Monday 30 April 2012

DVD review: Burlesque Massacre (2011)


Crystal (Crystal Swarovski) is the lead dancer in her own Burlesque show, but she has other plans for her troupe on this tour.  While visiting Crystal's brother, the Burlesque girls start to be picked off one by one, and its anyone's guess who will survive. Burlesque Massacre is written by Tracy Cwick and Timothy Whitfield who also is the director. It is a homage to the sleazy 1970s exploitation horror films. The acting is decent, the soundtrack is pretty good, fitting. The plot is surprisingly dark, much darker than the regular horror flick. It´s professionally shot and edited and looks very good considering the low budget. I like T & A in horror movies just as much as the next guy and there is plenty of gratuitous female nudity and sexual content in Burlesque Massacre and it´s close to crossing the line into softcore pornography territory. There are several killings but very little gore, the gore make-up fx are practical and don´t look too good.
This review is based upon the DVD region all release from Timberwolf Entertainment.
Rating: 6 out of 7. I really liked this movie, it´s filled with nudity, sex, sleaze and violence and in that order..

/JL

DVD review: Devil's Bridge (2010)



First I´d like to thank Chris Chow for sending me a copy of his latest film.
Sean (Joseph Millson) takes his two friends into the rural wilds of Wales in search of an underworld specialist who can illegally revive his failing business. Deep in alien, isolated territory, they accidentally cross William Parry (Joshua Richards), a broken and desperate farmer dangerously hateful and paranoid of all around him. The situation spins rapidly out of control, spiraling into a horrific heart of darkness spree of pointless violence and revenge as Parry hunts the three friends across the stark and unforgiving terrain. Devil's Bridge is written and directed by Chris Crow. Good acting from the cast but Joshua Richards is very good. The camera work is.. let´s just say there is frequent use of shaky cam which is irritating. The editing is mostly good but there is one particular scene, won´t go into details, which there are some bad rapid editing which is meant to add to the tension and terror the characters must feel but it just gets tiresome. Excellent use of the setting/locations creates a creepy and nice atmosphere. The film is pretty violent but there is little gore and some violence appear of screen.
This review is based upon the region 2 UK DVD release from Entertainment One.
Rating: 4½ out of 7. The location and the acting is good but the film has one big flaw and that is the god damn shaky cam which drives me nuts. The plot is more or less predictable, let´s be honest we´ve seen it before and although this is not Wolf Creek or Deliverance it does have some really nice moments and is good entertainment.

/JL

Saturday 28 April 2012

Review: Monster of Mad Mooney's Lake (2010)


Brian and Harry are two best friends who have stuck around their small town for too long. When their friend RJ goes missing and a strange monster threatens the town, the two investigate and must save the town together before getting torn apart. Monster of Mad Mooney's Lake is short film (running tilme 17 minutes) written, produced and directed by Greg Hanson. The acting is ok, the camera work and editing is ok. The soundtrack is pretty good and fits what happening on the screen. There are some gore, for instance we get to see heads and arms being ripped of, the gore make-up fx  is all practical and is decent, the creature make-up design is reminiscent of the old black and white creature feature classics which is hard to resist for a nerd like me.
This review is based upon a online source provided by the filmmakers, Monster of Mad Mooney's Lake can be seen on their website http://www.grethproductions.com/home/
Rating: 1½ out of 7. Ít just feels confused and unfocused, is it a monster flick or comedy or drama? The confusion makes the film a bit boring as there is a lot of talking between the scenes with the monster.

/JL

Review: Thy Kill Be Done (2010)


In a city overrun by crime, the local church stands as the last bastion of good. But when the vicious leader of a gang of hoodlums murders the kindhearted Monsignor, the nuns of his clergy vow bloody revenge. But these are no ordinary nuns... Thy Kill Be Done is is written, produced and directed by Greg Hanson and Casey Regan. It´s mixed breed of nunsploitation and vigilante flick with a big dose of comedy and some splatter. We get decent acting, good camera work and editing, the gore make-up fx isn´t very good, it is standard indie splatter. For fans of t & a I´ll have to report that there is no nudity in this one... The best part of the film, in my opinion, is a short and violent Vietnam war flashback. Nuns, rape/revenge in Nam... now there is something I would pay to see... =)
This review is based upon a online source provided by the filmmakers, Thy Kill Be Done can be seen on their website http://www.grethproductions.com/home/
Rating: 3½ out of 7. It´s a pretty funny and entertaining little short film (running time 16 minutes), check it out on the film makers website.

/JL

Friday 27 April 2012

Review: Other (Video 2011)


First I´d like to thank Daniel DelPurgatario for providing a screener!
Patrick (David Steiger) is a brilliant doctor, in an obsessive race to alter his own grim prognosis. During a series of unconventional experiments, he discovers a scientific loophole unlike anything he had ever imagined. In pursuit of this dark prize, Patrick will risk everything to ensure he sees his experiment to the end...even if it means accepting the sinister results. Other is written by Rob Foster, Anthony R. Williams and Daniel DelPurgatario who also is the director. Professionally shot and edited, this is a good looking short film (running time just under 15 minutes), David Steiger is very good as Patrick and he´s the only actor to appear in the film so he carries it on his shoulders. I think that the soundtrack is nothing less than fantastic. The make-up fx are very good, there is no gore but this is not a film that is expected to rely on blood and guts.
This review is based upon a passwordprotected online screener provided by the director of the film.
Rating: 7 out of 7. I loved Other and I´m very curious to see what Daniel DelPurgatario will come up with next! Other gets my highest recommendations!

