See yinz at Cinema Wasteland next week!

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So taking Grossfest on the road twice in April and this is the first stop! I have a new book (sort of, you’ll be surprised and understand), $5 Indy DVDs and Blu-rays from a few different filmmakers, homemade beer coozies (everyone always asks), but most importantly Out of Print Dan and myself will be there with Drunken Yinzers movies of course along with some out of print stuff Dan has searched the four corners of earth to have them at $5 for you! http://www.cinemawasteland.com

Gross Movie Reviews #632

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Severe Injuries (Blu-ray) – Vinegar Syndrome’s newer label Saturn’s Core is a specialty label that releases hard to find or out of print SOV Indy films from the past. Well one of their latest releases comes from director Amy Lynn Best and writer Mike Watt who released this Indy gem in 2003 that deals with a bumbling killer named Melvin. Melvin happens to come from a long line of serial killers who are bad at their job. But with the death of his father Melvin is determined to change things around… once he finds a sorority that is? Littered with several Indy genre vets this movie does a wonderful job of mixing horror and comedy with a smart script that brilliantly pokes fun at the sorority slasher flicks of the 80s. Not many horror films take a chance like ‘Severe Injuries’ being an outside of the box horror film with a killer learning to kill and you the viewer care for the serial killer? The film is very entertaining, smart, and most likely be more appreciated now than 20 years ago when it was made. This is one of those films that stood out in the early 2000s for being different but not sure how you market something like this? Now you get to enjoy it in all its remastered Blu-ray glory along with a kick ass slipcover, three commentaries, cast and crew interviews from 2003 and 20 years later as they look back on this interesting Indy project made for little money. Get ready there is more as this disc is loaded with deleted scenes, trailers, and several more short films from writer Mike Watt and director Amy Lynn Best. Again I have a feeling SOV fans will appreciate this feature much more now than 20 years ago as I give the full package 3 ½ out of 4 stars. You can order your copy at www.vinegarsyndrome.com .

St. Patrick’s Day (DVD/YouTube) – A 2021 36 minute Indy film that goes for nostalgia setting it somewhere in the 80s for the backdrop (nevermind the Direct TV dish we see that doesn’t exist at that time or the Jeep Renegade one of the characters drive or there wasn’t talk of edibles but that is just me picking on things now). The story is centered on Ned and last year’s St. Patrick’s Day untimely event involving an accident where Ned is taking full blame what something he and his friends did? The throwback slasher vibe has the young group of partiers looking for edibles to really get the party going but the past keeps being brought up by certain members which makes the party have a tough time getting off the ground. Unbeknownst to them this is about to change as someone has other plans to kill them one by one as they hide their identity with a Trolls mask (again I don’t think that was around either?)! Overall I enjoyed the spirit of the film, where they were going with it, and with some tweaks how much more could be done with it. The project was entertaining and could be a lot worse as I think the effort put forth helped this be an enjoyable viewing experience as I give it 2 ½ stars.

Fog City (DVD) – A recent film from Steve Wolsh that has gotten some flak from horror fans after they have viewed it? After his other film ‘Kill Her Goats’ horror fans were on edge a little as was I to watch this film. The first few minutes of this film is to establish everything that goes down as it was shot weird to me but there was an endgame as Steve introduces you to some very unlikable characters for a horror film. There is an island setting, expensive cars, big house for the party, talk of attending Georgetown without loans and such, trust fund babies to say it simply. Along the way these young people going to party talk of this local thing, “The Paige Plant” and how it is going to poison everyone at some point or what is really made there? One of the girl’s fathers of course owns but doesn’t have a clue what exactly goes on there for years. Once the group hits the house for some drinking and evening falls that is when the old school sirens blare as an orange fog rolls close to the home. This sets in motion the group to break down very quickly and turn on each other in a heartbeat. Now the choice of music during this might not be the best but that is for a different conversation? Without giving too much away that is the plot of the film. Now saying that the film has too much filler, characters I hate, but I enjoyed how they quickly broke down and the ending is wonderful! The project is a huge mess in some ways but I don’t think these characters were ever supposed to be likable and the ending has an issue but I do like what the filmmaker went for but the rewatchablity will be tough for horror fans once they actually think this film through. Think ‘The Sixth Sense’ as an example after you see it can you really go back and give it a proper watch now that you know everything? Saying that I liked this film a little more than some people out there in social media land, it wasn’t perfect by a long shot but I did enjoy the deep subject matter of this film once it was over as I give it 3 stars.

Monsternado (DVD) – A hilarious British bootleg ‘Sharknado’ flick where a dude has been predicting a crazy tornado thingy that will come out of the Bermuda Triangle for years! The tornado or water spout has stirred up ancient sea life from this area that hasn’t been encountered ever. He was hired by FEMA to think outside of the box but when the shit goes down he is left behind to defend this event with almost nothing! Then you have a subplot of this film where three FBI and Interpol agents catch a sexual deviant at a hotel but cannot escort this dangerous individual because of  this legendary storm. Matt has a plan but needs help from the hotel staff to execute it correctly which sets up a cool scene of a redhead agent getting eaten by a crocodile in a stairway. Yes it is a bad movie but I laughed several times throughout so gather friends, beer, and pizza and have fun as I give it 2 stars.

