Here’s a sneak-peek at some of the reviews I will be posting over the next couple of weeks:

Movie Review – Bio-Slime
From the director of Blood Gnome and Magus comes Bio-Slime. A strange creature is released and spreads throughout a building, trapping all of its occupants.

Movie Review – Scream 4
Directed by suspense master and director of the first trilogy, Wes Craven, Scream 4 is the newest installment in the acclaimed franchise that ushered in a new wave of horror in the 1990s.

TV Series Review – Camelot, season 1
A Starz Original series, Camelot gives us the tale of King Arthur like it’s never been shown before. Young Arthur must unite his new kingdom that is broken by war and steeped in deception.

Documentary Review – Dracula: The Vampire and the Voivode
The first documentary to ever reveal the true story of Bram Stoker and his legendary novel.

Movie Review – Evil Bong 3: The Wrath of Bong
From the folks at Full Moon, Evil Bong 3 brings back the Dudes in a trippy, galactic stoner-horror-comedy.

Movie Review – Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver
This installment of the franchise has the Gingerdead Man traveling back in time to the 70s, where he slaughters the contestants of a roller boogie contest.

TV Series Review – The Walking Dead, season 1 Special Edition
The walking dead are back…and this time, with a load of special features.

TV Series Review – Spartacus: Gods of the Arena
The second season of the Spartacus series is actually a prequel to the highly praised Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

Stay tuned!

MSB

Lunopolis
Directed by Matthew Avant
Courtesy of Walking Shadows
Release Date: 10/11/2011

WOW…I have to start off this review by raving for a moment about LUNOPOLIS. This movie blew me away. It is extremely original and sharply inventive, a thrilling, riveting ride into conspiracy. I can see now why it has won so many awards at so many different film festivals (Best Director, Best Sci-Fi Screenplay, Best Feature, etc.).

If you have never heard of LUNOPOLIS, it is an exciting debut from writer/director Matthew Avant. Here is the plot synopsis, courtesy of imdb.com:

Through a late night conspiracy broadcast, a frantic caller claims human beings from the future are living on the moon, controlling our every action. His call is cut short, but when a box of unusual materials arrives at the radio station several days later, filmmakers Matt and Sonny become involved and pursue the story, following the lead and chasing a set of hidden coordinates deep into Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin. An enormous and dark underground facility reveals there may be more truth to the caller’s story than believed, and quickly entangles the filmmakers in uncovering a history that was meant to be long forgotten. They narrowly escape with one unusual artifact, but soon find themselves in a threatening encounter with the bizarre and reclusive Church of Lunology, an organization very dedicated to keeping their mysterious secrets, and silencing anyone who stands in their way…

This is one of the most original films I have seen this year. Now…I know that the plot might sound a bit far-fetched; I would by lying if I said it didn’t to me when I initially read about it. BUT…the execution of the film is excellent and makes the premise completely believable. You MUST watch this film to appreciate it.

LUNOPOLIS is classified in the ‘found footage’ category but it’s not just filmed in a first-person POV storyline. This is more of a fictional documentary about what these guys found. There is a narrator who describes how he came by this footage and then gives us details throughout; there are also numerous interviews with professors and scholars who help divulge storyline ingredients. The result is a masterful blend of suspenseful storytelling that will leave you on edge, right up to the very end.

The acting is first rate and the special effects are fantastic. I cannot say a single negative about this movie, other than I wish I had it on Blu-ray instead of DVD (I’m not sure if this is getting a Blu-ray release, but I hope it is). This film will appeal to fans of science-fiction, fantasy, thrillers, and just about everyone.

LUNOPOLIS is a taut, well executed first film that deserves every award it has garnered. CHECK THIS FILM OUT FOR SURE, as soon as it hits store shelves! You will definitely want to discuss this one with someone afterwards, so make sure your friends get a copy for themselves, too.

MSB

Subspecies
Directed by Ted Nicolaou
Courtesy of Full Moon Features
Released: 1991 (recently released on Blu-ray)

I recently had the pleasure of watching a movie that I have seen on rental store shelves for two decades but just never have picked up.  The film is SUBSPECIES and it is a member of the Full Moon Features family.

