Friday 29 June 2012

Review: Toxin (2012)



First I´d like to thank L. Jeffrey Moore for providing me with a screener of his latest short film. The less known about the plot the better as it´s success depends on different twists and turns but I´ll tell you that it is a fast paced martial arts short film with a bit of humour as our hero Charlie (Robert D. Parham) fights to reach his objective before his time is up . Toxin is written and directed by Joshua A. Siegel and L. Jeffrey Moore. The camerawork and editing is pretty good and the acting is decent but this film is about action and the action is good. No T & A in this one. There is a little bit of gore, it´s mainly computer gendered, but this short film isn´t about the gore it´s more about fighting and martial arts and in that department it delievers. The fight choreography is pretty good, the fightsequences have more of a "punch" than in the filmmakers previous effort Buster Jones.
This review is based upon a passwordprotected online screener provided by the director.
Rating: 5½ out of 7 I liked Toxin, it´s fast paced and entertaining. Yeah it has obvious influences from other and bigger budgeted films but that is not a negative thing in my opinion, for the sake of keeping the review free from spoilers I´ll won´t go into detais but I´m sure many of you will recognize them.

/JL

Thursday 28 June 2012

DVD review: The Turnpike Killer (2012)


First I´d like to thank Nik Taneris for sending me a copy of the Limited Edition Retro 80s Boxset.
In a city that never sleeps, a killer prowls the streets at night. Over a span of ten years the butchered remains of New York City women have been found dumped along the New Jersey Turnpike. The sadistic fiend behind these horrid murders has been coined "The Turnpike Killer" (Bill McLaughlin).  His search for the "chosen one" has left a seemingly endless trail of bloodshed and brutality. Keep of the streets at night, stay out of the tunnels and avoid the bridges. You cannot escape him when all roads lead to death. The Turnpike Killer is written and directed by Evan Makrogiannis and Brian Weaver. Most horror fans will notice that it´s reminicent of William Lustig´s classic Maniac, (a major source of inspiration to the film makers?) but in my opinion that is not something negative as that movie is one of the best and nastiest serial killer flicks of all time. The acting is pretty good, Bill McLaughlin gives a truy frightening performance as a character who can appear quite normal and then turn into a killler without remorse in the blink of an eye. The film has a dark, gritty feeling about it, and if you´re into that Hollywood glamorous sh*t with polished serial killers you´re in for a bit of a shock. The Turnpike Killer is dark, it´s gritty and it only add to it´s strength that is was shot on location. The camerawork and editing is decent and the soundtrack is excellent! It´s very violent and there is gore, practical make-up fx, and there is a couple of effects that look very good. But a lot of the truly potentialy gory stuff occurs off screen so it isn´t a gorefest or as graphic that I was expecting. There is quite a bit of T & A including a pretty long shower scene...
This review is based upon the Limited Edition Retro 80s Boxset which you can order from the official website http://www.turnpikekiller.com/retroboxset.html . Please note that if you order through the website you receive the flick uncut on VHS and also included is a limited edition DVD featuring uncensored cover art.
Rating: 5½ out of 7. The Turnpike Killer is a dark, dirty and gritty film that will not appeal to all viewers but I liked it. Sure it has some flaws but I like the low budget nastiness where there is no remorse and the killer is truly frightening. Especially recommended to fans of William Lustig´s Maniac 

/JL

Sunday 24 June 2012

DVD review: Dead Hunt (Video 2007)


Ten horror movie reviewers are invited to a party by the host of the HorrorDVDzone website. The party is in full swing when the power and the lights abruptly go out. A mysterious, black-hooded figure has cut the main wiring. The party´s over. After the host goes to check the circiut breaker, the guests are  shocked when they find one of their fellow reviewers dispatched in a grisly fashion. Panic sets in after another reviewer is found killed in a sadistic manner. Cryptic notes left with the bodies hold the only clue to the reason for the psychopath´s rampage. The terrified group try to evacuate the building, only to find that they can´t -  all the doors have been electrified. realizing they are trapped in a dark, foreboding warehouse with a madman, the survivors look for another way . Their search leads them to the creepy older section of the building, where danger and death lurk in every shadow. Can they find another way out? Can they hide from the demented killer? Or are they all destined to become targets of the Dead Hunt? Dead Hunt is written by Eric Martin Strauss, it´s directed by Joe Ripple and Don Dohler. The acting is pretty bad but this being a low budget slasher you shouldn´t have too high expectations, the camerawork and editing is decent and the soundtrack is pretty good. There are both intentional and unintentional comedic moments in Dead Hunt due to bad acting and it´s limited budget. There are gore and one or two of the kills are quite brutal. There is mainly practical gore-make-up fx + and a computer gendered fire when a character is being burned to death but many of the kills actually occur off-screen. No T & A but the girls in this film are real easy to look at and we do get to see Collen Turner in her underwear and it´s a pretty nice sight...
This review is based opn the region 1 DVD release from Timewarp Films.
Rating: 2½ out of 7. Dead Hunt is a pretty decent slasher but it has some flaws. Recommended to slasher fans even though it doesn´t bring anything new to the table


