This website is dedicated to horror movies (independent and mainstream), beer, Full Moon, Spookies, Graveyard Shift, Leprechaun sequels, massacre films and watching every god damn horror film ever made or die trying!
Point of this list isn’t so much to piss everyone off as much I was asked to do a podcast recently and put together “my favorite twenty horror movies over the past twenty years”? So now that I have done the podcast, I thought I would post the list for those who didn’t or won’t hear the podcast.
Surprise, surprise, surprise guess who is coming to Grossfest 2024?! This is something that has been in the works since we began Grossfest. This person is a longtime friend, a brother to me, a person I have respected and championed his work for years to not just independent filmmakers but to all horror fans, you have heard me scream at conventions about him we present to you Grossfest fans: the man, the myth, the legend, the greatest horror T-shirt person out there T-shirt Joe Garcia!!!
May 1, 2024 – Brad Sykes’ previously unreleased SOV horror movie DREAMS OF THE DEAD has been acquired for Blu-ray release. Made in Virginia Beach, Virginia over the summer of 1994 by student filmmakers including Brett Edenton (THE PACT), DREAMS OF THE DEAD is a gripping supernatural horror film which combines Eurohorror imagery with Tales from the Darkside-style atmosphere.
Sykes, whose many horror credits include CAMP BLOOD, DEATH FACTORY and PLAGUERS, did not initially seek release for DREAMS OF THE DEAD back in 1994, screening it only for friends and family.
30 years later, DREAMS OF THE DEAD is ready to be unleashed, with a new music score by composer David Zuzelo and a new sound mix and titles by filmmaker Anthony Catanese. The result is an improved viewing experience that still retains the look and feel of the film’s gritty analog origins.
DREAMS OF THE DEAD will be released on VHS by Nightfall Pictures in Fall 2024 with a special edition Blu-ray to follow in 2025. Local screenings are planned throughout the US this year so indie horror fans can experience this one-of-a-kind horror film for the first time ever.
DREAMS OF THE DEAD Synopsis
Creatively blocked and recovering from a bad breakup, writer Adrian Hallow becomes obsessed with a series of letters he receives in the mail. Addressed to the previous occupant, who disappeared under strange circumstances, all the letters are written by a serial killer known as ‘K’. At the same time, a mysterious woman appears to Adrian in a series of disturbing dreams, beckoning him to save her. Adrian’s reality unravels as he begins a quest to find the truth behind the woman and her strange connection to K. Will Adrian rescue her in time, or simply become K’s next victim?
DREAMS OF THE DEAD credit block
NIGHTFALL PICTURES presents
a BRAD SYKES film
“DREAMS OF THE DEAD”
BRETT EDENTON – DAWN SOLERI – JOHN LIPFERT – KERSTIN GENNERT
So spread the word we are two days this year. Tell your friends, relatives, scream it from the rooftops; share it on all yinz social medias n’at as we want this to be the biggest Grossfest yet?!
Crocodile Swarm (DVD) – A group of thrill seekers head into an abandoned cave system to explore. But unknowingly they have disturbed a group of crocodiles using it for a nesting spot. Now some rescuers have come to help but there is good chance they will suffer the same fate as the crocs are pissed and sound like a herd of cats fighting at times. It is the usual corny killer animal fun that I will give 2 stars too.
Monster Grizzly (DVD) – A small snowy town where fracking has taken over as the residents are about to know the consequences of fracking as a pissed off grizzly has decided it has had enough! This grizzly is different, the grizzly is not killing for food, and it is literally slaughtering residents because it’s pissed. Lots of time is wasted in the movie as cops search the mountains for the grizzly even with bloody messes to find everywhere but still can’t find it. Started off fun but gradually has a terrible dull finish as I give this flick 1 ½ stars.
Late Checkout (DVD) – Indy filmmaker Josh Graves goes and gives independent movie fans a slasher film which involves a group of friends renting a cabin for a weekend to hang out again. Doesn’t take long for the drama between the young friends to start as it distracts them from a welder’s mask killer showing up to slaughter them one by one? I felt like the movie has a tacked on ending but I would say this film comes off as a cautionary tale for the young people to not Air BnB the cabin you are going too in the woods. The ending may have felt forced but Josh made sure to give fans a straight up old school slasher as I give the flick 2 ½ stars.
