One more guest announcement!

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Just when yinz thought we at Grossfest were done? Nope, we have one more! This person isn’t just another pretty face as their presence is beyond invaluable in front of the camera and behind. When they are not producing a film or ramping up to write more scripts they also do some local (Pittsburgh area) theater work. Ever since they showed up for an audition for a 2012 independent favorite called ‘Everyone Must Die!’ you knew they would be undeniably one of the brightest stars to ever grace the no budget screen. They might be known for such titles as: The Meowy movie series, Shingles: The Movie, and Head Case but what shows off their talent the most with little effort in all phases of filmmaking is their work with the CarousHell trilogy, Amityville Christmas Vacation (one of our favs), and Curtains For Christmas. This talent is so damn good and sweet they allowed themselves to be filmed in a segment for the anthology ‘Tales from the Gross Side’! We are always happy to see them but never been more excited to introduce them… We like to introduce all of yinz to one of the friendliest and hardest working talents in the independent scene… Aleen Isley!!!

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5293605/…

Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025

Location:

Comfort Inn Conference Center

699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235

To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6

August 1st, Friday 4-10pm

August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm

(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)

For show info: http://www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.

Vendor tables are $100 each and come with two passes contact grossfest@gmail.com for vendor application and how to pay.

Gross Movie Reviews #662

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Project Metalbeast (DVD) – Oh, I absolutely love this movie from 1994/1995 where it’s a great idea to put armor or a new metal skin on a werewolf in so many words. This is such a fun werewolf movie that finally found its way to physical media outside of VHS. Before we get into that lets talk plot: so the freakin’ CIA is secretly interested into werewolves in 1974, and have tracked one in Budapest of course. An operative who is hell bent on this secret mission and soon experiment on himself by injecting the blood of the Lycan. Not able to control the dude his good friend Barry Bostwick who also has evil plans of his own freezes the dude after shooting him for future experimentation. It is now 1994 and Barry has found a scientist that has developed a new skin graph as they test it unknowingly on this frozen body that once silver bullets are removed once again becomes a killing machine! A really fun werewolf film with Kane Hodder as the creature but its path back to physical media might be a little weird or still in question how? Quickly after its appearance on HBO and hitting VHS in 1995 that was it. Nothing about the rights, music, or who actually owned it for years let alone it just got a DVD release not a Blu-ray release but a DVD only a couple years ago with not much promotion. After some research this project may have been doomed from the beginning as the original company that funded it went out of business right after the film was released. So any hope of extras, deleted scenes probably never gonna happen. Yes, it is most likely the same version on YouTube but it never hurts picking up some rare physical media for such a title that just seem to disappear as I give the film 3 ½ stars.

Lone Wolf (DVD) – A late 80s werewolf film I never knew existed but of course had to watch as Eddie who has trouble with going to school but leads a rock band that is on the brink of making it big. Authorities find people who are shredded to pieces and have no problem blaming Eddie with his past if not the wild dogs but the bodies continue to pile up around town and this concerns two other students in Julie and Joel. These two concerned students start their own investigation and eventually include Eddie as they know he is not to blame. The film is some fun corny 80s garbage but I felt they did an awesome job in hiding the actual person who is the werewolf for most of the film as it makes for a great watch as I give it 3 stars.

Night Shadow (Tubi) – Now I wanted to check out this flick because it was another werewolf movie and did not pick it because it stars Kato Kaelin! Yeah that dude! The movie involves a young journalist Alex who has come back home on vacation for some needed space from her big city job. Besides that from the beginning Alex is stalked by some gnarly dude all the way to her small town as she is pushed by her network to start covering the grisly murders. Alex must combine her efforts with her ex-guy now the sheriff to piece together who is mutilating the locals before Danford’s population is zero. It was just a weird viewing experience if I am being honest as I give it 2 stars.

Black Past (DVD) – So this flick is one of the first films from German filmmaker Olaf Ittenbach made in 1989 but it was only released in the past decade. The movie follows a young man who has just moved to a new place with his family and just trying to fit in. A little curious the young man finds a chained up trunk in the attic and opens it because that is always a great idea. Thommy finds a mirror and a diary. After the brutal death of his girlfriend Thommy slowly turns to the diary as he is haunted by nightmares of her with stuff like his penis nailed to a piece of wood then hacked off. The mirror and diary eventually possesses him as the weird chaos of murders begins as Thommy is a cursed being now as I give it 2 stars.

