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

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

'BUNNYMAN MASSACRE' (Screener Review)

This sequel to Bunnyman (2011) is directed by Carl Lindbergh, and stars David Scott, Julianne Dowler, and Jennifer June Ross. "Inspired by true events" my ass. The only truth behind the Bunnyman Massacre idea is that in real life, some people sighted a suspicious guy wearing a bunny costume and it creeped them out. Said Bunnyman was seen only a few times (if my information is correct) and nothing ever came of it other than his loitering and having the police called for "suspicious activity". No one was ever caught or brought up on charges, yet this movie uses that concept and turns it into a wannabe The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The film depicts a murderer in a filthy rabbit costume who kills random innocents in what are attempted to be gruesome ways. Really, this picture is just a boring schlockfest that has no original inspiration, like it's predecessor.

BLOOD WIDOW (Screener Review)

MILD SPOILERS THROUGHOUT

"After buying a nice house in the country, Laurie and Hugh, a successful young couple, throw a party for their friends. During the wild night a few friends decide to explore the abandoned and decaying boarding school next door, only to wake an emotionally broken killer: The Blood Widow"

I'm at the point now (like most movie-freaks) where I can tell within 10-15 minutes into viewing a feature, rather it'll be any good or not. And I knew that I was going to be sitting through this one through the duration. Even though some of the acting from the supporting cast is really bad, it wasn't enough to stray me away from the story.

CAMP DREAD puts a bloody twist on reality TV

RATED- Unrated
RUN TIME- 95 Mins
WRITER(S)- Harrison Smith
STARRING- Kyle Patrick Brennan, Ashley Caspermeyer, and Nicole Cinaglia
DIRECTOR- Harrison Smith



Synopsis taken from IMDb
The "Summer Camp" horror trilogy was one of the most popular franchises of the 1980's. However, the decade ended and so did director/writer Julian Barrett's career. Now Barrett has a plan to resurrect "Summer Camp" in a modern reboot that entails using a reality show as its template and source of fundraising. Should it succeed Barrett would once again be at the helm. Bringing together an eclectic group of young "contestants" as well as his former stars Rachel Steele and John Hill, Barrett seems to have put together a sure fire recipe for success. Then people start dying. For real. And "elimination" takes on a whole new meaning as "Dead.tv" clearly shows the slasher film has grown up.



Starting off with tryouts to be on "Dead.tv", we meet some of the cast immediately, and can see that the so-called "contestants" are troubled, all in their own way. And, there's some definite suspicions about them. However, even though they're rehab bound, they all agree to participate on the reality show in which the winner is promised one million dollars.

We're also introduced to the man behind the madness, Julian Barrett (Eric Roberts), and his associate Sheriff Donlyn (Danielle Harris). Both Roberts and Harris are credited as the main cast, but they're hardly in it. You can tell that this was a plea to get the movie noticed by using their well-known names as the selling point.

It doesn't hurt the movie that they're not in it much, but the film is left on the shoulders of a young and fairly inexperienced cast. And, being quite frank, Roberts stands out compared to everyone else, because he's such a good actor. It's clear that he's leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else. While some acting from the main cast is questionable, it's actually not bad.

Felissa Rose who's best known as Angela Baker from 1983's "Sleepaway Camp" plays a somewhat vital role in the film. She plays the former star of the "Summer Camp" movies, Rachel Steele, and is helping Julian Barrett with all the preparations for the reality show. It's always a pleasure seeing Felissa on screen, and she has become an even better actress.

Before the show begins filming, the "contestants" are given a rundown in front of one another by Rachel Steele. It becomes apparent to the youths that somehow Rachel and Julian have some personal info about them that they shouldn't. Such as, how one of the teens killed her brother. This shows the "contestants" that this show isn't all it's cracked up to be. And that they need to watch their backs.

From the jump it's easy to spot that this is obviously a low-budget project, and some of the characters are downright unlikable. This of course, leads to letting us know who's safe and who isn't when the inevitable chaos ensues. There's some good deaths, like someone choking on a sandwich. But my favorite death has to be when one of the cast gets beaten to death with his own fake leg, classic stuff. And there's a scene involving a lip ring that I almost had to turn away from.