/JL

Review: The Midnight Disease (Video 2010)


Just when Jack Jones (Laurence R. Griffin) is about to give up his career as a novelist due to his increasing writer's block, a mysterious jar of blood appears on his doorstep. The events that unfold not only get his creative juices flowing, but leave a trail of blood in Jack's wake. The Midnight Disease is written and directed by Robbie Ribspreader and co-directed by Ryan Fowler. The acting is pretty decent and Laurence R. Griffin is actually pretty good as Jack, the camera work and editing is decent. The soundtrack feels a bit awkward at times and adds a humorous tone, I´d personally would have prefered the darker and a more straight horror story throughout the whole film.  Although there are some violence there is no gore to speak of. Regarding the topic of t & a, even though Jack begins killing hookers to obtain blood there is no nudity as they somehow manage too keep their clothes on but one of them shows up in sexy lingerie.
This review is based upon a password protected onlinescreener provided by Brain Damage Films.
Rating: 3 out of 7. This film is pretty good, I like the plot and in my opinion it´s a good effort even though it has a few flaws.

/JL

Thursday 26 April 2012

DVD review: Zombie Atrocity: The Italian Zombie Movie - Part 2 (2010)


When his twin brother is brutally murdered, a brave soldier, a sexy psychic, an evil succubus, her oafish boyfriend, two mysterious aliens and the Michigan Militia inadvertently combine forces in a landfill of the living dead. Zombie Atrocity: The Italian Zombie Movie - Part 2 is written by Thomas Berdinski and continues where the first film ended, many questions were left unanswered at the end of part 1, but they're all answered in Part 2! It´s more of the same, it´s the same bad acting, decent camera work and so on... Gorehounds might to note that there is more gore here than in part 1 and the zombie make-up fx looks good and creepy.
This review is based upon region all DVD released by The Cult of Moi and Vous Film Producioni Company LLC.
Rating: 2 out of 7. As with part 1 I have some difficulty rating this, yet again I believe some viewers will hate it but I think it´s a absurd, charming, smart and funny little film. It´s totally crazy and offers a a lot of unexpected twists and turns. Check it out if you are a fan of the old italian zombie flicks but beware this film but this is NOT for everybody.


/JL

Wednesday 25 April 2012

DVD review: Zombie Abomination: The Italian Zombie Movie - Part 1 (2010)


While investigating the death of his twin brother, a special forces veteran, a sexy psychic, an evil succubus, her oafish boyfriend, two mysterious aliens and the Michigan Militia inadvertently join forces in a landfill of the living dead. Zombie Abomination: The Italian Zombie Movie - Part 1 is written and directed by Thomas Berdinski. This is a homage to the old italian zombie films of the 1980s with references to The House by the Cemetery, The Beyond, The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue and City of the Living Dead, it´s a film made by fans for fans. Several of the characters are named after famous directors, the zombies look like old school zombies and so on.This is a micro budget feature, a lot of , mostly,  intentional bad acting, decent camera work and editing. The zombie make-up fx are very good and creepy. There is some gore and the gore make-up fx are standard indie fare.
This review is based upon region all DVD released by The Cult of Moi and Vous Film Producioni Company LLC.
Rating: 2 out of 7. Zombie Abomination: The Italian Zombie Movie - Part 1  Have some difficulty rating this, I believe some viewers will hate it but I thought it was absurd, charming, smart and funny. It´s totally crazy and offers a a lot of unexpected twists and turns. Check it out if you are a fan of the old italian zombie flicks but beware this film is NOT for everybody. A review of Zombie Atrocity: The Italian Zombie Movie - Part 2 will be published here on Independent Flicks in the very near future, so stay tuned.

/JL

Sunday 22 April 2012

DVD review: Outtake Reel (2011)



First I´d like to thank Scott Feinblatt for sending me a DVD.
Behind the scenes filmmaker Danny Wilson  (Jeffrey Chaffin) ratches up the tension on the set of Thomas Grayson´s (Scott Feinblatt)  new horror film which sends the director on a deranged journey into madness. Outtake Reel is written, produced and directed by Scott Feinblatt and co-directed and edited by Jeffrey Chaffin. The film features guest appearances by Tiffany Shepis and Lloyd Kaufman and I´ll have admitt that it feels a bit strange too see Lloyd Kaufman playing a role without spoofing it but he does it really well and is great. The acting is pretty good, special praise to Ava Santana who plays the character Ashley Swan, she is is both beautiful and very talented. The camera work is mostly shaky cam (filmed point of view) and the editing reflects that. It isn´t supposed to be perfect and it just adds to the sense of realism. There is no gratuitous nudity or gore, the violence appear off screen and is implied.
This review is based upon the region all DVD released by Dervish Pictures, it´s available from
http://www.outtakereel.com/
Rating: 5½ out of 7. Outtake Reel feels original as it´s focuses on plot and characters instead of gore and violence, it´s quite enjoyable and there are several twists and turns along the way. I think you should definitely give this one a try.

