS- JOSE PRENDES
STARRING- ALEX ARLEO, ARIELLE BRACHFELD AND GRAHAM DENMAN
DIRECTOR- JOSE PRENDES




Synopsis taken from IMDb
Just because you don't believe in ghosts, doesn't mean they don't believe in you!




Here we go again with another story about "the most haunted house in the world" or "the most haunted house in America". How can their be so many haunted houses that are the most haunted? I hate when movies use this as a promotional tactic to get people to watch their film. However, the Whaley House is supposedly the real deal.

I'm not exactly an expert on the Whaley House. I don't know the story behind it, so I have no clue how accurate or inaccurate this film is, so I'm not judging it on that.

Ghost stories are just as bad as zombie movies nowadays. Everyone and their mother thinks they can do a haunted house story, the same way people do with zombies. They're the most overused topics in horror films. I can't stress how badly they're overused and how bad most of them are. It's to the point where whenever I come across a haunting or zombie movie I get real iffy. I'm tired of wasting my time.

The film is about a group of teens who visit the Whaley House, despite being warned not to. Of course some of them don't believe in ghosts and only want to come along for laughs. Others are into the paranormal and really believe in ghosts.

This movie had very little character development, they gave you some bits and pieces of a back story between characters but nothing that holds water, or that we care about. Their acting and character development fits the standard of almost all low budget horror films, it's nothing to get you behind the characters. Characters are the most important part of the story, whenever you have a kick-ass horror film you usually have a great lead character. This film lacks that.

 The effects in this movie were disappointing. They fit a movie of this stature, but that's what hurts this film. When you do this you fit in with other films who took the cheap route due to budget. This film lacks motivation and gives you cheap parlor makeup that look like they were done at home. If you want to stand out and make a good movie that leaves an imprint and doesn't get lost in all the other deplorable ghost stories, you need something that stands out, that makes an impression. Putting more money into the makeup department on this film would have helped alot.

There's a scene in this film that stands out to me where one of the teens becomes possessed, and it was a damn near direct ripoff of The Evil Dead when Cheryl gets possessed. I appreciate the homage to a horror classic, but don't be so obvious and don't waste it on a cheap generic plot.

The acting was horrendous. I appreciate these actors and actresses playing in this movie, but they didn't put any effort into making their characters likable or believable.

Although the house in this film isn't the actual Whaley House, I liked the house. It was a nice touch. It looked like it had history and could be haunted. It looks like one of the houses you see on Ghost Hunters or Ghost Adventures.

I really liked the ending to this film. It was quite a shocker. The last 10-15 minutes of the movie actually got interesting and I thought the twist was obviously common, but it was done in a manor that made it not matter. The final scene of this film is powerful, sad and tragic.

In the end, The Haunting of Whaley House has it's perks and redeemable parts, but not enough to overlap the generic story and really bad acting.

THIS FILM GETS 2 REAPER SKULLS OUT OF 5

Evil Dead Official Teaser Trailer (2013)

Evil Dead hits theaters April 12th, 2013 and is my most anticipated horror film for next year. This trailer shows us what we're in for. Hardcore, gory and terrifying as well as gross. Can't wait to see this!

The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

RATED-R

RUN TIME- 95 MINS

WRITERS- JOSS WHEDON AND DREW GODDARD

STARRING- KRISTEN CONNOLLY, CHRIS HEMSWORTH AND ANNA HUTCHINSON

DIRECTOR- DREW GODDARD

Synopsis taken from IMDb

Five teenagers head off for a weekend at a secluded cabin in the woods. They arrive to find they are quite isolated with no means of communicating with the outside world. When the cellar door flings itself open, they of course go down to investigate. They find an odd assortment of relics and curios but when one of the women, Dana, reads from a book she awakens a family of deadly zombie killers. There's far more going on however than meets the eye as the five campers are all under observation.

I didn't follow this movie, so I didn't know anything about it. I tend to do that with horror films to avoid spoilers. All I look for is positive or negative reviews, and even then I don't let that change my mind in either direction. I like to view and experience movies on my own. 

That being said, when I saw this trailer for the first time during a TV commercial I thought 2 things:

1). Holy **** Thor is fighting zobies

2). It's The Evil Dead remake

This movie turned out to be a pleasure to watch and enjoy. It was a fresh film that holds its own. And it's a kick-ass horror film.

The cast in this movie was very well done, it didn't come off as too "poppy" or directed at teenagers like most of today's modern horror films are. Although I'm sure that's why they went with a young cast, they did a good job at making a legit horror film.

The story in this movie is very compelling. When you find out that they're being watched and even directed into the paths they're taking to bring upon chaos, I couldn't help but want to know how the hell this was going to pan out. Luckily it panned out very well and was very original.

The reading of the passages from the found book they read did remind me alot of The Evil Dead, but I saw it as more of a salute than them mocking or attempting to remake what was already done.

The zombies and other creatures we see in this movie were well done. They were done in a 'popcorn flick' way that made them scary but entertaining and fun to watch. I especially liked the scenes with the werewolf. I think that may have been the coolest looking werewolf I've seen, it's a shame they only showed it briefly. Hopefully we'll see similar designs like that in future werewolf films.