The storyboards from the "Summer Camp" trilogy are exact with recent deaths that are occurring, and it becomes obvious that someone's up to some foul play, and there's more than meets the eye. About midway through the film, we start to see that some of the "contestants" are straight up unstable and even psychos. This adds to the mystery of who the killer could be, and the film does a good job at making almost everyone feel like a suspect. However, overall the movie isn't very scary or suspenseful.

The gore is good, and in supply. The makeup however, isn't up to par with what you'd expect. But in the end, "Camp Dread" has an almost tragic feel to it, especially the end when the twist is revealed. Not what I was expecting. With the worse leg shaving scene since "Cabin Fever", this film proves to be entertaining and a good watch. If I had to sum it up, I'd say that this flick is "Cabin in the Woods" meets "Sleepaway Camp".

3 stars out of 5

SCREAM PARK takes you on your final ride

RATED- Unrated
RUN TIME- 85 Mins
WRITER(S)- Cary Hill
STARRING- Nicole Beattie, Doug Bradley, and Kailey Marie Harris
DIRECTOR- Cary Hill



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A failed amusement park owner devises a plan to commit gruesome murders in the park as a publicity stunt to sell tickets.




From the jump, I liked the opening music. It told me all I needed to know about the movie. The music has an eerie undertone to it, and a little dash of camp. This lets the viewer know that they aren't just in for a scary movie, they're in for a fun time being scared.

After watching just the first few minutes, I knew that due to it's "fun" vibe that it could go either way in terms of being a good movie and a bad movie. Gladly I can say that it wasn't the latter. It takes you into the non-glamorous life of working at an amusement park, and lets you see the real side of things- how miserable the young adults who work there are, and what they're lives consist of. To my surprise, there's some genuine dialogue between the characters that feels neither forced, nor acted. It comes off like your really watching the characters hanging out in real life. The characters themselves seem like real, everyday people that you'd bump into down the street. They seem completely real, and aren't exaggerated for the screen.

One of the things that caught my eye instantly is that the amusement park in which the film takes place is called Fright Land. Now, being a boy from Delaware, I can't help but nod because one of the only things there is to do in Delaware is go to Frightland every year around the Halloween season. So the fact that I know of an actual fun park that goes by the same name is cool to me.

After their shifts, the staff is told that the park will be closing due to lack of sales. After expected moaning and groaning, the cast decides to do a little partying and drinking after hours at their work place. This obviously goes unadvised by the viewer, because by now any horror fan knows that partying in a horror movie results terribly for the ones getting their freak on.

About a half hour into the film nothing happens but character development. So I was really eager to see where this was all leading to. Especially with weird prowlers appearing here and there and going unnoticed by the cast. Wearing strange masks that are reminiscent of "Beetlejuice" and "The Town That Dreaded Sundown", it's all a matter of patience to see how and when the murder spree begins.

Once the hillbilly psychos come out to play, the cast gets picked off one by one in some brutal and mean ways. Not to mention, there's some gnarly gore. Though the kills aren't anything that we haven't seen before, they're done very well. There's even a jump scare that got a reaction out of me, and that I didn't feel was overdone like most movies have the habit of doing.

Doug Bradley, mostly know for his role as Pinhead in the "Hellraiser" series, makes a very brief cameo as the park owner who devises the devious plan leading up to all the chaos that ensues. It's really a shame that this film has to get by using Bradley's name to get noticed. Because honestly, he's hardly in it and the movie is a really good watch on it's own. I wish "Scream Park" could get by on its own reputation.

Towards the end of the picture, some of the acting does suffer. And while the overall plot isn't creative or original, it's solid. And, it fits for the kind of movie it is. It's an obvious nod to throwback horror films, and when done right, copycat films can be pretty good. Such is the case with "Scream Park". I appreciate the ending, and love it's campy twist. It's a pretty cut and dry film, very easy to comprehend and overall a good, entertaining watch for fans of the slasher genre.

Don't miss "Scream Park" on VOD and DVD tomorrow! I dare you to take a ride...

3 out of 5 stars

STAGE FRIGHT will make your ears bleed

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 89 Mins
WRITER(S)- Jerome Sable, and Eli Batalion
STARRING- Minnie Driver, Meat Loaf, and Allie MacDonald
DIRECTOR- Jerome Sable



Synopsis taken from IMDb
A snobby musical theater camp is terrorized by a blood-thirsty killer who hates musical theater.




