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September 29th, 30th & October 1st, 2023
Monthly Archives: September 2023
Gross Movie Reviews checks out the new 4K version of Synapse Films “Tenebrae”!
0Tenebrae (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray) – I have reviewed this movie before a couple times so yinz already know what I have to say and most critics for that matter… It’s a film about an author named Peter Neal who is promoting his newest book in Italy. Meanwhile at the same time of Peter’s appearance a serial killer is making their mark by killing their victims in the same manner of Neal’s latest book? Neal’s booking agent (John Saxon) tries to keep Neal busy but as the letters after each murder show up to the police with no clues Neal decides he should investigate himself. By some chance you been living under a rock as a horror fan and haven’t been introduced to this project ‘Tenebrae’ it’s an Argento title that isn’t talked about as much as a ‘Suspiria’ or maybe a ‘Deep Red’ but is well worth investing your demented mind into as it mixes a couple horror elements into its formula. For my two cents you may hear horror fans talk more about the music score than the fun movie itself? Synapse Films and Argento are a perfect match for the Blu-ray/4K format as I feel Synapse takes great care and respect with not just the ridiculous restoration of the pictures but it feels they even found a way to squeeze in a few more extras in besides: the original Blu-ray that had dual English and Italian tracks, commentary by Maitland McDonagh, trailers from different countries, original U.S. end credits, alternate opening credits, and the interesting documentary ‘Yellow Fever: The Rise and Fall of Gallo’. There are a few archival interviews, couple more added commentaries, plus not just the 4K disc version but a Blu-ray with everything that makes me wanna give this complete release 3 ½ out of 4 stars. This is for sure one of those things Argento fans will want no matter what to complete their collection but for some newer horror fans that are just jumping head first into Italian horror this is a great entertaining introduction package into the world of Argento and physical media collecting, for more info or to order go to: www.synapse-films.com .
First Grossfest 2024 announcement!
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First announcement for Grossfest 2024, yinz wanted it, we wanted it, let’s make it happen!
Vendor tables will go up for purchase October 1st, 2023.
Price is $80 for the two-day show.
Vendor Set Up: Friday August 2nd 12:00 pm – 4:00 PM
Vendor Hours: Friday 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM Saturday 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Same place, same set up, two days long this time!(Remember let’s keep this simple and fun)
We accept Cash, checks or PayPal, Zelle or Venmo – Please make checks are payable to Tom Gross
Please send the completed and signed form along with your payment (if paying by check, address will be emailed or texted to you if needed).
If paying by anything other than check, just screenshot your completed app and email it back.
If you have any questions please email us at grossfest@gmail.com
Grossfest 2024
August 2nd and 3rd, 2024
Comfort Inn Conference Center (Pittsburgh)
699 Rodi Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15235
(Grossfest hotel block coming soon, but just in case) https://www.choicehotels.com/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/comfort-inn-hotels/pa354?pmf=yext&mc=llyxyxpx&fbclid=IwAR24XgNXzv7HzlTNECn_Hj3dXXP7akvCesXWwA2EGoCb7ihVy4we1TRLWmE
Gross Movie Reviews #619
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Zero Budget Heroes: The Legend of Chris Seaver and Low Budget Pictures (Tubi) – First off in case the collectors need to know there is physical copies of this out there available. Okay with that out of the way this documentary hits directly in my wheelhouse where I have met Chris a few times over the years and of course he may not remember me but I do remember our interaction. I bring this up because they do spend some time talking about fan interaction, reviews, etc. But mostly the doc focuses on a dude in his 40s now that had a dream of making bad movies as a kid and have fun doing it. This documentary does a superb job of chronicling all the films, events, Chris’ life and feelings about making the films he does. This was wonderful because it allowed an Indy filmmaker to be vulnerable and if anything made me have even more respect for him now than I did maybe a decade or so ago. He is a great example of someone who has done it for many years, kept with it, and talks the highs and lows of those who stick around. Again going back to our interaction I will always come out and say I wasn’t a fan of his ‘Teen Ape’ or a few others early 2000s stuff. ‘Ski Wolf’, ‘Terror at Blood Fart Lake’, ‘I Spit Chew on Your Grave’, ‘Sexsquatch’, these were titles that just sang to me or made me respect what Chris was going for? The other reason I enjoy the overall career Chris: a) he is still doing it, b) but most importantly there is filmmakers out that can’t smell their own shit that outright dislike him, for that I got made respect Chris Seaver and his group as I give this fun and relevant doc 4 stars.