Bull Shark 3 (Tubi) – So did any of yinz know this was a trilogy? I didn’t but that didn’t stop me from watching another low budget shark movie that concerns a small Texas town. This time around Spencer is sober and respected by the town’s mayor and sheriff who need his help one more time. There is evidence that a family of bull sharks is breeding at the center of the lake as their plan is too plant an ESD thing at the bottom of the lake and obliterate the sharks. Two problems are: a) it is next to a gas line and b) someone is going to have to go swimming with the sharks in order for it to be in its proper place. Not good, not bad low budget shark film that spoiler alert if you make it too the end leaves it open for gator problems as I give it 2 stars.

The House on Haunted Hill (Fawesome) – For those who are unaware there is now a pseudo sequel… What explains this version it is a sequel in theory of the popular 50s film that starred Vincent Price. It is a swift 64 minute feature from Dustin Ferguson that takes place on Halloween twenty years later where the local channel 6 program does a special on the hauntings or paranormal history of the haunted hill house that also includes nostalgia commercials from the 70s. A Channel Six reporter, cameraman, and a psychic head into the structure for the program “Price of Fame” to make it feel like you are watching someone’s old VHS tape of the Halloween program. For me this was an interesting idea but comes off as a short film stretched a little too thin if that makes sense. I enjoyed the weirdness of the newest ‘Spider Baby’ version but that just doesn’t work for something like the original ‘House on Haunted Hill’ especially with a remake and sequel to remake out there for over two decades. I appreciate the interesting attempt but gotta only give this project 2 stars.

Hey, Stop Stabbing Me! (Blu-ray) – The 2000 SOV hit has an introduction by director/co-writer Josh Miller and co-writer/actor Pat Casey as they made it in Hollywood and wanted to have a fun look back at a project that got them started. A fresh college graduate in Herman is heading back home to Bloomington, Indiana to see if he can find a cheap place to stay while he finds a job and decides what he really wants to do with his life. Herman finds what looks to be a great big house with a couple roommates but quickly understands roommates disappear from the house to never come back. They just adjust by filling the empty room with another person like Herman. Herman weirded out by a job digging holes, having a girlfriend, and having missing roommates still finds time to be curious by the graves in the backyard that no one questions. There is so much hilarious Indy stuff going on throughout the movie as Herman falls through scene after scene of just trying to be a good roommate and for this movie that is really all that matters or you die. Great Indy comedy I gotta give 3 ½ stars too.

Dinogator (On Demand) – So this Jim Wynorski film might be more interesting of how it got to its release than the film itself? Michael Madsen and Paul Logan are big game hunters who are trying to track down a half-snake/half-gator creature that keeps eating the locals who hang out in the swamp. There is no reason for the creature other than it just exists but that doesn’t stop a band who head out in the swamp to shoot their next rock video. Enjoy… But now to the real story of this once finished project that was once called ‘Cobragator’ in 2014 slated for a 2015 release. It never happened like several of Wynorski projects but was again slated for a late 2020/early 2021 release on SyFy Channel but again, nothing. Then a title change and it was freed weirdly to an On Demand platform last week. The characters are bad, there is no origin of the creature, but there is a reason to watch with friends. Have friends over and turn it into a drinking game where yinz try to figure out when Michael Madsen actually interacted with any cast members in the film. Watch how the movie was shot and you will totally get the game as I give this CG-killer made-up animal mess 1 star.

Mr. Buzzkill (Blu-ray) – Rob Collins has been a part of several Indy projects but this was his first feature he directed that just got released about the Silver Grove Massacre. The story of Mr. Buzzkill is told around a campfire by some friends who are explaining the origins of the Sliver Grove Massacre. According to these folks a ten year old (Jacob) in 1998 loses his shit after being locked up then slices and dices his way through a shed, his dad, and then the local bar only to walk away into the woods to never be found. As the years pass people disappear with no real answers other than the Mr. Buzzkill stories. Now grown up the kid is now a monster in 2018 completely slaughters a group of friends at an abandoned cabin one weekend. The story of this slasher character starts off solid but has the feeling that something is missing and not totally sure of how to wrap up the interesting case of a grown up Mr. Buzzkill. Good cast and nice gore effects keep the film moving but again I still felt the missing whatever ingredient is the difference in this new breed of Indy slasher going from just good to completely satisfyingly great! No matter how you feel about the film it is worth the watch as I give it 2 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!

Getting to know your Grossfest 2025 guest!

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Oh Grossfest fans we got one more for yinz to meet, enjoy, and have fun chatting with in August at Grossfest 2025. This person has taken an interesting path to get where they are as they are out of the state of New York. I would say they are a fresh face to the genre but they have done so much in a short span of time in front of the camera as an actor and behind the camera also that it makes you wonder when this awesome talent has had time to sleep. You may know this impressive talent in such films: She Kills, It Kills, Frozen Sasquatch, House Squatch, Cocaine Werewolf, and more shark films than Maddie Deering (the shark film expert) could imagine! A lot of yinz Indy fans will quite enjoy this major staple in and around Polonia Brothers Entertainment allow us to introduce yinz to the super cool Jamie Morgan!