Having never seen Alfred Hitchcock's 1950 original film of the same title, I had little to go on and had almost no expectations going into this version of "Stage Fright". I watched a trailer for it when I saw it was on VOD, and that was enough to get me to pay to see it.

From the start, there's a brutal kill right at the beginning before the opening credits. The nature of the kill is sheer brutality, the sound effects, the blood, and the ruthlessness shown in the kill told me all I needed to know about this film: that it has an edge.

I'm not opposed to musicals, I actually like a lot of musical plays and films. So, all the singing didn't disturb me. I've heard this film described as "Sleepaway Camp" meets "Glee", which is an appropriate comparisson since it's a musical at a camp. But, I'd say it's more "Scream" meets "Glee", because rather than try to be scary, it comes off more cool than anything. One thing that is positively established in this film, is the feeling of an 80's slasher flick. Coming off like a modernized 80's era stabathon film, I still wasn't convinced that it was going to be a movie I'd enjoy due to how quirky it is. And we all know that the term '80's slasher' can be a good or bad thing.

Camilla Swanson (Allie MacDonald) is a cook at a musical theater camp, with her brother, Buddy (Douglas Smith). The camp itself is sinking, on the verge of bankruptcy. The stage producer, Roger McCall (Meatloaf) decides that in order to save the camp, he's going to bring back "The Haunting of the Opera", the same play that Camilla and Buddy's mother was murdered after debuting, 10 years ago. When Camilla hears that they're going to be bringing the musical back for a revival (this time a kabuki version), she auditions and gets the role after some despute with the director. Although Camilla thinks she's doing a good deed and honoring her mother, Buddy disagrees and doesn't think she should do it.

The director of the musical, Artie (Brandon Uranowitz) basically sexually harasses the females and blackmails them in order to pick which lady he wants to be the face of the musical. What aggravates me about this scenario is that no one ever says anything to him about it. They all just deal with it and act like they have to do as he says or else. Somehow the characters forgot they're only doing a small-time gig, and act like Artie's a big shot. When really he's the director of a camp musical. This got a "wtf" reaction out of me because these girls let this crude guy walk all over them and use them for the sake of a damn summer musical at a camp full of nobodys. So I find it unrealistic that their reactions are anything but cussing Artie out. These girls must have really been desperate otherwise...

While it's intentional, characters like Artie are all around the cast, making most of the cast instantly unlikable. And it kept me hoping that the lot of them would meet the blade of the killer (laugh). Without hardly any characters to back or support aside from Camilla and Buddy, I was taken out of the movie, and it lessened my experience watching it. And, my fiance pointed out a very funny element that somehow slipped my vision: most of the cast wears the same clothes the entire film! Guess everyone forgot their changes of clothes due to all the excitement of going to summer camp. Either way, small details like that irk me. But, I think that I was trying too hard to stay interested in the film to notice that detail on my own.

Now, let me talk about the killer. Whenever he shows up, the movie turns into a heavy metal horror musical! The lyrics are silly, but the music is enjoyable. He's twisted, violent, vicious, brutal, and relentless. However, the more I saw of the killer, the more ridiculous I thought he was. At one point he even gets out a guitar and solos in front of a victim before murdering them. Such goofy things don't really do anything for me but annoy me. He's very choreographed and stylized in his movements, making him an unrealistic character. As I said before, this movie tries to come off as cool more than anything. And I noticed that two saw-like weapons he uses are actually the tops of cans, which I actually laughed at. Had the killer been not as over-the-top as he was I probably could have appreciated that aspect.

Although several people are killed off, the play must go on, right? Right. With the impending doom of the killer showing up and killing Camilla like her mother, she still goes on stage and performs. The plot twist/killer reveal is easily predictible and nothing unconventional, but again you can smell the 80's slasher element this movie has. There's a secondary plot twist that I didn't find so predictible, but it's pretty flat. Once it's out in the open it doesn't do anything but make this movie mediocre at best.

There's some good, creative kills and gore. But I expected the quality of the movie to overall be higher. The movie climax is good, but nothing memorable. Ultimately the only thing that I can say is that I'm not impressed, but it's worth a watch.

Catch it now on VOD or get to the theater May 9th to check it out.