Screature of the Lagoon (DVD) – A terribly conceived independent film that has locals screaming about a possible creature or something escaping a top secret military facility into the Canadian woods. Some so-called mercs are hired to track down the creature and possibly capture it? Think bootleg “Robowar” but without the fun corny vibe to it that you knew it was a clear “Predator” rip-off as give this 1 star.
The Last Amityville Movie (Tubi) – For those of you still counting with me this is entry #59 into the long running franchise. This entry is from Josh Spiegel who plays himself in the film and considered a content creator and belongs to a horror online group that just covered the last Amityville film “Amityville Zoo”. Another pandemic comes down the pike affecting the world including trapping Josh’s wife and child in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa. Unemployed and a bored Josh begins to document everything online for his content during this new pandemic. One day Josh receives at his door a mysterious package from Amityville and it’s a doorknob? He makes fun of it online but immediately strange things begin to happen to him in his home. As things get weird he commits to filming everything until he can figure things out. Josh even has contact with a professor who explains that the doorknob is a cursed object from the original dwelling. Now Josh who recently bashed the Amityville series online and after some advice from a filmmaker of several entries has decided to turn this footage into a movie to hopefully be rid of the curse of Amityville. There are a lot of hilarious moments with Josh working in the absurdness of this series including “Amityville Vibrator”! Josh is all about breaking the curse including being chased by a bootleg CHUD in an alternate Amityville world?! I quite enjoyed this piece of entertaining cinema as Mr. Spiegel like Steve Rudzinski’s “Amityville Christmas Vacation” understood from the beginning to not take it too seriously. But just like Nathan Rumler’s “Amityville Vibrator” and the just mentioned Rudzinski project use your mind to put a great twist on the series that viewers will actually enjoy watching instead of moaning halfway through they are watching another shitty entry! Spiegel’s entry is well-crafted and a fun watch for all who have put themselves through watching so many of these Amityville movies as I give it 3 ½ stars.
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!
Grossfest got some excellent news this week from Jessa Flux about her fulfilling her dream! We support this and already have it in the works of working to bring her in for Grossfest 2025? So of course we always have a list of great independent people to bring in so let’s waste no time greeting and introducing our next two guests for Grossfest 2024 as they are super talented and sure yinz will love them:
Roni Jonah started her career as a professional wrestler, managing Mike “The Miz” Mizanin. From there, she became a staple on the indie film scene, appearing in nearly 80 films. Including fan favorites Shark Exorcist 1 and 2, Thrust, Deadly Dealings and The Wicked Ones among others. Definitely keep a look out for Roni starring alongside Erin Brown (aka Misty Mundae) in the upcoming Scream Dream.
Jason Crowe, a Kentucky native started his film career with a bang, landing the lead role in the now cult classic zombie film, “Dead Moon Rising.” Since then, Jason, a “fearless” actor known for immersing himself within a character, won best actor for his honest portrayal of Josh in Harvest Lake, and has continued on in films such as The Bad Man, Space Babes from Outer Space, The Wicked Ones and Hooker with a Hacksaw.
Arena Wars (DVD) – Here is a fun sci-fi B-flick that is set in the future… 2045 to be exact that has appearances of some cool stars in Michael Madsen, Eric Roberts, and Robert Lasardo. The film revolves a streaming TV show called “Arena Wars”: Seven rooms, seven extreme murderers, with a group of death row prisoners being sent through without weapons to survive. If they make it through the violence of course they are promised freedom. If not it’s no big loss to the legal system since the inmates are on death row. Of course everyone from all walks of life watches the show but TV execs are very concern with ratings as they seem to be in a downslide. So why not make a hero for the people to get behind? In comes Luke Bender who is innocent and undercover but to the TV execs this doesn’t matter as they have access to all prisoner info for their TV show. What also doesn’t help the execs ultimate financial goal is their killers or ‘specially formulated soldiers’ formula may not be working any longer? The execs are all in on Bender but Bender is not all in on their idea as he and his group are gaining support as they move through the rooms. Many small and big Indy projects have tried this “The Running Man” formula and failed. ‘Arena Wars’ has found an entertaining and watchable way of presenting itself as to me it feels like Arnold’s “The Running Man” of course, mixed with the lesser known “Final Round” with Lorenzo Lamas, with a splash of the recent horror film “Haunt” which means some good bloodshed! Sounds like a great screwed up future to me so I’m in as I give this action filled flick 3 out of 4 stars.