Go check out her work at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5840110/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_8_in_0_q_Jamie%2520Morgan

Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025

Location:

Comfort Inn Conference Center

699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235

To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6

August 1st, Friday 4-10pm

August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm

(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)

For show info: http://www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.

Vendor tables are $100 each and come with two passes contact grossfest@gmail.com for vendor application and how to pay.

Getting to know your Grossfest 2025 special guest!

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Getting to know your special Grossfest 2025 guest!

This announcement should come as no surprise as this person has been one of the biggest supporters of Grossfest but also they are a local (Pittsburgh) talent with an exceptional personality that just stands out like non one you ever met. They are not just a triple threat but a whole lot more as they are a writer, actor, and director, you name it this person has done it or about to accomplish it. We at Grossfest would like to introduce yinz all to the wonderful, the handsome and always smiling… Jason Burke! Go check Jason’s work out:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9266201/…

Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025

Location:

Comfort Inn Conference Center

699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235

To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6

August 1st, Friday 4-10pm

August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm

(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)

For show info: http://www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.

Vendor tables are $100 each and come with two passes contact grossfest@gmail.com for vendor application and how to pay.

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR GROSSFEST 2025 GUEST!

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Well fans we have another guest announcement and yinz can thank us at the show for this one. This person had busted out onto the Indy scene in 2018 with acting in a few short films but got their big break with the feature ‘The Curse of Lilith Ratchet’. Ever since then this person hasn’t looked back on becoming one of the hardest working actors in the Indy scene. Their talent, charm, and work ethic make them hard to miss on screen as their presence on film has made them one the hottest upcoming actors to have in an Indy project. You may know them from such titles: Debbie Does Demons, XXX-mas, Waspzilla, Killer Campout Part II, Crackcoon, Blood and Breakfast, with a host of other upcoming projects! But wait there is more as this wonderfully talented person is about to add writer/director to their list of credits with their own project ‘Martian Girl Massacre’ segment that will be a part of the ‘Amityville Aliens’ project (so of course massacre and Amityville made the Gross brothers ears perk up). We are proud to announce someone we know yinz are all gonna love having at Grossfest 2025… we like to introduce yinz to Morrigan Thompson-Milam! We enjoy this young lady’s passion and drive to conqueror the Indy genre in 2025 so please go check out her work sooner than later:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9454937/…

Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025

Location:

Comfort Inn Conference Center

699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235

To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6

August 1st, Friday 4-10pm

August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm

(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)

For show info: http://www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.

Vendor tables are $100 each and come with two passes contact grossfest@gmail.com for vendor application and how to pay.

Getting to know your Grossfest 2025 guest!

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So for our next guest announcement this writer, director, actor needs no introduction at all but we are going to give this awesome person one anyway! They are no stranger to Grossfest as they are quickly becoming famous for their wonderful film work that has spanned nearly twenty years, they have been our friend for quite a long time, helps other filmmakers and actors locally along the way, has introduced a lot of Indy fans to other cool young filmmakers and actors, but you would undeniable know and enjoy them for their electric personality. This award winning filmmaker is known for movies such as: Everyone Must Die, Captain Z and The Terror of Leviathan, The Meowy series, Amityville Christmas Vacation, but what has gotten all the Indy folk in a crazy frenzy are the absolutely fun trilogy of Caroushell movies! It wouldn’t be Grossfest without him… the one… the only… cannot be duplicated only imitated… STEVE F’N RUDZINSKI! We have considered Steve a great friend and filmmaker for a long time now. He makes us proud as we have known him since he was a teenager and to watch how much he has grown into such a dedicated person of his craft makes us proud. Do yourself a favor and go check out some of his work before Grossfest 2025:  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2324123/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_1_nm_7_in_0_q_Steve%2520Rudzin

(Not gonna lie one of my favorite pics of all time)

Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025

Location:

Comfort Inn Conference Center

699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235

To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6

August 1st, Friday 4-10pm

August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm

(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)

For show info: http://www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.

Vendor tables are $100 each and come with two passes contact grossfest@gmail.com for vendor application and how to pay.

Getting to know your Grossfest 2025 guest!