2.5 stars out of 5

CAESAR AND OTTO'S DEADLY XMAS spreads holiday fear

RATED- Unrated

RUN TIME- 90 Mins

WRITER(S)- Dave Campfield and Joe Randazzo

STARRING- Dave Campfield, Paul Chomicki, and Deron Miller

DIRECTOR- Dave Campfield

Synopsis taken from IMDb

Caesar and his half brother Otto take on duties as Santa and his elf. However, the bodies begin to pile up when a fellow store Santa (CKY's Deron Miller) develops a vendetta against them, he soon turns Caesar's list of dinner guests into a list of Xmas-inspired victims! Featuring cult movie icons, Linnea Quigley, Brinke Stevens, Lloyd Kaufman, Joe Estevez, Felicia Rose, and Robert Z'Dar. 

Right when I thought I was going to have a weekend of nothing new to watch, my screener disc for "Caesar and Otto's Deadly Xmas" arrived. So, I was glad to have some new viewing material, and the fact that it's packed with cult stars I grew up watching only made me even more excited to give it a watch.

From the start, there's plenty of laughs to go around. This is the type of flick where you can tell if you're going to like it within just a few moments of watching. It's very low-budget, and those who aren't loyal horror fans may not like it's style. To put it simply, this movie is a B movie celebration, and a standing salute to the genre and all those who helped shaped horror into the powerhouse it's become. It doesn't take itself seriously, and because of that, doesn't lose focus of the motion picture that it is.

The dialogue between Caesar (Dave Campfield) and Otto (Paul Chomicki) is ridiculously funny and entertaining. They're two screw-ups who're constantly trying to out do one another. Even though they're close pals and half-brothers, they'll throw each other under the bus any chance they get to further their own lives. The entire concept is hilarious and entertaining. It never becomes really scary, it's more humorous than anything, and it's a hell of a lot of fun!

You just know things are going from bad to worse when Caesar's dinner list becomes a slay list by a store Santa who is previously insulted by Caesar. As the Santa played by Deron Miller starts scratching names off of the list one at a bloody time, it becomes apparent that Caesar and Otto better do something quick before they become the accused.

Seeing scream queen Linnea Quigley on screen never hurts, and it's always a pleasure to see her in new roles. As Donna Blackstone, she is an exaggerated version of herself. There's a really cool "Silent Night, Deadly Night" homage that any genre fan will get. My only complaint is that she isn't in the film enough! Robert Z'Dar (Maniac Cop) makes a cameo during the end credits that I thought was ingenious, and very humorous. I got a kick out of seeing him also play an over-the-top version of himself.

It seems everyone making this movie had a really good time and just got to be themselves. Of course, there's more cult actors and actresses than that included in the film, such as Felissa Rose who's known primarily for her role as Angela in the 80's slasher film, "Sleepaway Camp".

Starpower aside, this picture stands on its own as a new holiday classic full of blood and laughs that any genre fan should see this holiday season! Using limited resources, a B movie classic has just been birthed, and it's busted its way down my chimney and into my heart. As it will to most who see it.

So, if you like horror-comedies, slashers, and Christmas themed horror films, then you should give this a viewing. It's one I can see myself watching every year around the Christmas season while drinking some spiked eggnog and sharing some quality laughs with friends and family. I'll also be lifting my glass in a nod to all the actors and actresses involved in the film.

Though not a great film, this isn't  for those who are expecting the next epic horror flick. This is for those who can enjoy a throwback to the oldies and know when not to take a movie seriously, and just enjoy it.

"Caesar and Otto's Deadly Xmas" hits video next week. Don't miss out!

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.

Blu-Ray Review: HALLOWEEN 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITON

If you've stopped and read my blog from time to time, or if you're a regular to my site, you probably know that the John Carpenter masterpiece film, "Halloween" is my all-time favorite horror flick. I owe a lot to this picture. It's the reason I got into movies as hard as I have, and why I became so head over heals in love with the genre. So, of course, when the new Blu-Ray by Anchor Bay landed, I had to be a part of it.

First off, the picture quality of the movie is completely amazing! The transfer is so smooth and clear. While watching it with a group of friends, they we all picking out things that they haven't seen in such clarity before. And visual vibrance that's downright stunning! Most notably, when Lorie and her gal pals are walking home from school. And, whenever Michael is in the car.

