Gross Movie Reviews #274

By Tim Gross

Gut (VOD) – A story of two guys named Tom and Dan: Tom has a wife and a daughter and Dan is living the single life but they have been lifelong friends. Both are horror movie fans but Tom doesn’t pay too much attention anymore to movies unless its Pixar’s latest for the kids and seems to live a rather dull life. Dan’s annoyed by this and tries to get Tom just too even watch the latest flick he bought over the internet. Finally, Tom caves in and hangs out with Dan and they watch a film like no other they have seen before where it is safe to say it’s a possible snuff film. Dan not forthcoming where exactly he got it is being pushed by Tom to get rid of it. But it’s clear the film has affected both and begins to change their relationship that will of course come to a bloody end! To me ‘Gut’ has to be one of the best independent films of 2012 that I have seen and deserves a much wider release. The film is very professional and looks better than most low budget horror films that actually have the funds from Hollywood to be made. I really enjoyed the dramatic storyline, the subtle music, and the ending was pretty kick ass also. I have to give this flick 4 out of 4 stars along with Jason Hoover’s The Collective Volume 5 being the best independent horror films I have seen this year! Go find out more at www.gutmovie.com .

Chiller (DVD) – A five episode TV series from 1995 that was made in the UK. Most horror films and TV series made in the UK have my outright respect as they are usually very entertaining if not better than US stuff. But “Chiller” is the exception for me as it’s a bit more dramatic likes of ‘Masterpiece Theater’ you would find on PBS back in the 80s than something in the same vein as Tales From the Darkside or Monsters TV series. A couple episodes such as Prophecy and Number Six show promise but play out like most of the bad episodes of late 90s and early 2000s The Outer Limits. If you are more in to dramatic horror this might be the two-disc set for you? Either way I can only give it 1 ½ stars and it can be purchased at www.synapse-films.com .

The Lumberjack (DVD) – Here is a short film from independent filmmaker and writer Daniel D. Smith that understands chainsaws and gore are best friends. The film is about a typical hard working man who is working his ass off night and day and to his wife is neglecting his son and her sexual needs. One day the lumberjack decides to come home early only to find his son outside playing and his hot whore wife about mate like rabbits with a young out of work man who pays her attention. The lumberjack decides he has the chainsaw so why not? His young son witnesses the carnage only to keep it bottled up until one dark night and it comes back to haunt the lumberjack. I enjoyed the gory mess of the victims of the wife and young man but filmmaker Mr. Smith left too much footage of the gory artful mess to be admired as it loses its visceral sickness if that is such a phrase to help pad the time for the short film. But honestly that is a minor issue I have as I have to give any independent film 3 out of 4 stars that reminds me of the great Wings Hauser in the film The Carpenter! Go support Mr. Daniel D. Smith at www.poisontheapple.com .

Hallowed End (DVD) – Mr. Daniel D. Smith is at again with this independent project that has this group of teenagers on their way to a Halloween party only to be disrupted by their fat ass friend to be attacked by a ghoul-like thing in the woods before the party. Once at the party the fat ass friend or the 100 pound difference of me decides to begin chomping on the unsuspecting necks of semi-hot women causing zombie frenzy! Of course it isn’t the most original of storylines but the slow dancing zombies during the credits entertained me enough to understand Daniel D. Smith is one of many fresh independent filmmakers that will constantly be passionate about their work and learn with each new project. So I have to give it 2 out of 4 stars and you can go support Mr. Smith and friends at www.poisontheapple.com .

They Live (Blu-Ray) – I could go into how fucking awesome this film is and how it actually applies to today’s society but that would be boring. But let’s talk picture quality here folks. They Live was apparently made for Blu-ray technology as it colors are brighter than they were on the theater screen back in 1988! Let me just say this being a Carpenter fan, when rewatching this new special edition of the film it was almost as amazing as watching Carpenter’s The Thing on DVD for the first because you see things that weren’t as apparent as they were before in its prior version. This is a film with layers… You could watch this film in its prior editions a couple of times and not see everything until now, for example like even “obey’ labels on the TVs throughout the film. The film has been a horror film favorite for many years but seeing the Blu-ray edition will just make the same fans wet their pants in excitement! If that wasn’t enough this edition also includes a commentary by Carpenter and Piper that only comes second to Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi’s commentary for Evil Dead 2 on the ‘Blood Red’ Laserdisc edition that was later rereleased on other DVDs. Man or woman doesn’t cream their pants with Roddy Piper talking about leaving WWF just to work with John Carpenter then the cast interviews will make you explode like a Tim Tebow virgin on prom night! For the love of all that is holy they have an interview with Meg Foster but also a man that deserves more respect from horror fans Keith David. Which may have been one of the most entertaining interviews for a DVD I have ever seen. If you are any type of John Carpenter fan thank Shout Factory and buy not one but two copies of this MUST HAVE Blu-ray. If you are a fan of the film or Carpenter and not own this go kill yourself now… I give it 4 ½ out of 4 stars, yep it’s that fucking good.

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