/JL

Saturday 21 April 2012

DVD review: Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf (2009)


A blind man seeks revenge against a psychopath who took away his sight and slaughtered his wife and daughter. Eight years after the massacre, the man has returned to the desert town as a highly trained swordsman ready to seek justice. But he doesn't know there awaits seven assassins hired by his sworn enemy who wants the bounty on his head. Set in nowhere, no time, this bloody, modern-day fable is a new age hybrid action film with a classic samurai essence and a spaghetti western spirit. Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf is written by John Migdal and Kurando Mitsutake who is also the director and plays the main character Blind Wolf. There has been many films lately trying to recreate the grindhouse look using grainy camera effects and  'old looking' filming techniques , some are successful but mostly they are pretty bad or downright shit. Decent acting, some really silly situations/scenes and a lot of bloodshed.The film is and exercise in style, it´s professionally shot and edited and offers both nice and striking visuals. The frequent actionsequences might be a bit uneven and often balancing on a thin line between cool or ridiculous but they never disappoint. I´m sure that gorehounds will love Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf as it´s brutal, violent and very gory. They use both practical gore make-up fx and computer gendered fx and for the most part it looks very good ( a bit hard for me to admitt as a old school gore make-up lover) and fans of t & a won´t be disappointed..
This review is based upon the region 2 DVD relase from Njuta Films.
Rating: 6 out of 7. Samurai Avenger: The Blind Wolf is a really cool and it isn´t meant to be taken too seriously.

/JL


DVD review: Bong of the Dead (Video 2011)


Edwin (Mark Wynn) and Tommy (Jy Harris) are two stoner buddies who are lone survivors of a mass zombie outbreak caused by meteorites. One day they discover a great zombie fertilizer that helps grow super potent pot. The problem is since the government has cleared out many of the major cities, there are no longer any zombies where they live. In order for them to try and get more zombies for fertilizer, they must go on a road trip to the “Danger Zone” where they hope to find and gather as many zombies as possible for their brains. Along the way they get captured by an evil flamboyantly gay Zombie named Alex (Barry Nerling) who has a plot to organize an army of the undead in order to take over the world. Once they escape his clutches, they team up with Leah Kroaker (Simone Bailley), another lone survivor who has spent her time since the outbreak tinkering and building things on her farm. She joins the boys and builds the ultimate zombie killing machine in order to help them on their quest. Armed with an array of unique weapons made from scraps on her farm, they take on the zombie army in a bloody battle to the death! There is more blood and bud in this hilarious action comedy adventure than you have ever witnessed before. Bong of the Dead is written and directed by Thomas Newman and it´s a mix of comedy, action and horror. The acting is decent, the camera work and editing is surprisingly good especially considering the microbudget. The pacing is slow very slow and there is a lot of talking, there are some funny parts in it but some of the humour is just "cheap". Gorehounds should be pleased as there are some good and juicy gore. There is both practial make-up fx and computered gendered fx. In the climatic ending things really kick off as the heroes uses a pickup truck sporting a trio of lawnmowers (the ultimate zombie killer?) just too bad that it takes so long to get there.
This review is based upon the region 2 release from Njuta Films.
Rating: 1½ out of 7. Bong of the Dead just isn´t very good, there is way to little action, horror and zombies and the attempts at humour is mostly a failure. The true highlights of the film are the action sequences but they are few and far between.

/JL




Friday 20 April 2012

DVD review: Sweet Karma (2009)


Karma Balint (Shera Bechard) is a shy, mute Russian girl whose sister Anna (Patricia Stasiak) left for Canada with bright hopes of making some money for the two of them. When Karma discovers that Anna's body has been found in the woods, the apparent victim of a Russian mafia hit, Karma sets off to infiltrate the criminal underworld to avenge her sister. Her journey takes her through the twisted underbelly of society leaving behind death and mayhem in her wake. Sweet Karma is written by James Fler, Michael Paszt and Andrew Thomas Hunt who also is the director. It´s a dark and gritty film, profesionally shot and edited. The soundtrack which consist of electronic music is quite good. The acting is strong and Shera Bechard gives a amazing performance, she manages to be tough, vulnerable and incredibly sexy all at the same time. The action and fight scenes are really well done, it isn´t very gory or bloody but it´s brutal and the gore make-up fx that are on display are good. There is some nice t & a which is hardly surprising considering the topic, there are several good looking women in this film and Shera Bechard is really hot looking.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Phase 4 Films.
Rating: 7 out of 7. Sweet Karma delivers exactly what it promises. It´s a great little vigilante flick, engaging plot, characters you care about, a few twists, gritty and brutal violence, a bit of nudity etc. Definitely recommended!