As it is several years old, there’s a good chance you haven’t heard of this one.  Here is the plot synopsis in case you haven’t:

As ancient Transylvania struggles into modern times, old myths and superstitions blur with reality. Two American students, Michelle and Lillian, join their Russian friends Mara in the Carpathian Mountains to study the legends of vampires. While the three innocents explore the mysterious village culture and rituals, a suppressed evil rises again and casts its shadow upon the land. Unknowingly snared in a centuries-old family feud, the girls fall into the clutches of the Radu, a diabolical vampire prince whose madness and bloodlust know no bounds.

I’m really sorry I have missed out on this one for all of these years.  SUBSPECIES is a good, solid romp into vampire territory.  With the current genre overly saturated with romance and lighthearted tones, it’s nice to see a movie that keeps vampirism as primal and ruthless as it used to be.

The special effects in SUBSPECIES will not impress too much, given the abundance and ease of CG these days, but they are pretty impressive for their time.  There’s quite a bit of stop motion used for the subspecies creatures that Radu creates by breaking off his fingers, but it looks pretty clean and smooth for the most part.

The film is shot well and looks excellent, with plenty of dark, gothic overtones. Anders Hove does a stunning job as the vampire Radu and relentlessly embraces the role; his raspy, breathy voice sounds perfectly eerie amidst the ruins of the ancient village.

As for gore, there’s simply not much of it. I personally would have liked to have seen a throat torn out or someone’s head ripped clean off of their body…but sadly, the gore is very slight. Thankfully, the film makes up for this with an overall air of intensity that permeates everything.

SUBSPECIES, while a bit dated, is still an excellent foray into the vampire mythology, and one you should definitely add to your collection.

To check out this and other Full Moon Features films, click here to visit their website.

MSB

Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2
Directed by Robert Hall
Courtesy of Image Entertainment
Release Date: September 20, 2011

Man, I absolutely love it when a film can take a whole genre up a notch!  For Fantasy, it was the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  For Science-fiction, it was The Matrix and then Inception.  For Horror, there have been many ground breaking films:  Blair Witch introduced us to first-person; Paranormal Activity gave us scares without really knowing what was scaring us; and now CHROMESKULL: LAID TO REST 2 shows us that sequels can definitely outdo the original!

If you are not familiar with the Chromeskull series, they focus on a serial killer who is well-financed, well-versed in the human body (and how to torture it), and beyond insane.  Here is the complete plot synopsis of CHROMESKULL: LAID TO REST 2 courtesy of the Blu-ray cover:

The maniac in the metal mask returns–and this time he’s not alone! After his gruesome encounter with the girl with no name, Chromeskull has to rely on his assistant Preston to take care of business. With a growing taste for bloodlust, Preston slashes his way from one gory mess to another. Not be outdone, Chromeskull resurges with a massacre of his own that is nothing short of jaw-dropping insanity.

The first aspect of this film that I must comment on is the exceptional gore.  The special effects for this film are staggeringly realistic and they are used quite frequently. Gore-hounds will get more than their fill with this film.  Chromeskull uses a wide variety of methods to off his victims and we get to see all of the results!

This is in part to writer/director Robert Hall, who is also an expert special effects make-up artist. Hall does a stupendous job with the effects and dishes them out with a vengeance. I can honestly say the gore in this movie is almost unparalleled.

Secondly, the acting in CHROMESKULL is excellent as well. Not only are the victims likable but you actually feel bad for some them when they die…but not very much.  Ha!  Seriously though, even Nick Principe himself does a great job of acting from behind the mask.  His towering presence is enough to scare the wits out of even the most hardened horror fan. Think Jason…times ten.

And there’s plenty of suspense to keep you glued to your seat as well.  The first LAID TO REST did a great job of keeping your attention, but this film sucks you in and cuts off you air supply with terror!

If I were forced to find a negative about this film, it would have to be the lack of explanation about Chromeskull’s “companions”. We are given enough facts to assume he is making a business out of killing…but that’s all we get. We are led to believe there will be a sequel (there damn well better be!), so hopefully all of that will be explained.