/JL

DVD review: Witches' Night (2007)


Halloween weekend. A humiliated Jim (Gil McKinney) is left standing at the altar, so his friends whisk him away to the middle of nowhere. Enough beer makes a spur-of-the moment canoe trip seem like a good idea--and they can't believe their luck--they meet four hot women tending a bonfire on the banks of a wild river. But their excitement turns to dread when they realize the women have deadly plans for them. It's a race for survival as Jim tries to save his friends from being turned into grisly human sacrifices on Witches' Night. Boys will be boys, and girls will be hideous Satanic murderers in Witches' Night. Witches' Night  is written and directed by Paul Traynor. It has a solid cast and especially the male character Jim and his friends feel genuine. The four witches, it ain´t a spoiler, Eva (Lauren Ryland),  Valerie (Elisabeth Oas), June (Meghan Jones) and Gretchen (Stephanie Cantu) are also good and sinister and it doesn´t hurt that Stephanie Cantu is freaking gorgeous (but has way too little screen time). It´s professionally shot and edited and the soundtrack is good. The pacing is pretty slow and akin to the horror classics of the 70's. There are some nice creepy atmosphere.  There are some T & A, Elisabeth Oas provides some brief topless nudity. There is little gore or I might say a almost complete lack of gore. It isn´t a must for me, even if I am a gorehound, but it´s nice and when you´re making an R-rated horror movie you shouldn´t be afraid to show some blood and guts. But the gore that is on screen looks good, it´s practical make-up fx.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Hay Moon Pictures.
For more information visit the official website http://www.witchesnight.com/ .
Rating: 6½  out of 7. I liked it! Witches' Night is very well made and very enjoyable. I´m so close to give this flick 7 out of 7 but in my opinon it needs some gore and a little bit more nudity and I ain´t saying that just because I wanted to see more of the stunningly beautiful Stephanie Cantu. Overall, a entertaining ride and one I genuinely enjoyed. I have no hesitation in recommending Witches' Night .

/JL

Saturday 23 June 2012

DVD review: Broken (2005)


A gun blast, a flash of light, and a young woman awakens to the comfort of her own bed. Bonnie Clayton (Samantha Jane Polay) has it all, a great relationship, a challenging career, and the burden of a dream that grows more vivid and disturbing with each passing night. But when Bonnie is abducted by a sadistic stranger and his colorful entourage, she discovers that the key to her survival lies within the familiar realms of her recurring dream. Break is written by Jorge F. Rodriguez and Alex Ferrari who also is the director. The camerawork and editing pretty good, the acting is okay and the soundtrack is good. That the filmmakers are inspired by the movie Matrix comes as no surprise. There are some gore, mostly in the form of squibs. There is some use of computers to create muzzle flashes for airsoft weapons that they use. No T & A in this.
This review is based on region 1 DVD released by The Enigma Factory, Inc.
for more information visit the official website http://www.whatisbroken.com/ .
Rating: 2 out of 7. Disappointing short film, uninteresting asit feels like I´ve seen it before and it´s even a bit boring despite a running time of just 19 minutes but it has pretty good production values.