/JL



DVD review: Shades of a Killer (2010)


"Some things are worth fighting for" Once upon a time there was a man named Jaan, A son to a murdered hitman, A protege to a mysterious mentor, Husband to a loving wife. Wanting a way out he must face his enemies but when you're the best you only fight yourself... Shades of a Killer is written, co-produced an directed by Kemal Yildirim who also plays the main character. He has has also been involved in many other parts of the production. There are some hilariously bad acting on display and many of the actors are too young for the characters that they play. The soundtrack seems limited to a few instrumental tracks that keeps playing over and over again. It´s staged like a comic book with little scene transitions and occasional graphic interstitials. The film has a non-linear narrative structure which can be a bit confusing at times or perhaps it was me having certain problems with maintaining interest watching it. The camera work and editing is semi-decent. There is a lot of action, the action sequences (both shoot outs and martial arts) fail too engage me as a viewer as they lack any punch, we get computer gendered squibs for the most part and mostly bad fight choreography though there are one or two exceptions.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Brain Damage Films.
Rating: 0½ out of 7. Shades of a Killer is quite frankly very boring and hard to sit through.

/JL

DVD review: Kids Go to the Woods... Kids Get Dead (Video 2009)


It's Casey's (Leah Rudick) birthday and to celebrate her and her friends are headed to a cabin in the woods for a wild weekend of sex, drugs and partying. A crazed Killer has other plans for them. It's up to Casey's younger brother Scott (Andrew Waffenschmidt), aided by a mysterious novel that seems to spell out their fate, to find their only hope of survival. Kids Go to the Woods... Kids Get Dead is produced, written and directed by Michael Hall. This is a low budget tribute the 80's slasher films, there is faux commercials, taped over home movies and VHS fuzz in between vignettes of the movie and a horror hostess by the name Candy Adams. We get horny teenagers, worthless cops, a crazy war vet and a masked killer  (yes, it´s cliche riddled to the bone). One of the problems the film have is that it´s comedy/horror as they try to spoof and poke fun at the genre and at the same time deliever thrills and gore. As was common in the 80's slasher films there is obviously overage actors supposed to play the teens (one example of poking fun at the genre). The cast is likeable, the acting is decent but amateurish. The best acting comes from Leah Rudick, Andrew Waffenschmidt and Eric Carpenter, as Derrick, the obnoxious jock who spends the movie consistently trying to get into Casey’s pants. The camera work and editing is good. The image looks crisp and the sound quality is excellent. There is some for gorehounds, head slammed into mirror, slashed throats etc but nothing extreme. The gore make-up fx is decent, especially considering the micro budget of the film. The girls are cute, sexy and funny and three of them get naked so fans of T & A should be delighted.
This review is based upon the region all release from Darkstar Entertainment, it´s unrated.
Rating: 3½ out of 7. Kids Go to the Woods... Kids Get Dead is a a fun throwback to 80’s slashers, it has it flaws and it ain´t scary but it manages to be a succesful parody and I did enjoy it. 

/JL

DVD review: Target Practice (2008)


5 blue-collar friends are on a weekend fishing trip - and the hell that's unleashed upon them when they almost run into a car that's been abandoned in the middle of an isolated mountain road. Stopping to see if anyone needs their help, they inadvertently stumble into the middle of an undercover operation involving a CIA agent and a hidden training camp for homegrown terrorists (molded after real-life, recent discoveries in both the U.S. and Canada). Suddenly, these 5 regular, everyday guys find themselves way out of their league, fighting a bloody battle against a cunning, well-trained, brutal enemy that knows the rugged terrain like the back of its hand. Target Practice is written, edited, co-produced and directed by Richmond Riedel. I like the premise, the atmosphere of tension and terror is pretty good at first when we don´t know who the enemy is and in my opinion it would have benefitted the film greatly if the shooters would have remained unseen and only been revealed towards the end of the film. The sound is pretty bad at times which makes it hard to hear dialogue, the camera work and editing is decent, there is good use of the wilderness. The acting is mostly decent but there sure are some really poor acting on display also. After a strong start the pacing slows down but the film never gets boring. The are gore in the form of juicy squibs as people get shot, it seems to be all practical gore make-up fx and looks pretty good most of the time.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Big Screen.
Rating: 4 out of 7. Target Practice is a pretty good indie action film. Looking forward to see what Richmond Riedel comes up with next.

/JL

Thursday 19 April 2012

DVD review: August Underground's Penance (Video 2007)


The final film in the August Underground trilogy, PENANCE shows the dark decline of the two nameless killers as they continue to videotape the madness along their path of destruction. PENANCE captures the raw emotion of every moment caught in the camera's eye, scorching your soul with brutal depravity and a perverse sadness that will linger much longer than the disturbing visions on the screen. August Underground's Penance is written by Allen Peters, Christie Whiles and Fred Vogel who also is the director. We get more of the same yet it´s different than the earlier films, it´s bigger, has more character depth, less of the frantic shaky cam and the video footage is clean and crisp. The acting is good, both Fred Vogel and Christie Whiles are very good as their respective characters. As in the previous films the violence is dirty and very nasty, there is no Hollywood glamour to be found in August Underground's Penance. Degradation, rape, humiliation and much more is on display. For gorehounds, August Underground's Penance won't disappoint. The gore make-up is brilliant, courtesy of f/x wizard Jerami Cruise, for instance there is a gutting scene that is very impressive and looks very realistic.
This review is based upon the DVD release from Toetag Pictures.
Rating: 7 out of 7. August Underground's Penance is powerful and dirty, it´s a difficult film to sit through. It´s extreme cinema at it´s best and highly recommended but if you´re squemish stay away, stay very far away. Toe Tag Pictures is one of my favorite production companies and I look forward to see more from them.