Otherwise, CHROMESKULL is a very tight movie. The film is shot very well, the pacing is fast and intense, and the gore flows freely.  It even has an excellent metal soundtrack.

If I used a rating system, I would have to give this film a 10 out of 10.  Add CHROMESKULL: LAID TO REST 2 to your collection immediately after it hits the shelves next week.  Be sure and check it out on Blu-ray, too, so you can see the carnage in crystal clarity!

MSB

Priest
Directed by Scott Charles Stewart
Courtesy of Screen Gems
Released: May 13, 2011

I love movies and books that take existing genres and storylines and change them up drastically. Let me explain here: I guess I should say I really enjoy it when someone has enough of an imagination to put a new spin on an old favorite. In the case of PRIEST, the ‘favorite’ is the vampire mythos.

Sure, this movie is based on a long-running graphic novel series of the same name. But (to my knowledge), this is the first attempt at a big-screen adaptation of it. And although PRIEST garnered mediocre reviews by other critics, I was quite entertained.

If you are not familiar with the plot, here is the synopsis courtesy of Screen Gems:

PRIEST, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller, is set in an alternate world — one ravaged by centuries of war between man and vampires. The story revolves around a legendary Warrior Priest from the last Vampire War who now lives in obscurity among the other downtrodden human inhabitants in walled-in dystopian cities ruled by the Church. When his niece is abducted by a murderous pack of vampires, Priest breaks his sacred vows to venture out on a quest to find her before they turn her into one of them. He is joined on his crusade by his niece’s boyfriend, a trigger-fingered young wasteland sheriff, and a former Warrior Priestess who possesses otherworldly fighting skills.

Ok…first of all, you have to understand that PRIEST takes some liberties with human history (i.e. it changes the whole history of humanity quite a bit). So, as mentioned above, this is set in an alternate universe. Some people may be thrown off by this. It doesn’t really matter though, because you are yanked into the story rather quickly after a short intro. This is not a bad thing because you drawn into the plot immediately, rather than have to sit through an hour of backstory.

Once you look past the rewriting of human history, it is easy to immerse yourself within the film. The pacing is quick but easily followable, the acting is acceptable for an action film of this caliber, and the special effects are golden (although…once again, I have to voice my dislike of strictly CG creatures…that works in some cases, but Hollywood needs to get back to its latex roots!).

The action in PRIEST is fun, but not nearly as Matrix-esque as I was picturing it should be. When the Warrior Priests are described, you would think they could roundhouse kick a skyscraper down in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, they are tamed down quite a bit instead. Still, the fight scenes, while not overly inventive, are tight and look good. I do wish we could have seen more of them, though.

Even though the film is fun, it is slightly lacking. I think the 87 minute runtime should have been at least 2 hours instead. Now, I know I just said that the lack of backstory is fine, and it is…but lengthening the movie might have given it more substance. By that, I mean the plot itself is fine but a little thin in areas. Also, there is a tremendous lack of gore or suspense for that matter. I realize the theater-release was PG-13, but I watched the Unrated Blu-ray version and was expecting more. A lot more.

Still, I am recommending PRIEST as a guilty-pleasure film, one of those that you actually liked but aren’t necessarily willing to admit it to everyone. I am going to finalize by commentary by stating this might be one of those that you have to watch for yourself and decide.

MSB

You’re never going to believe this, but I just got notice from a major distribution company that FRANKENHOOKER is going to be released on Blu-ray in a couple of months!! How cool is that?

What?? You’ve never heard of FRANKENHOOKER? Are you kidding me? If not, here is the plot synopsis courtesy of the press release:

When Jeffrey Franken’s fiancee is chopped to pieces by the blades of a remote-controlled lawnmower, he uses his dubious medical knowledge to try to bring her back to life. He reassembles his beloved Elizabeth using the body parts of New York City’s finest prostitutes, and resurrects her during a heavy lightning storm. Unfortunately for Jeffrey, his dear Elizabeth’s brain is scrambled and she runs amok on 42nd Street, turning tricks and bringing high-voltage death to her customers! Synapse Films is proud to present the uncut version of FRANKENHOOKER in an all-new 2K high-definition transfer created from original vault materials and digitally re-mastered 5.1 surround sound!