The Villain (DVD) – Before we all knew our boy Arnold as Conan and The Terminator, he was known as the “Handsome Stranger” in this Hal Needham comedy about the Old West. Imagine “Hooper” and “Cannonball Run” set in the old west with a little less laughs? Kirk Douglas plays a bumbling bad guy (Cactus Jack) who after a botched bank robbery is thrown in jail but approached by the banker to screw someone over. From there it is pretty much a live action cartoon throughout. Actually thought Arnold did a great job just don’t think it was the right project for him at the time but that was proven with his other projects as I give this 2 stars.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Theater) – It is exactly what you thought it was and what you were going to get. It’s the origin story of the Furiosa character from “Fury Road”. If you were a fan of the last Mad Max film you will mostly enjoy, if not then I suggest finding something else to watch instead of bitching about this project. George Miller and crew did almost everything right again in bringing the world of Mad Max to life again, almost…? I had to pick something and that would be as much I enjoy this character, the film itself, and this for selfish reasons, I need me some Max! The three second screen time was cool and satisfying but that is what I am always going to want from this franchise. Great film again and hopefully we get one more as I give this 3 ½ stars.
HeBGB TV (Blu-ray) – Wow, right out the gates this thing screams mid-90s Nick shows! This era is a little past my time but I was still able to appreciate what a great viewing pleasure of this project was. It begins with a rando package on a front doorstep picked up by siblings who were hoping it was pizza. This out of this world cable box once inside immediately hooks itself up and out comes “The Purple Guy” to explain and entertain the siblings. As The Purple Guy allows the siblings to watch the programming and advertisements we keep getting newsbreaks that the cable box is going everywhere and taking over the world. But the siblings in the end are not having what The Purple Guy is offering. The production and presentation of this project is just absolutely entertaining along with the young sibling characters giving this horror delight an innocence you don’t see often or pulled off correctly. Horror fans if you grew up in the 90s make a point to pick up a copy of this as these fantastic independent productions are rare as I give it 4 stars.
Verotika (DVD) – Well I finally decided it was time to see why some horror fans were calling this “the worst horror film” of all time as this was Glen Danzig’s first feature. After seeing his most recent one “Death Rider” and how weird some of that was this finally struck my curiosity? This anthology is broken down into three segments which the first is about a girl with eyeballs on her boobs and a giant spider dude who is screwing a hot babe! I am guessing Mr. Danzig is just a fan of Charles Band’s “Monsterbra” (remember those?) and what was it with the bad French accent? Anyhow the second segment is about a woman who likes to kill women to slice their faces off and display them. The last segment is about a countess who travels the countryside for beautiful women to bathe in their blood and enjoy the beheadings and bloodshed when she is done. The movie is neither good or bad, hell really felt like it doesn’t go anywhere but I will say I am glad I watched “Death Rider” first as I give this film 1 star.
The Dark (VHS/YouTube) – Stephen McHattie plays a scientist who gets into an incident with a cop played by Brion James concerning something mysterious living under a graveyard. Two years go by and McHattie’s character is still wanted as he shows back up in town again. This at the same time two graveyard workers uncovers the giant rat creature and its lair! The scientist of course thinks it is a link to the past as the cop just wants revenge for his partner to kill the creature. Think “Creature from the Black Lagoon” with a splash of “Lurking Fear” in this Canadian early 90s creature feature as I give it 2 ½ stars.
Twin Dragon Encounter (YouTube) – A Canadian mid-80s action mess about twin brothers knowing the art of ‘kung fu’, hell they even explain it in the opening scenes of the film about heroes in Hollywood. The main plot of the film concerns the twins taking their girlfriends on vacation only to be bothered by some Z-grade weekend warrior types. After the weekend warriors get their asses kick in slow motion a few times they decide to take action during their ‘war games’ to kidnap the girlfriends. This sets up more cheesy dialogue, more slow motion fighting, and action scenes that might make you piss yourself laughing as I give this entertaining movie mess 2 stars and not for being good.