/JL

DVD review: Hell on the Battleground (1989)


The two U.S. Army Sgt Casey (Fritz Matthews) and Lance (Ted Prior) have been proven many times in Vietnam. Sent out with very young recruits on patrol, they come unexpectedly into an ambush. Against numerically superior Russian special forces they are drawn into a desperate fight to the last round, in which there is only one survivor. Hell on the Battleground is written and directed by David A. Prior. Miserably bad acting, despite the fact that it has a short running time it´s feels way too overlong. There is many unintentionally funny moments but the film is so tedious that it´s hard to laugh about it. The camerawork and editing is decent. The soundtrack is for the most part just wrong, plain wrong. Despite lots of firefights there isn´t an ounce of excitement to be found as the actionsequences are so inept and repetitive that it´s almost a physical pain to watch them. This film might actually feature some of the most pathetic explosions in cinematic history. I´d like to point out that this is probably the only Vietnam war flick that doesn´t feature any vietnamese (NVA,Viet Cong or civilians), the enemy consists of russians. The set looks nothing like Vietnam, the uniforms and the weapons used are wrong, just plain wrong. And for some reason, god knows why, Lance and Casey's wives ( Alyson Davis and Ingrid Vold) are along with them, encamped on the battlefield but Alyson Davis is good looking and provide some eye candy. There is violence, mostly repetetive and overlong shootouts. There is almost no gore, we get a few squibs and that´s it but this is due to the german censors. There is a little bit of T & A, Ingrid Vold gives us some topless nudity and there is even a sex scene but you don´t see very much.
This review is based upon the german region 2 DVD release from KNM Home Entertainment GmbH, english audiotrack is available. I´m convinced that it´s cut (evidenced by some really weird editing now and then) but this is the only DVD release of this film.
Rating: 0½ out of 7. Hell on the Battleground is a very stupid, boring and inept war movie. Perhaps it would have been a little bit better if I have had the opportunity to review a uncut release but I seriously doubt it. Don´t waste your money or your time on this...

/JL



Friday 22 June 2012

Review: Hell Week (2011)


First I´d like to thank Patrick Rea yet again for suggesting that I´d take a look at his earlier short films. It’s hell week for the pledges of the Alpha Fraternity. A fraternity bet leads Luke (Jerod Meagher) to more than he bargained for. Tied to a chair in the sorority house of Delta Delta Pi, Luke comes face-to-face with Aubrey (Molly Anderson ), Mitzi (Meg Saricks) and Marla (Tasha Smith), three vengeful young women he bet he could have sex with to avoid the obligatory hell week hazing. Hell Week is written by Michelle Davidsson and is directed by Patrick Rea. Hell Week features a strong cast, it´s professionally shot and edited and has excellent soundtrack. The topic is something that could very well be happening right now..
No gore, no T & A in this short film.
This review is based upon a online source provided by Patrick Rea.
Rating: 6 out of 7. Patrick Rea and SenoReality Pictures keeps delivering and maintain a very high standard. I look forward to see more from them!

/JL

DVD review: Dear God No (2011)


Outlaw motorcycle gang The Impalers tri-state rape and murder spree ended in a bloody massacre with rival club Satan's Own. The surviving members sought refuge in a secluded cabin deep in the North Georgia mountains. What first must of seemed like easy prey for a home invasion, became a living nightmare of depravity and violence. A young innocent girl being held captive may hold the key to the twisted secrets locked in the basement and the killing machine feasting on human flesh in the forest outside. Dear God No! is written and directed by James Bickert. It´s quite obvious that it´s made on a shoestring budget, the camera work and editing is good and the soundtrack is nice. Although I wasn´t expecting any Oscarwinning performances the acting is pretty decent for the most part, I did like Jett Bryant as Jett (the leader The Impalers) he looks the part, is 'bad-ass' and steals this show. We get a couple of memorable one liners, for instance we get this beauty: "It's almost dark, I'm sober and I haven't gotten to kill anyone today!" I´m very thankful that they don't overuse fake film scratches and bad cuts as many of the new wave grindhouse flicks do. Its fast paced, you get outlaw bikers, shootouts, sleaze, gore and Bigfoot. There is a lot of graphic violence and gore, they use practical make-up fx, with a couple over the top scenes as the film tries too shock and awe the viewer but being a seasoned gorehound and perhaps a bit jaded it didn´t do that much for me. There is plenty of T & A, it consists mostly female topless nudity, and there are a couple of scenes of sexual violence including a lesbian incestual rape and I think this is where the film manages to be offensive to the faint hearted viewers out there.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Big World Pictures.
Rating: 6 out of 7. It´s easily one of the best in the new wave grindhouse flicks that has come the last few years (Machete, Hobo With a Shotgun and so on) and does it on a fraction of what those films cost to make. It´s brutal, sleazy, mean spirited and very entertaining. Check it out!