Secondly, I'll mention the packaging. When I first saw the official add for this release, I was instantly a fan of the cover. It's not the classic image of the pumpkin, but it's a nice touch for a deluxe edition. I still think I would have preferred a more artistic cover, like something Scream Factory would have done. But, the one we're provided is sleek and original, while also being taking in a more serious tone. So, it gets a positive vote from me.

The case itself is the the form of hardback book. And, when you open it, the original poster art is on the inside cover. And there's pages of behind the scenes photos, quotes, and the story behind the film. The presentation of this Blu-Ray is pretty impressive! Below, you'll see I took some in hand shots. Sorry for the poor quality on some. The lighting in my house is dim, and I like it that way.

Now, we'll talk about the bonus features. Honestly, the lack thereof is the only thing truly disappointing about this edition. There's only a small handful of features which include, trailers, TV spots, On Location- 25 Years Later (10 minute featurette), TV version footage, new commentary with Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter, and a new documentary on Jamie Lee Curtis' first and last horror convention appearance at a Horrorhound Weekend event. 

The TV version footage was what I got the most enjoyment out of, because it is great to be watching scenes again that I haven't seen in years. Most of which, I remember clear as day. So, it's really cool to own the cut footage. Aside from that, all I watched was the Documentary on Jamie Lee because, I've seen all the other features before. I haven't watched the new commentary yet, but plan on doing so later tonight! This one should be interesting.

If you own "Halloween" on DVD, and have a good amount of bonus stuff, I don't recommend you discard it. I'll be holding onto my 25th Anniversary Edition DVD, which is also released by Anchor Bay. And, is also the recommended edition to have of this film for just the bonus material alone!

Ultimately, this release is more in celebration of the top-notch picture quality than anything else. It's worth owning for that reason as well. Not to mention the hardback book case that it comes in, which I actually heard is a limited run. So, get yours when you can, and sooner than later!

CURSE OF CHUCKY brings the series back with a vengeance

RATED- UNRATED

RUN TIME- 97 MINS

WRITER(S)- DON MANCINI

STARRING- DANIELLE BISUTTI, BRAD DOURIF, AND ALEX VINCENT

DIRECTOR- DON MANCINI

Synopsis taken from IMDb
After her mother's mysterious death, Nica begins to suspect that the talking, red-haired doll her visiting niece has been playing with may be the key to recent bloodshed and chaos. 

It's been 9 years since this beloved series has been touched, and although there was some hate going around when the first trailer for "Curse of Chucky" was released, I remained optimistic. I had a strong feeling since I first heard of this film that it was going to be good, and I was right. It's great to hear such good things being said about this movie now that some have seen it! I think it's a breath of relief for most of us, because so many horror movies have a way of not living up to their hype, or simply aren't deserving of it.

Don Mancini not only wrote, but also directed this latest installment. Although Mancini takes credit for writing all of the films in the "Child's Play" franchise, this one takes things back to the way they were originally, before the series took a slight stumble down hill. While I'll be the first to admit that I liked "Seed of Chucky", I'll also admit that it wasn't a strong point for the franchise to end on. So, not only is it good to see Chucky return in all his former glory, but also to see the series go back to its scary roots and be taken more seriously than the last two sequels.

"Curse of Chucky" goes back to the opening of the original film, with Charles Lee Ray (Brad Dourif) and, rewrites the timeline and history up until after "Child's Play 3". This not only provides us with a fresh story, but also ties in very well with the original three films, forgetting Bride and Seed ever happened. Nothing drastic is changed, just enough to allow things to go in a more idealistic way. I personally think that this is the film that this series needed, and brings it back to life with a great crimson vibrance! 

Brad Dourif takes up his mantel again as the voice of our favorite psychotic, murderous doll. Dourif also gets some screen time, playing a younger version of himself as Charles Lee Ray. These new scenes of him tie in directly with the new storyline for this motion picture. Brad's own daughter, Fiona Dourif is our lead lady in this film, Nica. A paraplegic who is tormented by the deadly, red-headed foe that is Chucky! As everyone around her starts to die, starting with her mother, all fingers eventually point to one suspect. 