The Seventh Curse (Tubi) – Dr. Yuan is a young doctor who lives a charmed life it seems but the good doctor has a secret as he is under some kind of “blood spell”! So the good doctor is told he needs to go back to Thailand or he will die a terrible death if he doesn’t get this year long spell lifted? This all because as in his flashback for the first half of the film is him witnessing some strange ritual that involves a batshit ritual of him fighting a nutzoid “old ancestor” (a shape shifting demon) to save a beautiful woman. Joe Bob Briggs would have a field day in the first forty minutes as it is loaded with “Blood, Boobs, and Beasts”! Now a year later is the main course as the doctor returns to Thailand to even crazier more hilarious shit as the doctor has to save this annoying tagalong character the rest of the way. This movie is complete chaos and feels like the Baskin and Robbins (31 flavors of ice cream for those who don’t know as this had at least a dozen ideas jammed in one) of the 80s film industry? This beautiful over the top film is just bonkers and entertaining as hell as I give it 4 stars all the way.

Suitable Flesh (Shudder) – Heather Graham or Dr. Derby is a very formal doctor who tries to help patients with some of their mental health issues. Until she is seeked out by a college student of Miskatonic University who intrigues her so much that she breaks her own rules to try to help him. He explains his out-of-body experience as he wants her help until the young man turns her life upside down and she goes down a wormhole of insanity how or if she can help even after knowing it happened to her sister in Barbara Crampton. But Derby pursues it as she must know about the boy’s father but isn’t prepared to what is found and hear this fantastic story. We got a mythical book, pictures of Cthulhu, and blood to make strange things such as body transference happen in this exciting Lovecraft tale. I like the film but didn’t love it but no matter what horror fans are all going to enjoy this in some capacity 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!

Severe Injuries Blu-ray release by Saturn’s Core label/Vinegar Syndrome review

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Severe Injuries (Blu-ray) – Vinegar Syndrome’s newer label Saturn’s Core is a specialty label that releases hard to find or out of print SOV Indy films from the past. Well one of their latest releases comes from director Amy Lynn Best and writer Mike Watt who released this Indy gem in 2003 that deals with a bumbling killer named Melvin. Melvin happens to come from a long line of serial killers who are bad at their job. But with the death of his father Melvin is determined to change things around… once he finds a sorority that is? Littered with several Indy genre vets this movie does a wonderful job of mixing horror and comedy with a smart script that brilliantly pokes fun at the sorority slasher flicks of the 80s. Not many horror films take a chance like ‘Severe Injuries’ being an outside of the box horror film with a killer learning to kill and you the viewer care for the serial killer? The film is very entertaining, smart, and most likely be more appreciated now than 20 years ago when it was made. This is one of those films that stood out in the early 2000s for being different but not sure how you market something like this? Now you get to enjoy it in all its remastered Blu-ray glory along with a kick ass slipcover, three commentaries, cast and crew interviews from 2003 and 20 years later as they look back on this interesting Indy project made for little money. Get ready there is more as this disc is loaded with deleted scenes, trailers, and several more short films from writer Mike Watt and director Amy Lynn Best. Again I have a feeling SOV fans will appreciate this feature much more now than 20 years ago as I give the full package 3 ½ out of 4 stars. You can order your copy at www.vinegarsyndrome.com .

Gross Movie Reviews #631

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The Man from Hong Kong (DVD) – A 1975 martial arts Australian flick from none other than Brian Trenchard-Smith who brings together a great cast: Jimmy Wang Yu, George Lazenby, Roger Ward, Hugh Keays-Byrne, and Sammo Hung. A legendary Hong Kong policeman (Inspector Special Branch) beds a Sydney newspaper reporter in the first few minutes of the film not knowing he will be seeing her again soon in Sydney. His job is to head to Sydney to pick up a suspect who is a part of a drug connection between Hong Kong and Sydney but when the suspect is shot the Hong Kong policeman goes on a one man wrecking crew of Sydney! Two detectives key the Inspector Special Branch on a man named Wilton who owns most of Sydney because everyone knows he is dirty but they cannot bring him down? Think “Lone Wolf McQuade” several years before it was made with a ridiculous amount of crap getting busted up in this movie. This movie deserves a watch if you never had the pleasure as you will not be disappointed in this over the top martial arts 4 star action!

Mad Max Exposed (Tubi) – An hour long documentary on everything Mad Max that covers everything from the stunts, the people who were a part of them, how they planned the movie, the design of the cars, to nothing stopping George Miller in putting together a film that changed car chase scenes forever. All of the cast exception of George Miller and Mel Gibson share stories throughout the hour that will have any Mad Max fan beaming and entertained in seconds as I give it 4 stars.