/JL








DVD review: Where the Dead Go to Die (2012)


Where the Dead Go to Die revolves around a troubled group of children living on the same block. they are haunted by a talking dog named Labby who brings them on surreal hell-rides between different dimensions and time periods. On the night of a lunar eclipse he informs Tommy (Joshua Michael Greene) about the devil fetus living inside his mother. The same night he attempts to help Ralph (Joey Smack) court the girl across the street, who is an unwilling participant in her father´s child porn trading ring, Add in a memory stealing junkie living inside an abandoned church and you have 90 minutes of pure mind melting insanity. I could give you more detailed description of the plot but if you are interested in this it´s better to go in knowing as little as possible about it. Where the Dead Go to Die is written and directed by Jimmy ScreamerClauz and uses a experimental and surreal style of animation which will not apppeal to everyone but I liked it. The film has a nonlinear structure, I didn´t like the voice over for Tommy, it just sounds fake and is pretty annoying but otherwise the voice-overs are good. There is a tense, creepy and unsettling atmosphere throughout the film. This film literally takes you into the abyss. It´s grotesque and totally unhinged imagery brings on nudity, sex, bestiality, necrophilia as well as an abundance of very graphic violence and gore. This is not faint-hearted!
This review is based upon region free DVD release from Unearthed Films.
Rating: 7 out of 7. What the fuck did I just watch? That was my first thought when this flick had ended. Where the Dead Go to Die gets my highest recommendations. This film is not for everyone, it´s extremely disturbing and definitely not for the faint-hearted! I´m convinced that many will find Where the Dead Go to Die downright offensive as it´s dark, depraved and horrific. It pushes the limits and crosses several taboos. If this had been live action it would have caused a lot of controversy and I can imagine it wouldn’t pass the censors in a number of countries and quite possibly risk legal actions. Check it out but don't say I didn't warn you.

/JL

Thursday 21 June 2012

DVD review: Deadly Prey (1987)


A group of sadistic mercenaries kidnap people off the streets and set them loose on the grounds of their secret camp, so the "students" at the camp can learn how to track down and kill their prey. But one day they kidnapped the wrong guy, Michael Danton (Ted Prior), and now they will have to pay, WITH THEIR OWN LIVES... Deadly Prey is written and directed David A. Prior. We get seriously bad acting, some decent camerawork and editing. We get a lot of ineptly staged actionsequences, most of the dialogue is just hilarious and there are many plot holes. But Deadly Prey is brutal non stop action and very entertaining despite it short comings. We get a high body count and one or two of the kills that could be be regarded as classic cinematic moments, the definitive highlight being the scene where Danton cuts off a guys arm and beats him to death with it and after that he carves of the guys scalp (sounds far more graphic than it is). There is gore, badly made practical make-up fx and the special effects (explosions) are just pathetic.. No T & A despite a rapescene but you get to see Danton´s girlfriend/wife Jaimy (Suzanne Tara) run around in her lingeré.
This review is based upon a product manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media bought from Amazon.com. Not sure if it´s a legit release or not. It´s region free.
Rating: 3½ out of 7. This is so bad that it is good, it´s one of those movies that´s craptastic. In my opinion it´s probably one of the worst action movies ever made. It´s silly, ridiculous, hilarious and it helps if you are, like me, a fan of the "one man army" films such as Rambo and Commando but both Rambo and Matrix are sissy heads compared to Danton.

/JL




Wednesday 20 June 2012

Review: Now That You're Dead (2009)


First I´d like to thank Patrick Rea again for suggesting that I´d take a look at his earlier work. Now That You're Dead is written and directed by Patrick Rea, it is a dark comedy about a cheating husband, his mistress and a murderous wife, with a supernatural twist. The poster is unfortunately a bit of a spoiler but there is more than one twist in this short film. Professionally shot and edited, good acting and a nice soundtrack. It has a good pacing, never gets boring, it has a good and nice atmosphere which gives chills and thrills and will put a smile on your face. Not much gore to talk about and no T & A in this.
This review is based upon a online source provided by Patrick Rea.
Rating: 6½ out of 7. Now That You´re Dead is very nice, it´s highly reminicent of the classic The Twilight Zone tv-series. Patrick Rea´s short films consistently delivers the goods, interesting plots and high production values. Patrick Rea is now one of the few directors that I associate with quality (the flipside to that coin is that I might have a bit too high expectations...