I would like to say that I’ve seen this flick, but honestly, I have not. I DO remember seeing the VHS cover in the video stores, though…it had a nifty push-button cover that would shout out “Want a date?” when you touched it. Hilarious. Anyway, I plan on requesting a screener for this one and will eagerly review it soon! Hope you can wait…I know I can’t!!!

Your thoughts?

MSB

Here is your question:

Which is scarier: The Tooth Fairy or Santa Clause

The Tooth Fairy sneaks into your room while you’re asleep, takes your teeth, and leaves you money. I don’t know about you, but some grizzled old hag standing over me while I’m asleep really weirds me out.

Santa Clause, on the other hand, sneaks into your house while you’re asleep and leaves you presents. Again…a high weariness factor…especially because we don’t know what else he does while we’re not conscious!!

Let’s discuss…

MSB

Bereavement
Directed by Steven Mena
Courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment
Release Date: August 30, 2011

You know those movies that blew you away when you weren’t expecting it? You know the ones I’m talking about…the movies that you expected to suck or be even ho-hum, but after you got done watching them, you were impressed beyond belief. Everyone has at least one or two titles that pops into your head when asked a question like this.

BEREAVEMENT is one of those films for me. I wasn’t sure what to expect before I watched it, especially since I just watched its predecessor MALEVOLENCE earlier this week. The first film was good, although it wasn’t one of my favorites. But BEREAVEMENT raised the bar and then some.

In case you’re not familiar with BEREAVEMENT, here is the plot synopsis courtesy of the Anchor Bay website:

In 1989, a 6-year-old boy is lured into the vehicle of a stranger. The stranger is a serial killer with a tendency of butchering teenage girls. In the basement of a rural Pennsylvania slaughterhouse, he will teach the boy everything he knows. Five years later, teen Allison (Alexandria Daddario of Hall Pass) comes to live with her uncle (Michael Biehn of The Terminator) following her parents’ death. In time, she will discover the boy and his madman mentor. And they will all be plunged into an unimaginable evil from which there may be no escape. Nolan Gerard Funk (Deadgirl), Brett Rickaby (The Crazies), Valentina de Angelis (“Gossip Girl”) and John Savage (The Deer Hunter) co-star in this graphic and acclaimed shocker from writer/director Stevan Mena about family, torment, and the nightmare absolution that is BEREAVEMENT.

Man, I love this movie. It is shot well and the acting is superb. But aside from that, the suspense is excellent and intense. Writer/director Steven Mena does an amazing job of building the story as well as throwing in plenty of “startle” points for the audience to jump. And jump I did…several times, in fact.

I have to admit, though: I was biased towards BEREAVEMENT before I even started watching it. Why? Well, Michael Biehn is one of my favorite actors, so I was pretty sure I was going to like the film regardless. And Biehn once again does not disappoint. He does an excellent job of playing a protective uncle.

But the Gold Star for acting probably goes to Brett Rickaby, who portrays the psychopathic Graham Sutter. Rickaby does an outstanding job in his portrayal and brings horrifying life to a man obsessed with horned tormenters and unseen demons. Rickaby’s chilling performs is a large part of what makes this movie so terrifying.

The gore is excellent as well, with many cringe-worthy scenes that will leave you with nightmares. One especially brutal display occurs when Sutter impales a young girl with a meat hook…through the thigh. He then hoists her up on the hook, using a rope. The special effects for this scene are amazing and just about made me look away. Just about…but not quite.

If I were asked to find a downside for BEREAVEMENT, I don’t think I could. The film is perfect in just about every aspect, right up to the shocking ending.

I recommend this film whole-heartedly and am going so far as to say you should add it to your collection immediately (it came out earlier this week, so you’re in luck!). Check it out soon, for sure.

MSB

…which is why I have not made a post. I think I’m on the mend and will resume posting tomorrow (Friday) or Saturday at the latest.

Thanks for your understanding.

MSB