/JL

Wednesday 18 April 2012

Review: Sweet Tooth (2006)



First I´d like to thank Marc Roussel for telling me where to find this early short film.
Martin (Patrick Rawley)  recounts the urban legend of 'Sweet Tooth Sullivan' to his old friend Lee (Ron Basch). It is a tale of poisoned Halloween candy and revenge from beyond the grave. Sweet Tooth is written by Ben Wilkinson, Mark Thibodeau and Marc Roussel who is also the director. I´ll have to confess that I´m not familiar with the urban legend of  'Sweet Tooth Sullivan' but this is a nice little short film that is nicely acted and well shot and edited and yet it´s made on a shoestring budget. The running time is under 5 minutes
This review is based upon a online source uploaded by the film makers, you can view the film here
Rating: 5½ out of 7.


/JL

Tuesday 17 April 2012

DVD review: August Underground's Mordum (Video 2003)


The sequel to the cult classic August Underground, is a character study in the sick: an amoral, putrid, masturbatory fantasy. The found footage contained in August Underground's MORDUM documents extreme deviant sexuality, torture, and murder, while unfolding a classic tale of a man and woman in love. However, the woman cannot give up her other lover, who also happens to be her younger brother. Exploiting the trio of killers and their deviant ways with issues such as child abuse, incest, rape, and their effects on the human psyche, August Underground's MORDUM will vomit all over you and leave you for dead. August Underground's Mordum is written by Jerami Cruise, Killjoy, Michael Todd Schneider, Christie Whiles and Fred Vogel who is the director and plays on of the main characters. The shaky camera work, the grainy and damaged picture makes it uncannily realistic. The film takes place in a non-linear form. The acting is convincing, this film has more characters and more of a plot than the first film. Cristie Whiles deserves special recognition, she´s truly great as the psychotic Crusty. August Underground's Mordum shows violence for what it is, instead of glamorising it, it is shown as dirty and vile. And there are a lot of truly nasty and disturbing scenes, for instance a guy raping a dead girl in a bathtub and a decapitated baby in a trash can. The gore make-up fx, all practical effects, is very good and looks incredibly realistic .
This review is based upon the DVD release from Toetag Pictures.
Rating: 6 out of 7. Even if one might have thought that it couldn´t be worse than August Underground the sequel is actually better made and even more dark and disturbing. August Underground's Mordum makes uncomfortable viewing and it´s almost unbearable to watch. August Underground's Mordum could actually be one of the most disturbing films made. Recommended only if you like truly extreme cinema, all others should stay very far away from this.

/JL

DVD review: August Underground (Video 2001)


Imagine walking down the street and finding an unmarked VHS tape. Curiosity peaked, you take it home and pop it in. What starts off as two men screwing around with a video camera quickly transforms into an ultra-realistic torture sequence where the unidentified psychopaths tape their exploits as the torment and violate a woman tied to a chair. The sodomy of your morals continues throughout the entirety of the footage, while subtly revealing the killer's shattered pasts via the interactions with the victims and each other. The most shockingly realistic portrait of a serial killer's existence is FRED VOGEL'S AUGUST UNDERGROUND. August Underground is written by Allen Peters and Fred Vogel who also is the director in addition to playing the main psychopath. The shaky camera work, grainy picture quality which make it look like it was shot on a VHS video camera and bad editing adds to the feeling of seeing a authentic amateur home video. The acting is surprisingly good and feels amazingly real, there is a lot of yelling, screaming and laughing going on and on. August Underground´s serial killers are far from the glorified serial killers in the style of Hannibal Lecter, here they are portrayed as monsters and in my opinion his is the way they (and murder) should be portrayed. There are several shocking scenes of sadism, humiliation and degradation. In one scene a female victim with her body smeared with her own blood, urine and feces is forced to eat her brother's genitals. The gore make-up fx are impressive and quite realistic but this isn´t the gorefeat you´d might expect but the violence feels dirty and gritty.
This review is based upon the 2 disc DVD release from Toetag Pictures.
Rating: 5½ out of 7. August Underground is difficult to watch as it´s truly disturbing, uncompromising and shocking. This is probably one of the most extreme and violent films I´ve seen. Recommended only to fans of extreme cinema, in the style of Scrapbook or Snuff 102, others should stay very far away!