Dario Argento Panico (Shudder) – A documentary that thoroughly goes through the career of the Italian horror master and those who worked with him. The film takes you on a deep dive of Argento and what exactly lured and inspired him into filmmaking. There is also in-depth interviews with both of Dario’s daughters, yes you heard me right… both daughters! I only knew of Asia. Dario also has conversations about how his filmmaking shaped his family through the years as this is not just brilliant but eye opening doc on the legendary filmmaker as I give it 4 stars.

Valerie (YouTube) – Philip Brocklehurst never stops making stuff has yet another short film where it’s an artistic look at a man who believes there is nothing left in his life if he cannot have his love. A very heavy look into love and some underlying subtext of love if you are paying attention as I give the short film 3 out of 4 stars.

The Leprechaun’s Game (Tubi) – A boring shady character (bootleg Robert Patrick) employs two fools to track down the leprechaun’s gold at the end of a rainbow? If found the duo can make 100,000 pounds! If you haven’t noticed this is a bootleg British Asylum Entertainment version of the popular ‘Leprechaun’ series that has two losers finding the gold within five minutes? But this of course is not the whole plot as they plan to spend it instead of giving it to their boring shady friend. And it doesn’t take long for the bad make-up looking leprechaun come a killing (very shitty kills by the way) for his gold coins. Oh this was hot garbage on fire from beginning to end as if I call it a parody of the original ‘Leprechaun’ that would be super insulting as I give this movie 0 stars.

The Leprechaun’s Curse (Tubi) – So this terrible sequel doesn’t get any better as it picks up immediately after the end of the first film having the leprechaun is still reclaiming his stolen gold. Tilly inherits a huge home whose father built it with the stolen gold. So of course she gets a few friends and they head to the big house with a pool just to be lame new victims for the killer leprechaun. Then you get the boring Tilly character filler trying to decide if it’s right to keep the gold? But nevermind any of that as there is a big thing that isn’t really explained in my opinion as the Mischa character returns when she was seen about to be killed at the end of the first film? What gives? Does bootleg Leprechaun decide at the last second I don’t feel like killing her because she is prego? Only to kill her in front of the kid anyway six months later, WTF? There are so many questions about this dumb movie because it comes off like the two movies were actually one split into two but didn’t enough material for either as I give this 0 stars.

Deep Fear (On Demand) – A British shark film that steals from 70s treasure hunt flicks where the shark is not the main plot as a woman must fight for her life against two drug dealers who are trying to get to their stash at the bottom of the ocean. Naomi is sailing on her yacht to see her boyfriend (or rich people with rich people problems) but finds two people who are floating with boat wreckage. Naomi trying to do something good by herself helps the two assholes and they take her prisoner and that is pretty much the whole movie as I give it 1 star.

Amityville Ripper (DVD) – Ron Bonk produces another useless entry into the “Amityville” series and that is #57 if yinz are still keeping count? Anyway the Amityville home has finally been demoed and the artifacts or contents of the home are being sold off. Hey, didn’t this happen already? But let’s move on as the character Marianne gets ahold of the knife that is supposedly “Jack the Ripper’s” knife and was supposedly at the Amityville home for some unknown reason. Once the knife is released from the box it’s Jack the Ripper (bad accent and all) beginning to kill again! Now it’s up to a couple friends to contain this great power. There are so many problems with this so-called movie I feel like I would be picking on it just for laughs. But there is literally only one redeeming thing about this entry and that would be seeing Indy newcomer Angel Bradford, a very talented Indy actress that will be fun to watch for years to come. Otherwise folks please don’t waste your time on this fruitless entry as I give it 0 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!

A reminder Grossfest 2024 is five months away!

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Grossfest 2024

A reminder: let’s keep it simple. Let’s all have fun, promote each other, meet all the great people coming through the door, and celebrate independent horror!

(BE WARNED IF WANTING TO BE A VENDOR WE ARE ALMOST SOLD OUT. ALSO YOU HAVE UNTIL JULY 1ST TO GET THE DISCOUNT ON HOTEL ROOMS (REMEMBER THE HOTEL SOLD OUT OF ROOMS LAST YEAR FOR OUR ONE DAY SHOW)

www.grossfest.com

Friday and Saturday August 2 and 3rd, 2024

Comfort Inn Conference Center

699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235

Need to reserve a room: Hotel link to reserve a room for Grossfest 2024! Discount available until July 1st: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/ET81E2

Tickets: $10 at the door for one day, $15 for both days for those who will be attending

Vendor and movie room hours are:

Friday 4-10pm                                  

Saturday 11-7pm

Guests (Guest list subject to change)

Sean Donohue

Sushii Xhyvette Holder

Jessa Flux

Kelsey Livengood

Matt Cannon… also appearing with Matt is Victor Butler who was the detective in Hexercise. 

Jorge Delarosa

Nathan Rumler

Rebecca Rinehart

Special guests

Dave Castiglione

Steve Rudzinski

Jennifer Nangle

Also let’s not forget ultra-talented, super horror movie fan, tattoo artist Angel O’Connor who will be doing tattoos at Grossfest both days!