Chucky still has his sense of personality, which is laced with some dark humor and dialogue but, it never goes too far on the comedy side. As a matter of fact, truth be told, the first 45 minutes are downright scary! For the first time in a long time, since probably the second film, I was actually creeped out! The malevolent feeling is back in the blood of this series, and I love it. I really like how Chucky is very in-your-face, and hands on. It really does cast him in his old light, the way we've wanted to see him for a while.

Not to mention the look of Chucky himself, which I've liked since I first saw the trailer. Despite some negative buzz going around about his new look, it holds up well. Going beyond that, the animatronics are very well done. I actually heard some people say that he "looks too real" based on what they saw in the trailers. And the thing is, they said it in a negative way. How that makes sense, I'll never know. 

If you ask me, the more real it looks, the better it is. People are inadvertently complimenting the hell out of this movie based on their own ignorance. Most of those who've gotten to see it already have changed their tune now.

The kills are top-notch! There's electrocution, as well as the good old trusty axe and knife used as heinous weapons in some creative, gory kills. And it's very suspenseful. The thrill of wondering who is going to die next and how, is back and what's not to love about that? There's also two cameos that I thoroughly enjoyed, but won't mention for the sake of spoiling it for others.

I'm not sure if the ending is intended for a sequel, or if it simply capped off the series and gave it the ending it deserved. That being said, I'd love to see another installment of this quality. And seeing as they're going strong, I'd highly suggest another sequel than an unnecessary reboot or remake. I'm just glad there's still a series out there that I follow that's not going the remake route, much like the "Scream" franchise is doing. So, I hope to see promise in the future, and I remain positive.  

I think in the end, I'd rank this as the third best film in the series of 6. Right after the original and Bride. I actually bounce back and forth between those two. It really depends on my mood, because they're extreme opposites due to the terror:humor ratio. "Curse of Chucky" rests right beside them, and above the others. 

And don't forget, stay tuned after the credits... 

COFFIN BABY lacks everything but gore

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



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

   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DO NOT DISTURB is more of the same old crap

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



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




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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Psycho Cop Returns (1993)

RATED- R
RUN TIME- 80 MINS
WRITER(S)- DAN POVENMIRE
STARRING- ROBERT R. SCHAFER, BARBARA NIVEN AND ROD SWEITZER
DIRECTOR- ADAM RIFKIN



Synopsis taken from IMDb
psychopath cop decides to kill everyone who he thinks has broken the law.




Once I was a few minutes into this one I could tell why so many people seem to like it. It has the genuine feel of a grindhouse film, with it's gritty interior and exterior. This is more like a throwback to the 70's exploitation flicks than it is a near-mid 90's movie.

In this film, Psycho Cop crashes a bachleor party, and honestly I'm glad he did. I didn't think any of the strippers were attractive, maybe it was a 90's thing, but I have a higher standard than what was in this movie. So I was extremely dissapointed with the fact that out of a handful of near-naked darlings, there wasn't one that I was wanting to look at.

No, like the first film, there is no character developement or likeable characters. Really, it's just a bunch of mindless guys acting like fools and thinking they're cool. Not having good characters does either two things, it either kills the whole movie or it makes the movie fun. This was the latter.

The writing is so simple that it's totally fine if you text, chat, or get up to eat with this movie playing, and the only thing you'll miss is bad acting or worse dialog. Trust me, I did all of the above and was still able to follow the movie completely. It's literally a cop shows up to a party and starts killing people, there's nothing to it.

What struck me was that somehow it was actually really enjoyable! I wasn't looking for good acting or dialog when I went into watching, I didn't even know what to expect. I just went in hoping it would be better than the original, and it was.

The kills are a little better, but the effects are still bad. Due to the fact that I actually sort of liked this fim, I didn't mind the flaws. I just saw it as a fun movie. You don't have to stare at the screen the entire duration, you can even have it on as background noise and only catch bits and pieces and it'll be one that you'll enjoy.

I liked the ending of this installment because it resorted in the civilians getting back at the corrupt bastard and jumping the living hell out of him with weapons. Of course it didn't keep him down but, it was a good redemption scene that for some reason reminded me of "The Warriors". It was probably just the rough around the edges type of scene it is.

I can't say that I'm a big fan of either film, but I certainly didn't mind this one. This is a good film in comparison to "Maniac Cop", unlike it's predecessor. I approve this movie, it's a lot of fun, and it's an easy watch.