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Oh yinz are in for a treat with this next Grossfest guest announcement. This actor, producer, director’s career has spanned over four decades and may have just hit their stride as they are working more now than ever in the independent genre. Sometimes this talented soul goes under the radar of some Indy fans but when their name is mentioned or the film that first help burst them on the scene makes our eyes light up. This guest isn’t flashy but does get respect from peers when their name is mentioned. They are known for such projects as: Deep Undead, The Jacker Trilogy that first started in 1993, Amityville Thanksgiving, Sharkhouse, Turkey Day, and Bloodbath, Horrortales.666 Part 2 & 3, but the title that always gets the hardcore Indy fans’ ears to perk up would be Burglar from Hell! The Gross brothers are privileged to introduce yinz to the legendary Phil Herman! Let me just say it was also a privilege to go do some work on one of this man’s countless projects he has going on. More than ever I think Grossfest fans will be delighted to meet this dude in person. (Which I think he has mentioned this is one of his first conventions???)   

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0379108/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_3_nm_5_in_0_q_Phil%2520Herman

Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025

Location:

Comfort Inn Conference Center

699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235

To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6

August 1st, Friday 4-10pm

August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm

(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)

For show info: http://www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.

Vendor tables are $100 each and come with two passes contact grossfest@gmail.com for vendor application and how to pay.

Getting to know your Grossfest 2025 guest!

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For this next Grossfest 2025 guest announcement is a person I would call a “super talented Swiss Army Knife” of independent cinema as they have carved out a career over the past decade plus I have not seen since the likes of Debbie Rochon or Tiffany Shepis! They have done everything from acting, stunt work, producing, writing, directing, podcasting, you name it this person has done it! This person has quickly become someone all Indy filmmakers strive to have in on their project and they just got started. Would not be surprised if Hollywood comes (if they haven’t already) calling for this person sooner than later as they might be known for their excellent work in such projects: Swamp Zombies 2, The Profane Exhibit, Mrs. Claus, Halloween Horror Tales, Teacher Shortage, Return to Splatter Farm, Legend of Crick Foot, with upcoming projects such as Terrifying T-Rex, Return of the Corn Zombies, and Amityville Pool Toy Massacre. This next guest isn’t just another pretty face in the crowd her drive and body of work has proven that. Grossfest folks we are honored to introduce yinz to the one and only Mel Heflin! Mel’s passionate work is immediate as soon as she hits the screen and looks like she is having a blast every second of the way so please go check out her work sooner than later.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4068733/?fbclid=IwY2xjawH4145leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHREGZfOnSN0_yjtft3ulAF2DRT0kOkiqYNTeCSniHShyMekmDbOnwnl8Gg_aem_bIJvkTBpFaxRrz1pEFeXSg

Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025

Location:

Comfort Inn Conference Center

699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235

To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6

August 1st, Friday 4-10pm

August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm

(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)

For show info: www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.

Vendor tables are $100 each and come with two passes contact grossfest@gmail.com for vendor application and how to pay.

(Ever hear a picture says a thousand words… this says more than Mel Heflin being passionate? Actor on a mission to make an impact)

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR Grossfest 2025 GUEST!

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Once again almost no introduction is needed after Grossfest 2024, back by popular demand we present to yinz the multi-talented tattoo artist Angel O’Connor!!! Her work speaks for itself and Grossfest fans absolutely loved her! As the official tattoo artist of GrossFest she was an instant hit because what she is able to do horror tattoo wise and all attended were just loving her work and Angel’s charm when she came out to take a break and chat with guest and attendees when she had a chance. Soon as Grossfest 2024 was over I had people telling me they were already planning to see her again for Grossfest 2025!

Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025

Location:

Comfort Inn Conference Center

699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235

To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6

August 1st, Friday 4-10pm

August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm

(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)

For show info: http://www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.

Vendor tables are $100 each and come with two passes contact grossfest@gmail.com for vendor application and how to pay.

Getting to know your Grossfest 2025 guest!

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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR GROSSFEST 2025 GUEST!

For our next Grossfest announcement we will be introducing yinz to one of the hardest working people in independent cinema over the past few years. Their popularity is getting bigger by the day as they have been in such great Indy films: Cannibal Hookers, Shingles the Movie, Murdercise, Bigfoot Exorcist, along with over a dozen more projects in production. Most likely by time Grossfest rolls around in August she will have appeared in over 50 movies if not more? She combines her hard work with her next door girl charm to be one of the most in demand actresses there is… we like to introduce yinz to the awesome Jessa Flux.

Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025

Location:

Comfort Inn Conference Center

699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235

To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6

August 1st, Friday 4-10pm

August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm

(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)

For show info: http://www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.

Vendor tables are $100 each and come with two passes contact grossfest@gmail.com for vendor application and how to pay.

(Pic is of Jessa and our great friend Madeline Deering)