/JL

Monday 16 April 2012

DVD review: Humans Versus Zombies (2011)


Students on summer break are exposed to a deadly virus, a neuroinvasive organism that is spread rapidly through direct human contact. The Infected are enslaved by the invading "swarm" intelligence and driven by an insatiable appetite to consume human flesh. Returning home, the students spread the infection to their fellow classmates and other unsuspecting townspeople. One by one, more students fall victim to the plague, triggering an epidemic that spawns a horde of ravenous zombies. The zombie horde grows and spreads quickly. Amidst the chaos, a campus security guard, obsessed with conspiracy theories, leads a group of students to safety as they and a small band of uninfected townspeople set out to find other human survivors in an attempt to discover the source of the "zombie" virus and save the world. Humans Versus Zombies is written by Devan Sagliani and Brian T. Jaynes who also is the director. It´s quite well done, editing, lighting and quality overall looks very good especially considering that it is made on a low budget. There are some mediocre acting but some of the cast are decent and the best actor in the film is Frederic Doss as Frank is hands down my favorite character in this film. I must confess that I hate the quick running zombies that populate this film but the zombie make-up fx is good and the gore make-up fx (a blend of practical and computer gendered fx) looks pretty good and there is plenty of gore, a lot of exploding heads, blood and gore splashing about. There are several really pretty girls in this film (for instance Dora Madison Burge as Tommi, she is very easy on the eyes) and a some of scenes featuring T & A.
This review is based upon the region 2 UK release from 4 Digital Media.

Rating: 3½ out of 7. Humans Versus Zombies is better than expected, it´s entertaining and recommended to Die-hard fans of the zombie genre. 

/JL

Review: Island of the Cannibal Death Gods (Video 2011)


First I´d like to thank Jeff Freeman for sending me a screener of his film.
Three men, trying to escape from the prying eyes of the media, book a fishing charter and get more than they bargained for. Island of the Cannibal Death Gods is written and directed by Jeff Freeman. The pacing is low but the intent is to make us know and feel for the characters before things slowly start happening around the 30 minutes mark. The acting is pretty bad, the camera work is ok but the editing is pretty bad and the sound isn't properly synched in some scenes. There are some badly choreographed fight scenes. There is plenty of both intentional and unintentional humor. Let´s just say that Island of the Cannibal Death Gods looks and feels cheap with it´s many technical flaws, which I guess is a concious choice in their effort to try to recreate the style of the old B-movies of the 1970s. As expected there is some nudity and some gore in the film, actually there is a surprisingly small amount of gore, it´s limited to cheap looking gore make-up fx and a lot of the potentially bloody carnage happens off screen.
This review is based upon a screener provided by Jeff Freeman
Rating: 1 ouf of 7.  Island of the Cannibal Death Gods is not meant to be taken seriously and it isn´t meant to be technically perfect (I think), But honestly this is not my kind of movie, it´s just too boring, it takes forever for things to start happening, there are plenty of silly scenes, technical flaws and bad acting..

/JL

Review: Doll Parts (2011)


First I´d like to thank Karen Lam for sending me a screener of her film.
A serial killer's (David Lewis) bad day is made worse when he picks up the wrong girl (Sara Lind). Doll Parts is a short film, the running time is just under 10 minues, written and directed by Karen Lam. Both David Lewis and Sara Lind give good performances as a predator suddenly discovers that he is the prey, the pacing is good, it´s professionally shot and edited and soundtrack is good. There are some gore, a mix of practical fx and some computer gendered fx but I will not go into any details as I´d risk to reveal spoilers if I did. The CGI looks pretty good but it´s a matter of taste, some enjoy computer gendered fx but I do prefer old school make-up fx.
This review is based upon a screener provided by Karen Lam.
Rating: 6½ out of 7. I enjoyed this short film but I wish it would have been at least 10 minutes longer. It will be interesting too see Karen’s future projects!

/JL

Sunday 15 April 2012

Signed DVD and merchandise giveaway: Sloppy the Psychotic (2012)


In the second giveaway to celebrate that we have had over 10 000 visitors the prize is a signed DVD of Sloppy the Psychotic, released by Maniac Films, signed posters for Sloppy the Psychotic and Deadly Detour and a Deadly Detour T-shirt (size XL). Meet Mike (Mike O´Mahony), A man whose only goal in life was to bring joy to children... As "Sloppy the Clown". After a cruel twist of fate finds him without his beloved job he goes into business for himself. After a bout of bad luck Mike spirals completely out of control. Witness a good man go bad, then totally mad...


To win a copy figure out from what movie the following pictures is taken from and mail the answer to independentflicks@hotmail.com. I want your replies before April 30. Good luck!



DVD review: Red Kingdom Rising (2013)