/JL

Review: Buster Jones: The Movie (2010)


First I´d like to thank Robert Parham for suggesting that I should check out a earlier effort from him and his friends while waiting for a DVD-screener of . Buster Jones: The Movie details the adventures of an African-American minor league basketball star that is also trained in the martial arts. After his cousin Bootsy is murdered by weapons dealers from Asia, Buster finds himself thrown into a turbulent battle with an organized terrorist ring. These pursuits lead Buster to the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles where he finds himself plunged into the ultimate fight to save the fate of the free world. Buster Jones: The Movie is written and directed by Dylan Hobor, it is a 5 minute shiort that feels like a long faux trailer teaser for a grindhouse/blaxploitation flick.  The camera work and editing is decent and the acting is ok. The fight choreography is pretty decent but it could also be that I´ve been spoiled rotten by watching Ara Paiaya kicking some serious ass in The Suppressor (2011) and I´m just being a bit unfair. No gore or T & A in this one.
This review is based upon a online source provided by Robert Parham

Rating: 4 out of 7. Martial arts, ninjas, basketball, a cool wardrobe and big afros whats´s not to like? =) I actually would like to see a longer short film as it now feels like a overlong teaser or a real feature film made out of this.
/JL

Tuesday 19 June 2012

Review: Next Caller (2009)


First I´d like to thank Patrick Rea again for suggesting that I´d take a look at his earlier work. Next Caller is written and directed by Patrick Rea, in it a late night radio DJ (Allan Kayser) encounters the supernatural when hosting a show on ghosts and goblins. It features a strong cast, both Alan Kayser and Jennifer Friend as the medium Amy Fowler are very good. it´s very nicely shot and edited, the atmosphere is tense and it gets creepier and creepier. It also features a nice soundtrack. No gore, no T & A in this. There a some sfx, some nice practical make-up fx but I won´t go into any details because of potential spoilers.
This review is based upon a online source provided by Patrick Rea.
Rating: 7 out of 7.Very cool, very good. Recommended viewing!

/JL

Monday 18 June 2012

Review: Do Not Disturb (2009)


First I´d like to thank Patrick Rea for suggesting that I´d take a look at his earlier work.
Do Not Disturb is a creepy tale about a mysterious man (Allen Lowman) staying in a hotel, who is visited by a unseen entity. It´s written and directed by Patrick Rea. It´s a short film with a running time of just under 15 minutes. The acting is good, Allen Lowman excellent as Phil. It´s professionally shot and edited and this combined with a very nice soundtrack gives us a nice and tense atmosphere. No gore, no T & A.
This review is based upon a online source provided by Patrick Rea.
Rating: 6½ out of 7. Once again Patrick Rea and SensoReality Pictures delievers a well made and entertaining short film. I will review more from them in the near future.

/JL

DVD review: Truth or Dare?: A Critical Madness (1986)


Meet Mike Strauber (John Brace). He plays a deadly game. He plays truth or dare with everyone... even himself! Truth or dare, a child´s game turned into a psychotic, twisted game of selfdestruction.
Truth or Dare?: A Critical Madness is written, produced and directed by Tim Ritter
The acting is amateurish and pretty bad. There is both intentional and unintentional comedy in it, there are some truly memorable dialogue. The camera work and editing is pretty decent. The film has some nice moments and has a couple of quite brutal scenes. Some viewers might be disappointed at it´s pacing, it is a bit slow at times, but I had no problem with it. It was actually quite nice to see the main characters descent into total madness, he´s for instance plauged by hallucinogenic images, which later turns into a killing spree with him using an assortment of weaponry. It´s a violent film, there is gore but this isn´t a gorefeast and the low budget practical make-up fx are ok. There is both T & A and sexual situations in this, the beautiful Mary Fanaro is topless in a couple of scenes.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Sub Rosa Studios.
Rating: 3½ out of 7.  I did enjoy Truth or Dare?: A Critical Madness, check out if you are a fan of low budget obscurities.