The gore and effects were top notch! I was surprised by how gory and brutal this movie could be as well as how pleased it made me that I wasn't wasting my time on another horrible horror film. This film delivers in ever aspect, I'd watch it a couple more times and will probably buy it on Blu-Ray. Shame I got into this movie so late in the game but better late than never, right?

I was satisfied after viewing this movie and am definitely a fan. I loved the ending and thought the way it all came together and ended was brilliant. Great horror flick. We need more like this.

THIS FILM GETS 3 REAPERS OUT OF 4

Evil Dead: The Musical

Today I had the pleasure of going to see The Evil Dead: The Musical for the 2nd time! After I saw it for the first time a few years ago I was convinced that was the last I'd ever see of it seeing as I live in the middle of nowhere. But I was wrong, and like any deadite would do, I jumped on the opportunity to see it again scoring front row seats. And it was the goriest it's ever been, especially for people in the "Splatter Zone" like myself.

Before I ever saw it in person I owned the CD of the original play and I must've listened to it 100 times. It's funny and endearing and pure fun. They captured the spirit of the greatest horror trilogy ever in a handful of well written songs.

The first time I went to The Evil Dead: The Musical was a great experience and I had the luxury of meeting the cast and having a few word before the show as well as having the entire cast sign my play program. It was one of the best things that could happen to a hardcore The Evil Dead fan like myself, and the fact that I got to go again was a blessing and an awesome early birthday gift.

There are such good songs on in this play! They're both funny and commanding. I've learned the words to the songs from listening to the album so much, but nothing compares to seeing and hearing it live.

"What The **** Was That?" is a hilarious song and regardless of how many times I hear it I always laugh. I mean, you have Ash and Scottie both singing a song about how the craziness going on. It's a funny tune and an seeing it performed really ices the cake.

"Stupid B****" is another song involving Scottie and Cheryl, Ash's sister. It's rude, over the top and a superb choice for a good laugh.

"Housewares Employee" is a song by Ash and Linda, and is actually one of the best songs, if not the best song on the soundtrack. It's not as comical as the others but it gets the point across with just enough humor and harmony to make it charming.

"Good Old Reliable Jake" is one of the funniest and most enjoyable songs due to how over-acted the part is. They deliberately make him a charismatic character who even steals a few scenes from other actors due to his humor and likability.

"Do The Necronomicon" is also one of my favorites because it's a good track and is one of the most visually stunning songs due to the deadites dancing and singing their anthem. It's quote: "Like the Timwarp but only better!"

"Blew That ***** Away" is the concluding song of the musical and is also one of it's gems. It is the re-enactment of the ending to Army Of Darkness, taking place in S-Mart. It's got a good rhythm and like all the others, is very funny.

There's a good handful of other songs that I didn't mention so I had to narrow it down to favorites or else I start rambling.

I was one of the "Splatter Zone" people who got to sit in the good seats allowing you to be in direct shot of the blood. For those of you who don't know, yes, the play has lots and lots of blood and they have not problem soaking the audience in it. I myself, was drenched. One of the prop girls even rubbed me down with blood as an early birthday gift. The goriest scenes were definitely at the end, it was an experience one doesn't forget.

It's one of the many things that separates this musical from others, but it's a great experience and very compelling. I plan on going again when they come around (if they come around...) again.

In conclusion, I think this play was a phenomenal idea and is something everyone who loves horror should experience at least once. It sums up the trilogy of greatness into an hour and fifty minute show, exposing the passion, fun, heart and true core of the Evil Dead saga, as well as the scares. In both of my times going the acting has also been on par and very diligently done. Good job to the actors and actresses.

I'll be keeping the clothes I wore to the play and I'll be keeping them unwashed in all their bloody glory. I made sure to wear a white shirt and safety goggles.

I was also very pleased that not only did I get to see this celebration of one of the greatest horror series' ever made for a second time, but I also got to take pictures as you see above. Sorry some are blurry. Lots of movement going on.

When and if the day comes when I get another opportunity to see this play again I'll be jumping on the opportunity again.



Check the link below to see if Evil Dead: The Musical is coming to your town!
http://www.evildeadthemusical.com/

I'd also like to thank Bootless Stageworks for putting together this great show!
http://www.bootless.org/

Finally Evil Dead 2 action figures!!!!!

The action figure and collectible company, Neca, has announced that they landed the rights to make action figures from The Evil Dead 2! They said they're in the sculpting stage now and that we should see some prototypes at this years comic-com. And that we probably will see two Ashes and maybe a Henrietta and a few other characters.

Now I don't know about you but I am freaking out, I was so happy when I heard this news because there has never been collectibles made from the first or second Evil Dead movie (atleast not officially licensed products). So these are must haves and as those of you who collect know, Neca is a great company and makes great products, I own several hundred dollars in their products and so I will be getting these as soon as they're avaiable. Neca + Evil Dead 2 = hell yes. Just take a look at they're Army Of Darkness figures and you'll know what to expect.

I hope we get an evil Ash or atleast an Ash with the possessed hand.