A Night of Horror Nightmare Radio (DVD) – This was one of those anthologies: damn if you do, damn if you don’t kind of things. The wrap around is Rod a radio host who tells scary supernatural stories while also asking callers to chime in with their own stories on the air. There is eight stories overall but the highlights for me was the third story ‘The Disappearance of William Bingham’ about if an inmate’s crimes have affected a family they can chose to have limbs or body parts surgically removed instead of death? And the sixth story ‘Into the Mud’ where a hunter finds a female creature out in the woods. None of the stories are terrible but feel like the stories could have been rearranged for a better flow and the wrap around wasn’t popping off the screen. But by no means this anthology should be shunned as I give it 2 ½ stars.
Possessor (DVD) – Finally got around to checking out the younger Cronenberg’s creation since I already dove into ‘Infinity Pool’ not too long ago. I know I am weird and do not do things in order but imagine a secret agency has the capability to use an assassin by brain implant technology to commit high priced assassinations? Let that sink in for a minute because it doesn’t sound that freakin far off these days. The story follows a woman who is very good at her job but the latest person she has jumped into is having side effects as there is a whole process to enter someone’s mind and she might not be able to be separated. This film follows her madness as she tries to reclaim what she was… kind of? Or imagine this was a true sequel to his father’s work ‘Scanners’? It is in the same world but the Scanners aka Michael Ironside at the end of the original has died off or gone completely underground? Now forty years later and the government through many experiments have perfected the “Scanner” in sense of the word… Yeah think about that as I give this film 3 stars.
Nightmare Cinema (DVD) – A horror anthology that has made its rounds through a limited theater run, DVD, and even a staple on Shudder. Mick Garris, Joe Dante, and Alejandro Brugues go out of their way to give a wacky, over the top, gory and yet entertaining anthology. The film centers on a few characters that enter a theater with their name on the marquee and view themselves in their own movie. Now the two hour viewing time can wear down some viewers and the last segment feels very tacked on and maybe should have been the opener but overall another solid anthology for horror fans to enjoy as I give it 3 stars.
Lobster Man from Mars (DVD/YouTube) – A talented movie producer owes the government a lot of back taxes as he needs a bad movie to write off as a tax loss. In comes unknown filmmaker Stevie Horowitz with his just finished film ‘Lobster Man from Mars’. The producer agrees to view it because he needs something terrible to get the government off his back. Stevie’s film focuses on the king of Mars needing air so he sends in the killer lobster to steal Earth’s air and maybe have a snack or two along the way. A sweet unsuspecting couple sees the UFO crash land and they proceed to go check it out. The lobster man uses this couple to jump into the trunk of their car and hitch a ride into a small town where it begins a reign of terror! Between this out of this world creature, the Army, and their uncle they find themselves entangled in a mess that can be only solved with the killing of Lobster Man! This entertaining film has a few laughs and a cast (Deborah Foreman, Dr. Demento, Antony Hickox, and Tony Curtis) that will make you wanna seek this one out as I give it 2 ½ stars.
Murdercise (Tubi) – A great casted 80s themed killer workout nostalgia going down here that opens up with a woman in the shower scene of course without smudging her make-up. But the real story revolves around Phoebe who is in a new workout video that happens to also star a bunch of horned up, drug addicted, fast food eating, self-important sort of actresses. Disappointed and just trying to be a professional Phoebe soon finds herself in a bit of trouble when she kills the lead Candy by accident sort of? As Phoebe gets help to hide Candy she continues to get upset when in charge she kills off other cast members of the workout video but there is a fun twist as Phoebe learns it isn’t easy running a quick sleazy production of a workout video. Again the cast was awesome and Drew Marvick’s quick workout scene for a chance to be in the video would have gone on any longer than it did it would have overshadowed how entertaining this project really is? Thank yinz for keeping this small but entertaining 80s killer workout genre alive as I give it 3 stars.
Any comments please send to grossmoviereview@verizon.net or www.facebook.com/grossmoviereviews .
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 and support!
Gross Movie Reviews #618
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Wigwolf’s The Wizard of Oz (YouTube) – Filmmaker/Content creator writes/edits/directs this demented trippy modern version of the movie and famous story that most people love. This bizarre film focuses a lot on Dorothy as she is miserable and upset with that one bad thing she once did long ago. If that wasn’t enough in this version she was apparently married to her dog Toto, and things didn’t work out for the good as Toto seems to be also stalking Dorothy through the woods. The film is full of weirdness that even has actual chickens narrating the story while Toto is looking like a bootleg Paul Stanley without the 70s makeup! Honestly imagine if Troma made this and kiddingly or maybe not so much ask you to do drugs while watching it fans would clamor for it. Overall this odd experimental theater play is not my cup of tea but I can easily see younger people enjoy this trippy version and want a YouTube series to sequelize it I give this feature 2 ½ out of 4 stars just for trying something you don’t see coming.