First of all I´d like to thank Navin Dev for contacting me and providing a DVD-screener for his film.
Red Kingdom Rising is a fantasy horror film inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Mary Ann (Emily Stride), a troubled young woman, has been tormented her whole life by dreams of a sinister figure called the Red King and his morbid fairytale kingdom. Following the death of her father, Mary Ann returns to her family home where she recalls the childhood stories of the Red King and Alice from 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' that her father once read to her. Haunting events and suppressed memories propel Mary Ann through the dark corridors of her parental home into the realms of her nightmares where she must finally confront the Red King and gain closure to her scarred past. Red Kingdom Rising is produced, written and directed by Navin Dev. It´s a very good looking film as it´s professionally shot and edited, there are some very nice visuals on display. There are a lot of visul symbolism,  the soundtrack is fantastic and helps to add to the atmosphere. As usual I try to be rather vague about the plot but that´s because I hate spoilers but it´s well written film and it has a good cast, Emily Stride is excellent as Mary Ann. The sets and locations are good and helps too add to the mystery. There is gore in Red Kingdom Rising and it´s good looking make-up fx and creature fx but keep in mind that this isn´t a gorefeast instead it offers us a fantasy with a dark gothtic theme.
This review is based upon a screener provided by Navin Dev. At the moment the film is only available through special screenings and the film festival circuit.
Rating: 7 out of 7. Red Kingdom Rising is original and interesting. It´s beautifully-made, filled with stunning visuals (often both intense and macabre) and intriguing images. Red Kingdom Rising is the first feature from Navin Dev, he has previously made shorts, and it’s a very impressive debut. I recommend it highly!

/JL


Friday 13 April 2012

Review: Operation Nazi Zombies (2003)


A team of Army Special Forces is sent into a secluded, secret biological weapons facility, only to fall prey to the specimens of a Nazi experiment that was recreated by the Army Chemical Corps and the CIA after World War II. Operation Nazi Zombies is written and directed by David B. Stewart III who also handled music, costume and set design. The acting, camerawork and editing is decent but the film is a too dark in some scenes. Some of the flesh-eating zombies looks pretty good and the gore make-up fx, all practical, is decent. The special forces team looks more like mall security guards than a military elite unit considering their clothing, equipment and weapons (most of them are armed with only automatic handguns) and several of the actors look too young for their parts, this is most likely the reason why several of the special forces members wear black ski masks. The film is played straight but there are several moments of unintentional humor in it, you´ll have too see it for yourself as I try too keep my blog free from spoilers. Operation Nazi Zombies has been released earlier on DVD as Maplewoods which is it´s original title.
This review is based upon a password protected online screener provided to me by Brain Damage Films.
Rating: 2½ out of 7. Operation Nazi Zombies is decent entertainment for the moment, it sure isn´t the best zombie movie ever made but enjoy it for what it is.

/JL

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Review: Children of Evil (2012)



First I´d like to thank Daniel Lehmussaari for making a screener available to me.
Children of Evil is a short film from Cruzial Film & Media, running time is just over 6 minutes, it is based around a poem written by Thom Olausson and directed by Daniel Lehmussaari. It´s an interesting and a new way to present a poem, it´s clear that Cruzial Film & Media has developed it´s technique and "know how" as this looks better than their earlier feature film Svart Död. The camera work and editing is decent, the soundtrack is good, it´s hard to comment on the acting as there is no dialogue spoken by characters and they only appear shortly but I would regard it as decent. The setting and atmosphere is good. The fx, both practical make-up fx and some computer gendered flames, looks ok and my favorite is the vampire (played by Roger Bylund). There is no real gore in it but that´s not what the film is about.
This review is based upon a online screener supplied to me by Daniel Lehmussaari.
Rating: 4½ out of 7. Children of Evil is pretty good, the limitations of the budget is noticeble but I think that Daniel and his crew have managed to make a decent looking short film and I can imagine Cruzial Film & Media using this short film to market their studio in the future.

/JL

Review: Blodspår (2012)


First I´d like to thank Nils Dahlgren who owns and runs Videodrome for sending me a screener of Blodspår (Bloodtracks in english). The midnight killer escapes from prison and starts a new murder frenzy, as five girls head for a weekend in a remote cabin in the woods. Blodspår is written by Lars Henning and directed by John Martin who also shot and edited the film. The acting is amateurish, ranging from mediocre to abyssmally bad but honestly I wasn´t expecting any award winning performances. The production values are low which is evident in camera work, editing, lighting and sound but I won´t go into details and mention specific scenes as I hate spoilers.. The soundtrack is quite nice, I did like the instrumental music. The picture quality of the screener is a bit dark, during some scenes taking place at night it´s hard to see what´s happening. There is some gore but it´s mostly so dark you can hardly see anything, the fx are practical and are mostly fairly simple, standard independent stuff. A couple of kills occurs off screen. The fans of T & A will be pleased that there is nudity in this film.
The screener I got is swedish language only.
Rating: 0½ out of 7. I know I might seem harsh, but the technical aspects and the acting are hard to ignore. Blodspår is made on a microbudget, it took several years to complete it so you have to admire their ambition and willpower and new contributions to the swedish horror genre are always welcome and should be encouraged.

/JL

Review: Rise of the Animals (2011)



In a world where animals have turned on humanity, a teen travels across the country in search of the girl of his dreams. Rise of the Animals is written and directed by Chris Wojcik. The acting is mediocre, it isn´t good but it´s isn´t too bad either (I´ve seen far worse).. The camerawork and editing is pretty decent, the pacing is quite good considering that the running time is just over 60 minutes, the end credits lasts almost 10 minutes.... The film is labeled comedy, horror and adventure but it´s first and foremost a comedy with quite a few scenes that made me smile.  Are there anything for the gorehounds? Well yes there is some gore... cheap gore and mostly it´s limited to big splashes of blood, there is quite a bit of really bad CGI and when I say bad I mean bad... And then there are the puppet effects, I´ll be honest I loved the puppets which often consist of using stuffed animals that you can buy in a toyshop, it all looks totally hilarous or ridiculous depending on your viewpoint.
This review is based upon a password protected online screener provided to me by Midnight Releasing/Brain Damage Films.