/JL

Sunday 17 June 2012

DVD review: Zombie Cult Massacre (1998)


Marvin and Sally are on their way to a new life when a series of bizarre accidents leads them into the path of a freakish cult. Through the use of powerful drugs, Marvin is transformed from a everyday citizen into a zealous fanatic, hell bent on leading the Zombie Cult against a though biker gang and into a dark day of suffering and bloodshed as these strange events reach their apocalyptic cimax. Zombie Cult Massacre is written and directed by Jeff Dunn. The acting is pretty bad but some of cast members are pretty decent. The camera work and editing is decent, but once or twice the editing is just plain weird.. The sound quality varies throughout the film. I do have some problems with some of the more excentric parts of the film, this isn´t just a plain zombie film as you might think but I won´t go into spoilers. Gorehounds should be pleased with this, plenty of practical gore make-up fx as people get eaten, ripped apart, shot and so on. Some of it looks good. Same thing when it comes to the living dead make-up fx design which looks good especially for a super low budget feature. There are two really good and gory high lights in the form of a scene where a woman gets her bare breast ripped off by zombies and when a group of zombies kills a pregnant woman and eats the fetus. There are  some embarrassingly bad computer gendered fx used for dream sequences. There is some topless female nudity and sexual situations in the film.
This review is based upon the region 1 DVD release from Sub Rosa Studios.
Rating: 1½ out of 7. Zombie Cult Massacre is unexpectedly original due to some excentric stuff thrown in by Jeff Dunn and it never gets boring and we get plenty of gore.  Zombie Cult Massacre is well worth checking out.

/JL

DVD review: Flesh Freaks (Video 2000)


Deep within the jungles of Central America, lost amid the crumbling Maya ruins, lies an ancient secret so strange, so horrible, that only one civilization would be dumb enough to release it ... Ours. Worm-like parasites infest the dead, returning them to gruesome half-life as rotting, bloodthirsty zombies. Freed from their jungle hell by a secret research expedition, the creatures soon find their way to modern civilization where they begin their deadly mission to transform the human race into an unstoppable army of the undead. Will the succeed in their gory quest? Will the human race be completely wiped out? Can anyone survive the blood-soaked onslaught of the FLESH FREAKS? Flesh Freaks is written and directed by Conall Pendergast. Hilarously bad acting, inept camera work and editing, a ot of jerky camera moovement and too much use of point of view shots. The soundtrack is also pretty bad.. The audio quality is also bad. Zero tension, zero atmosphere, the film feels overlong and is just plain boring. There is a little bit of gore but it´s badly made practical make-up fx and in several scenes they cut away and the screen just turns red and in a couple of scenes the carnage occurs off screen and we ony see blood splatter. The only good thing with Flesh Freaks is the make-up design for the zombies, some of them look pretty decent. No T & A at all in this one.
This review is based upon the region1 DVD release from Sub Rosa Studios

Rating: 0½ out of 7. Don´t spend your hard earned money and time on this. Flesh Freaks might be one of the worst movies I've ever seen, it´s atrociously bad and dreadfully boring. Avoid at all costs!

/JL

Friday 15 June 2012

DVD review: Sinners and Saints (2010)


New Orleans, post-Katrina. As the leader of an elite "Street Crimes" task force squad, New Orleans Detective Sean Reilly (Johnny Strong) is trying to cope with the death of his young son and the abandonment of his wife. But when a routine warrant "serve" results in an ambush and the vicious murder of his partner, this may be the last straw that finally sends Sean over the edge. Re-assigned by his mentor Captain Trahan (Tom Berenger), Sean and Det. Will Ganz (Kevin Phillips) investigate a baffling gangland homicide. As the clues stack up on the case, Sean and Will realize that Colin (Sean Patrick Flanery), one of Sean's childhood friends, and a security contractor just back from the Middle East, seems to be at the center of their horrible case. The two quickly realize there is something far more sinister going on than either could have ever imagined. As usual I don't want to spoil anything so I´ll keep the plot details to a minimum. Sinners and Saints is written Jay Moses and William Kaufman who also is the director. The acting is decent. The film is very well shot and edited and the soundtrack is good. Sinners and Saints doesn´t win any points for being original, this is a throwback to the old-school action cinema of the 80s and if you´re a fan of the genre you´ll recognize several things. Let´s just say that Lethal Weapon seems to be a big inspiration but this is devoid of the comic relief and instead gives us a ton of intense and hardhitting action. The action, especially the shootout scenes are top-notch, graphic, brutal and downright  fantastic. They are very well choreographed and the characters actually look like they know what they are doing. And we get guns and no freakin airsoft toys. There is gore in the form of juicy squibs (both practical and computer gendered) as people get shot but also when we get to see the vicims of some really nasty/sadistic torture, the gore make-up fx in those scenes are excellent. There is no T & A in this film.
This review is based upon the swedish region 2 DVD release from Cinematic Vision.
Rating: 7 out of 7. I loved Sinners and Saints, this my kind of actionflick.The action scenes are among the best stuff I've seen in a long time, it´s brutal and bloody and no PG-13 action movie crap. It´s the best action movie I've seen in long time. Don´t miss this if you are a fan of action!