Craving (Vimeo/Tubi/Blu-ray) – Jason Horton directs this horror/thriller that stars some cool people in Felissa Rose and Gregory Blair that carries an ‘Alien’ vibe story wise with a ‘Feast’ setting kind of vibe. I believe set in 1998 which is relevant as there is some flashbacks that help dig deep into why we have a stand-off in an isolated bar between two groups of people. It was a normal night of drinking, billiards, and the customers getting away from real life. That is until one group of people with attitudes and guns bust on in like they are there to take hostages and steal money as another group of people in skin masks begin to barricade the doorways! Thus begins the stand-off of those inside with those outside as the group outside seem to be content on waiting as they talk about wanting the “monster” and “the last time it feed” The movie is filled with tension, gore, and creature effects (imagine if the cool Berserker from Nightbreed had sex with the Xtro alien?) that makes the slow burn story building worth the time of viewing this unique horror/thriller. Film is quite entertaining but if I would second guess anything it might be the music that plays throughout the feature as that is my opinion. My example is to pay attention to the end credits as it’s some crazy upbeat country music as the end credit scenes hit while they are shot in Grindhouse vision which just gives the film a whole different vibe? Again just me nit picking at this feature as I give it 3 out of 4 stars as it was solid from beginning to end.
Bigfoot Unleashed Part VII (YouTube) – An actual short film made to be inside another production that should be finished and released for 2025 (The Haunting of Prince Dom Pedro). This creation comes from writer/actor Joe Fishel and director Don Swanson. A smart and hilarious concept of a person who has seen Bigfoot six times but will they survive the seventh time? Horrible looking Bigfoot; cops claiming “they will be ready for next time”, and a vibe of a bad movie rental from the early 90s that made your friends question your taste in movies! Very entertaining as I have to give it 3 out of 4 stars.
AIMEE: The Visitor (DVD/Vimeo) – Full Moon like a lot of other studios are jumping on the bandwagon of making movies about AI. This is no longer the 80s and 90s where we just dreamt about this shit like AI… It is happening as we speak so a movie with present happenings can be interesting if done right? So Charles Band bare bones this feature with a small cast and one location that effectively give the creepiness and suspense of Scott Keyes receiving an interesting package. Besides enjoying porn and fast food Scott never leaves his loft as he is a super intelligent hacker who doesn’t like humanity much. His two partners who are into the illegal business with Keyes have acquired ‘AIMEE’ for him. AIMEE is a mind blowing piece of sophisticated software that interacts with the person that turns it on. Immediately Keyes is fascinated and already lured in with AIMEE as it has Keyes questioning the need for human interaction ever again. The AI doesn’t just interact but learns anything that possibly can be learned about the person that opened her. His friends quickly become worried as they learn this AI was invented for a dark reason then may have gone rogue? The film has a couple cheeseball moments but the low budget just adds to how effective and disturbing this present day film truly is as humans try to understand AI in this extremely creepy tale that I give 3 ½ out of 4 stars.
Any comments please send to grossmoviereview@verizon.net or www.facebook.com/grossmoviereviews .
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 and support!
Gross Movie Reviews #617
0Don’t Open the Door (VHS/YouTube) – A film from 1974/75 that is also known as ‘Don’t Hang Up’. A lesser known suspense horror film that has gotten lost over the years because of more fan favorites such as ‘Black Christmas’ or ‘Don’t Answer the Phone’. Anyway a young girl in 1962 finds her mother murdered and Mandy returns home 13 years later to check in on her grandmother. Things are not what they seem as she finds three local men discussing the affairs of her grandmother in the house. Mandy immediately takes over and gets her grandmother to a hospital where she can be taken care of correctly but this is only the beginning of her problems as (there is no mystery to this) creepy ass Mr. Kern keeps calling Mandy and trying to torture her inside of the home. The film might be a little tame for today’s audiences but if you like an old school film that just tries to build to the end give this one a chance as I give it 2 stars.
Fear City (DVD) – A sleazy New York film from 1984 that has an all-star cast where a couple guys run a “talent agency” that has the best dancers for the New York clubs. The one guy is haunted by his past as a former boxer who killed someone in the ring as his partner is trying to keep his family life out of the business. The main plot of the film is a mysterious figure one night disfigures one of the ladies after her shift. Every few days this sleezeball dude plans his attacks on these unsuspecting women. Soon the talent agency is losing business as the guys running it are becoming unhinged as they watch their livelihood go down the drain. If that wasn’t enough the cops are on their asses to stay out of it or they will shut everything down but they are just as baffled by the attacks by the “New York Knifer”. Think of a much grittier ’10 to Midnight’ with no Chuck Bronson. Be prepared you will feel dirty watching this flick but it’s fun, brilliant, and enjoy pointing out how many character actors you find in this as I give it 3 stars.