Rating: 3½ out of 7. Rise of the Animals is hilariously fun and in my opinion it has a certain charm but I´m sure that most viewers who isn´t fans of low budget productions will wonder "wtf is this?"

/JL

Monday 9 April 2012

DVD review: The Sleeper (2012)


It's 1981 and the girls of Alpha Gamma Theta sorority are having a party. Amy (Brittany Belland), sick of living in the dorms, invites her roommate Ava (Ali Ferda) to attend the party with her in hopes that they'll both become Thetas. As the girls arrive, so does an uninvited guest watching them in the shadows. Amy's choice quickly becomes a nightmare as the Theta girls begin to disappear one by one. Announcing his victims, the killer calls the house whispering the next to die. The police hunt for the missing girls and the killer, but will they find him in time? Or will all the girls sleep for good? The Sleeper is written and directed by Justin Russell and it is an homage to the classic slasher films of the 1980s which means that you can expect the common clichés. It´s a very good looking film, professionally shot and edited, the pacing is excellent and I love the soundtrack. Decent acting and there is a lot, and I do mean a lot, of cute girls and a little bit of nudity courtesy of Riana Ballo who is smoking hot!! But beside Riana´s scene there is no nudity which seems a bit odd as the slashers from the 1980s usually feaured gratious nudity.
The killing scenes are pretty effective and are quite gory but it´s not a gorefest, it´s all practical fx but looks a bit amateurish.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Gamma Knife Films.
Rating: 6½ out of 7. Justin Russell set out to make an homage to the classic slasher films of the 1980s and he succeeded so check it out. The Sleeper is highly recommended to fans of slasher flicks! I´m looking forward to see what the Justin Russell will offer in the future.

/JL

DVD review: Sloppy the Psychotic (2012)


First I´d like to thank Mike O´Mahony for sending me a screener of his latest film.
Meet Mike (Mike O´Mahony), A man whose only goal in life was to bring joy to children... As "Sloppy the Clown". After a cruel twist of fate finds him without his beloved job he goes into business for himself. After a bout of bad luck Mike spirals completely out of control. Witness a good man go bad, then totally mad in... Sloppy the Psychotic. Sloppy the Psychotic is writtten and directed by Mike O´Mahony. He also stars in the film, handles cinematography, produced, shot and designed the special effects. The acting is decent and Mike O´Mahony is surprisingly good as the recovering alcoholic who is pushed over the edge and responds in a very very violent manner. The mix of humor and horror is a hard to pull off and many have failed but Sloppy the Psychotic is succesful doing it. Now this ain´t no comedy but there are a moments of humor in it and it´s quite clear that Mike O´Mahony intention is to provoke the viewer but I won´t give anything away. The camera work and editing is pretty good as is the soundtrack and the pacing of the is good. There is a bit of nudity on display and there is gore, while this ain´t no gorefest but it certainly delivers the goodies. The make-up fx are mostly practical and are pretty decent considering the low budget.
This review is based upon a DVD-screener provided by the director.
Rating: 6 out of 7. Sloppy the Psychotic isn´t without flaws but it´s a very nice effort and the film proves yet again that clowns are scary. I look forward to the next movie by Maniac Films.

/JL

DVD review: Garden of Love (Video 2003)


On Christmas eve a hippie collective gets massacred. The only survivor is a young girl Rebecca who fall into a coma and wake up two years later with the trauma deeply buried in her subconscious. Many years later, Rebecca (Natacza Boon) lives a wonderful life in a perfect relationship - until she starts being plagued by horrific visions. When she discovers the truth about her past she goes back to his childhood home in hopes of getting rid of the hallucinations, but instead it will be right there that the real horror begins ... Garden of Love is written by Thomas Reitmair and Olaf Ittembach who also is the director and responsible for the design of make-up gore fx. In attempt to reach a wider internaional market the mostly German actors try to speak & act in English, the acting is decent, it´s professionally shot and edited (there is no quick editing or shaky cam) and the soundtrack is good. The pacing is pretty slow, there is more focus on plot and characters compared to Ittenbach´s earlier films. There is a lot of blood, gore and excessive violence. The gory set-pieces are impressive and provides further evidence that Olaf Ittenbach is the current king of make-up gore fx. We get slashed throats, decapitations, exploding heads, disembowellments, gory shotgun wounds and much more. The make-up gore fx are amazing and once again Olaf Ittenbach proves his craftmanship and no horrible computer gendered effects in sight.
This review is based upon the region 2 release from Njuta Films, it´s uncut and has swedish, danish, norwegian and finnish subtitles. Garden of Love is also known under the title The Haunting of Rebecca Verlaine in the US.
Rating: 5½ out of 7. The highlight of film is the gore and there is a lot of it. Garden of Love is fairly entertaining  and well worth viewing if you are a gorehound.


/JL