/JL







Review: Get Off My Porch (2010)


First I´d like to thank Patrick Rea for suggesting that I should check out some of his short films. Neil (Brad Meehan) is a married guy lounging around on a Saturday afternoon watching college football while his wife is away when a cute little girl scout knocks on his door trying to sell a box of cookies and she won´t take no for an answer. I won´t give away more than that. Get Off My Porch is written and directed by Patrick Rea, it´s a 13 minute long short film featuring good acting, professional camera work and editing. The excellent soundtrack is composed by Harry Manfredini. There is no gore in this but you shouldn´t be expecting it. There are some practical make-up fx but I won´t go into any details as I would then spoil the fun for you, the viewer.
This review is based upon a online source uploaded by the director,
Rating: 6½ out of 7. Get Off My Porch is a nice short film that manages to be entertaining, funny and also a little bit creepy. I liked this a lot and I´m very eager to check out more from Patrick Rea.


/JL

Thursday 14 June 2012

Review: Nailbiter (2012)


First I´d like to thank the Patrick Rea for providing me with a DVD-screener. Nailbiter is written by Kendal Sinn and Patrick Rea who also is the director. Janet Maguire (Erin McGrane) and her three daughters Jennifer (Meg Saricks), Alice (Emily Boresow) and Sally (Sally Spurgeon) are on their way to meet her husband at the airport in Kansas as he´s on his way home from overseas military service despite warnings of tornado weather along their route. But all these plans get monkey wrenched when a tornado decides to touch down, in panic the family seeks shelter in the cellar of a nearby house....The acting is very good, especially the performances from Erin McGrane, Meg Saricks and Sally Spurgeon & Emily Boresow. Nailbiter looks awsome thanks to excellent camera work and editing. The soundtrack is very good.  There is little gore in it and most of the violence takes place off screen but when there is gore, practical make-up fx, it looks good. There is some CGI in the film but it´s used only for some visual fx. The creature fx design is very nice and once again it´s all practical make-up fx.
This review is based upon a DVD-screeener provided by the director of the film. For more information and trailers please visit the official webiste
http://www.nailbitermovie.com/index.php .
Rating: 7 out of 7. Nailbiter is wonderful, it´s creepy, smart and looks fantastic. It´s a must see! Highly recommended to horror fans and especially to fans of Lovecraft! Hopefully this film will get a wider distribution and everyone will be able to check this one out!

/JL

Monday 11 June 2012




Sorry about the lack of updates of the blog last week, have been working like crazy and have had trouble finding time to keep up. But now, going back to everyday life, there  is a lot of updates coming. I have both a large number of DVDs and screeners to review so stay tuned.

/JL

Wednesday 6 June 2012

Review: The Guardian (2009)


First I´d like to thank Andrea Ricca for contacting me. The Guardian is shot, edited written and directed by Andrea Ricca who also created the plentiful computered gendered fx in this two and half minute long short film which shows strong influences from Ray Harryhausen and the Indiana Jones films but it´s shot on a zero budget. The pacing is extremely high (not surprising considering the short running time). The viewer shouldn´t expect to much acting, instead this is a actionpacked fx showcase. The camerawork and editing is pretty good. The cgi rendered skeleton warrior is pretty effective. No T & A or gore in this.
This review is based upon a online source and The Guardian can be viewed here .
Remember to check out Andrea Ricca´s website for more of his short films, see link http://www.andrearicca.com/
Rating: 5 out of 7. A entertaining fantasy short and in my opinion you can´t go wrong with a warrior skeletons.  =) It would be interesting to see what Andrea Ricca could do if he had a a proper budget.