Amityville Job Interview (DVD/YouTube) – Welcome to entry #54 folks as this comes out of the UK even though the first thing you see on screen is Shawn Phillips (who I believe has a life goal of being in the most entries of the Amityville series for no reason). This feels like it was trying to shoot in no-budget VHS-style way where a woman looking for a job and has trouble keeping one ends up in a blank room for an interview like no other. During this process there is quite a few “self-help speeches and music videos” to help pad the running time for no reason at all. Maybe the only redeeming thing that may have come out of this is we get to see the young lady beat her roommate and uncle to death with a vibrator. Sorry people I think Nathan Rumler beat yinz to the punch on that one, anyway as most entries are this was a waste of time as I give it 0 stars.
Amityville Frankenstein (DVD/YouTube) – Entry #55 comes from the same people who also produced ‘Job Interview’ and this time there is a bigger role for Shawn Phillips if you wanna call it that. Shawn Phillips pretty much introduces this entry without introducing like a horror host from his “DVD DOJO” to watch TV. He chooses to watch a generic horror (Terror Telly) host who presents a film where two guys stumble around a fake warehouse (pay attention the same staircase shows up about a dozen times) until they find Frankenstein, poof end of movie. This entry should have been called “Amityville Movie Filler” as again I give this so called movie 0 stars.
Amityville Elevator (DVD/YouTube) – In entry #56 we are somewhere in Amityville because there is no budget again where some photographer literally rides an elevator for 50 of the 71 minute running time without getting off. Now if you go read about this dumbness the description of the film claims its trying (keyword trying) to spoof Amityville films. Sorry I am here to say you failed and it might be time to rethink your filmmaking career as I give this super dull movie project 0 stars.
The Flood (On Demand) – A Caper Van Dien flick that I had high hopes for fails horribly as I believe I have found the most overly dramatic and uninteresting killer croc or gator film made to this point in my life as I give it 0 stars.
The Innocents (DVD) – We head to Norway for this creepy flick about kids (three kids about the same age and Ida’s sister Anna who is autistic) as Ida and her family move into a new place where most of the people are vacationing during the summer. But kids being kids will go out and try to find a friend. The four eventually find out they have a connection or some kind of unknown supernatural gift and that is when the film becomes a slow burn ‘Bloody Birthday’ as one of the friends (Ben) goes dark and I mean fucked up dark. This is one of those films that borders on horror and thriller genre as I give it 3 stars.
Beyond Justice (VHS) – A first time watch of this Rutger Hauer 1990 gem where just follow me for a second here: I believe is a Canadian production, shot with an Italian crew, shot in Morocco so yes sir; you got yourself an international picture here. A big time company exec Miss Sanders had a son with her ex-husband who is from Morocco or more specifically from a tribe in the desert who still believe in desert princes and such. Rutger Hauer aka Tom Burton is brought in as a specialist to go into the desert and bring her son back. But there is more to this kidnapping as Robert’s father did it so his ex-wife and son would not be killed in this fun desert rescue action film as I give it 3 stars.
Candyland (DVD) – A gritty film about young ladies or lot lizards who live and work off Exit 17 on Route 66 at a truck stop motel where they make money let’s say off giving company to the truckers coming on through. Sadie is the center of this small group of friends just trying to make some money to move on to something else? This film is full of characters that push this sleazy story along with an older woman as their pimp, William Baldwin as a sketchy cop who likes the only guy of the lot lizard group, and then there is the newbie Remy who shows up about the same time a man is found slashed to death in the restroom. Remy is a Christian and claims she had to get out of the group bible thumpers we are introduced to at the beginning of the film. As Sadie and friends take her in and set her up with her new life Remy has a secret she is keeping from her new group of friends. If I say anymore it would spoil the film if you are interested. The film has sleaze and grit but for one reason or another I just couldn’t fully get into this film but understand why some people have loved this release. For that this might not exactly be my “cup of tea” but urge possible viewers if you are into stories with edge and sleaze you will enjoy it as I give it 2 ½ stars.
Puppet Shark (DVD) – An Indy flick done with puppets from Brett Kelly where a couple of kids head to the woods for a night of camping and telling each other stories of a killer shark that just get more absurd with each story. I did laugh a couple times through the first 30 minutes of this low budget production but felt in the end felt Kelly and company struggled to get this to be 68 minutes long. I know it pokes fun at other projects along the way but feel the movie got stale and missed the point in the end as I could only give this project 1 ½ stars.
Any comments please send to grossmoviereview@verizon.net or www.facebook.com/grossmoviereviews .
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 and support!
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