Gross Movie Reviews #425

 

Dire Wolf (DVD) – If by some chance you do not this more recent film from Fred Olen Ray it is also known as “Dino Wolf”. I could not confirm if this was a ‘SyFy Channel Original’ but either way it found me to watch as usual. Maxwell Caulfield stars as a by-the-book small town sheriff that has to figure out why the military left their bootleg experimental “Project Metalbeast” out? As it slowly tears through the locals in the woods Caulfield and others have to figure out how to destroy this thing before it destroys all of them. If you are a Fred fan its worth tracking down the low budget flick, if not you most likely will be bored and wanna move on as I give it 2 stars.

 

Damned by Dawn (DVD) –  A very slow British film about a Banshee haunting a family after they move into a home and a woman keeps having weird ass dreams about the Banshee. It was boring poo so move on… I give it a ½ star.

Daisy Derkins vs. The Bloodthirsty Beast of Barren Pines! (DVD/Vimeo) – Mark Mackner is back with his sequel to the misadventures of Daisy Derkins. This time out Daisy is out hitchhiking out in the woods only to be picked up by an unknown punk band whose car breaks down immediately. So as they venture out in the woods to get help Daisy faces many challenges as she must fight criminals, cannibals, and the punk band themselves and eventually a dinosaur! No shit folks the dinosaur looks like they stole it straight out of a Polonia Brothers film made before 1996? If that wasn’t enough to entice the hardcore Indy film viewer, Daisy uses a plastic sheriff badge as a throwing star to defend herself at one point. For that I am thankful for as Mr. Mackner continues to have fun with the character he created named Daisy Derkins. There is already a third Daisy Derkins film in the plans. I give this tale 2 ½ out of 4 stars.

 

Goon: Last of the Enforcers (DVD) – Doug Glatt is back as the minor league hockey goon that plays all out for his team. But Doug is getting older and now about to become a father which has him thinking it might be time to get a real grownup job. Especially after his last fight did not go as well as the Highlanders hockey team’s owner son who plays for another team destroys Doug. This gives Doug time to reflect and ponder if he can do anything else? If anything he heads to a fighting on ice bout with his best friend and sees a familiar face that helps set Doug straight on what he should do with his hockey life… A very good sequel that was no way going to be better than the original we got a few years back. Instead of trying of trying to top it, everyone involved played it smart and gave us an entertaining film about Doug evolving with his teammates and hockey. Another damn good hockey flick that you need to add to the list as I give it 3 ½ stars.

 

Me and My Mates vs. The Zombie Apocalypse (DVD) – Two friends are trapped at a telephone exchange building when the zombie apocalypse hits Australia. Not sure what to do next with their unique situation they become concerned with the lack of beer they may have until another friend and his daughter show up. Now that they have beer, the conversation turns to should they venture out to fight or just stay to come up with a better plan? While bickering they believe it’s a good idea to get the military involved since they would come and save them? Even when that goes wrong and the zombies actually learning how to get past their blockades it’s time to make a run for the truck and get out. Plus this film sets a new precedent for symptoms of a zombie virus as you are infected if you have purple spots on your beanbag! I give the humorous Australian flick 3 stars.

The Shape of Water (Theater) – An amazing creature love story set in the 50s. A mute woman works as a janitor with her best friend at a classified facility that has just gotten a new addition. This new exciting addition happens to be a creature that lives in the water and was worshipped as a god in South America. The military is very interested, the Russians are interested but not that interested, but this mute woman forms a relationship with the creature. She feels exactly like the creature and has finally someone that understands her. Forming this bond with the creature by eating lunch with him every day, a scientist who happens to be Russian posing as an American sees this amazing experience as something that needs to be researched. Russia does not feel the same way and the Americans are just looking for the next dog to send to space as the “Great Space Race” has begun. The janitors with the help of a friend and the scientist sneak the creature out and into the mute woman’s apartment. This is just temporary until they can release the creature when the rains come. During that time the woman and the creature’s relationship becomes that much bigger and find it difficult to part from each other when its time. The movie is absolutely amazing looking and gonna be one of the best films of 2018 as I give it 4 stars.

 

Brawl in Cell Block 99 (DVD) – Vince Vaughn plays a character most movie viewers are not use too as he is a man who has just been laid off and found his wife has been cheating on him. After taking out his anger on the wife’s car they have a conversation about trying to have a kid again and about going to be a drug runner to make the bills. 18 months go by and the couples’ are doing well with a child on the way. But Vaughn’s character is forced to work with a couple outsiders as he makes a compromise so he can have time off with his wife and newborn. Things go bad and real bad as the cops have a shootout Vaughn’s new associates. After the smoke clears Vaughn’s character is facing seven years of prison until Udo Kier shows up to inform him his wife was kidnapped. If he does not find a way to go kill another inmate at a maximum security prison his newborn will chopped to pieces and sent to him. So the chaos begins as Vaughn’s character fights, scratches, and destroys his way through prison in order for his wife and newborn to be taken care of. A well-produced film that went on a limb having Vince Vaughn casted in the main bad dude role that pays off big time. I give the solid flick 3 stars.

 

Any comments or questions please send to grossmoviereview@verizon.netor www.facebook.com/grossmoviereviews . Remember folks always support your local independent movie theater, independent video store, and independent filmmakers! It will keep horror alive………

Don’t forget you can also hear Kyle Poling and me talking about horror flicks on a weekly basis on the Bloodbaths and Boomsticks podcast at: www.bloodbathspodcast.blogspot.com/ also available at http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kyle-poling-2/bloodbaths-and-boomsticks?refid=stpr

Plus you can always go to the greatest T-shirt place online or if you are in Texas visit the store of “Fast Custom Shirts” where T-shirt Joe is the only place you should purchase your horror T-shirts: Go to www.fastcustomshirts.com for details.

Independent horror fans it is coming… GROSSFEST! July 28, 2018! Go check out www.grossfest.com for all the details!