/JL

Review: UFO Race (2008)


First I´d like to thank Andrea Ricca for contacting me. UFO Race is written and directed by Andrea Ricca who also stars and and have created the computered gendered fx in this two and half minute long short film. The film consists of a long chase, this is more about visuals and fx than acting. For a zero budget film it has some nice and interesting shots and the editing is good.  No T & A or gore in this.
This review is based upon a online source and UFO Race can be viewed here .
Remember to check out Andrea Ricca´s website for more of his short films, see link http://www.andrearicca.com/
Rating: 5 out of 7. UFO Race is a joyride and I prefer this film instead of the big budget crapfeast Fast and Furious.


/JL

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Review: A Joke Of Too Much (2010)


First I´d like to thank Franceso Picone for providing me with a link to his film
Preceded by fake Trailer of "Invasion of the space worms", "A joke of too much" is a short film Grindhouse style and tells of two lovers that night with their car, secluded in the woods, on the evening in the famous pair of cutthroats Pietro Capinica escapes from prison ... A Joke Of Too Much is written & directed by Francesco Picone. Professionally shot and edited, it is looking very good but if you harbour a dislike for faux grindhouse you probably will have a problem with this as it includes "missing reels", scratches and so on. The soundtrack is great and the acting is good. This a very nice and effective slasher in the 9 minute format. There is no T & A in this mini slasher, but I´ll admit I wished it had..., but we do get some pretty nice practical gore make-up fx.
This review is based upon a online source, A Joke Of Too Much can be viewed online here . It has english subtitles and italian audio.
Rating: 7 out of 7. I liked A Joke Of Too Much, I liked it a lot! Heck I f*cking loved it, I wanted it to be a feature film! I look forward to see more from Franceso Picone!

/JL

Review: The Furfangs (Video 2010)


First of all I´d like to thank Andrea Ricca for contacting me. This five minute short film tells the story of mysterious and aggressive creatures who come from space to earth. The Furfangs is shot, edited, written and directed by Andrea Ricca who also plays the hero. There is no dialogue and above all there is never a dull moment as our hero fights the vicious creatures. No nudity or gore in this one, The creatures are computer gendered, the design reminded me of The Critters. The camera work, editing and soundtrack is all good.
This review is based upon a online source and The Furfangs can be viewed
here .
Rating: 5½ out of 7. The Furfangs is a excellent and a very entertaining little short film made on a zero budget and Andrea Ricca keeps impressing me with his creativity and talent.

/JL

Review: Spider Danger (2012)


First of all I´d like to thank Andrea Ricca for contacting me. Spider Danger is shot, edited, written and directed by Andrea Ricca, he also did the computered gendered fx and plays the main character in this 5 minutes long short. It´s fast and furious from beginning to end and it´s all  made on a zero budget. The camera work and editing is good and the soundtrack is very fitting. There are no gore or nudity, the spiders are computer gendered .There is no dialogue but the action speaks for itself.
This review is based upon a online source and Spider Danger can be viewed here .
Ratihng: 5½ out of 7. It´s a very entertaining 5 minutes. It´s quite amazing that Andrea manages to pull this off on a zero budget.  Now check out the link above and enjoy the film.


/JL

Monday 4 June 2012

DVD review: Meat Market 2 (Video 2001)


The sequel to Meat Market picks up more than a year after the events of the first movie with the few survivors, Argenta (Bettina May) , Nemesis (Alison Therriault), and others, struggling for survival against the undead in the ruins of what was once society. In their search for a safe haven they come across what appears to be the last refuge of humanity - a fortified compound run by former motivational speaker Bill Wilhelm, and his cult of heavily armed fanatics. But when Argenta is subjected to indoctrination techniques and her comrades imprisoned, she begins to suspect that deep within the compound, more is going on than a simple attempt to 'rebuild'...that Bill and his followers have more than one use for the living and the undead alike... Meat Market 2 is written and directed by Brian Clement. There are noticeable improvements in camera technique and editing, the acting is pretty bad this time also. The soundtrack is pretty good. There is penty of blood and gore, I notice improvements in regard to the practical gore make-up fx and the make-up fx design of the zombies, which are clearly influenced by the Italian living dead films. There is both female and male nudity and out of the blue we suddenly get a a couple of explicit close up shots of a man masturbating in a shower.
This review is based upon the region all DVD release from Crypt Keeper which is uncut.
Rating: 5 out of 7. Meat Market 2 feels darker and little less campy than the first film even though it retains some of the eccentricity from the first film. We get more zombies, more gore and more action and I like it! Now I´m very interested in seeing Meat Market 3 in which Brian Clement throws away the campiness and goes all out for straight horror..

/JL