Omen (On Demand) – Sometimes I go out of my comfort zone of movies and watch non-horror or just strange crap. This international project falls into that territory as in this dramatic tale a man goes back to his home country to confront his mother and family even though they believed he had the ‘mark of the devil’ on him. In his culture you want the blessing of your parents when getting married or having kids but mainly this was last chance to reconnect before his twins are born. Not the usual stuff you will see me review but it was just interesting enough for me to watch something about a man being shunned by family because he was the ‘devil’ as I give this 2 ½ stars.
Boy Kills World (On Demand) – In an alternate world where a deaf boy has his mom and sister murdered by a dictator. After being found in the jungle a Shaman trains him from a boy to adult to be the perfect killing machine. The boy never forgets what drives him as he wants revenge in this chaotic world of dreamy weirdness. But you have to pay attention to the complete insane story because not all is what it seems as this feels like someone threw Peter Jackson’s “Dead Alive”, the over the top action film “Hardcore Henry”, and one of my favs “Raid the Redemption” into a blender! The final product is a wonderful wacky huge body count of an action film that I will be enjoying many times over as I give it 4 stars.
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!
Arena Wars (DVD) – Here is a fun sci-fi B-flick that is set in the future… 2045 to be exact that has appearances of some cool stars in Michael Madsen, Eric Roberts, and Robert Lasardo. The film revolves a streaming TV show called “Arena Wars”: Seven rooms, seven extreme murderers, with a group of death row prisoners being sent through without weapons to survive. If they make it through the violence of course they are promised freedom. If not it’s no big loss to the legal system since the inmates are on death row. Of course everyone from all walks of life watches the show but TV execs are very concern with ratings as they seem to be in a downslide. So why not make a hero for the people to get behind? In comes Luke Bender who is innocent and undercover but to the TV execs this doesn’t matter as they have access to all prisoner info for their TV show. What also doesn’t help the execs ultimate financial goal is their killers or ‘specially formulated soldiers’ formula may not be working any longer? The execs are all in on Bender but Bender is not all in on their idea as he and his group are gaining support as they move through the rooms. Many small and big Indy projects have tried this “The Running Man” formula and failed. ‘Arena Wars’ has found an entertaining and watchable way of presenting itself as to me it feels like Arnold’s “The Running Man” of course, mixed with the lesser known “Final Round” with Lorenzo Lamas, with a splash of the recent horror film “Haunt” which means some good bloodshed! Sounds like a great screwed up future to me so I’m in as I give this action filled flick 3 out of 4 stars.
Realm of Shadows (YouTube/DVD) – An anthology of sorts of the weird, the occult, or the abstract where four ladies sit around a Ouija board for evil reasons and the board tells stories as it supposedly opens an evil realm. All the segments are quick, interconnect, and the anthology unlike most gets out in less than 90 minutes. Along the way we even get an appearance from the legendary Tony Todd, and the wonderfully exciting Vernon Wells. I guess you could say the film goes more for playing on fear than trying for the sheer terror aspect? This film doesn’t come off as an anthology for the straight up die hard horror fan as much as the occasional movie viewer who looks to wet their horror appetite once or twice a year outside of Halloween with Tubi or Netflix. Having the two known celebs on the cover won’t hurt so for that I gotta give this project 2 ½ out of 4 stars.
The Third Saturday in October Part V (Shudder) – The opening credits explain a little bit of what has gone on since the last Jack Harding killing spree as we see him disappear in 1979 at the end of the first film. But now the franchise has spawned a few successful sequels and this is the fourth one set in 1994. Harding terrorized Hackleburg, Alabama every year during the time 1979 to 1987 and of course the third Saturday of October then disappeared again. Harding has returned again to begin his killing spree, as the football rivalry continues so does Jack Harding. This entry is a straight up slasher in the sense of just piling up bodies more than adding to the mythos or bringing back characters that were fun to get to know during the first film. This entry isn’t at all terrible but not the follow up I wanted if that makes sense as I was expecting a continuation of characters and what not as this went the way of the “Friday the 13th” sequels but maybe that was the plan from the beginning? Consider me a little disappointed but still a solid horror film as I can only give this 2 ½ stars.
Alien Seed (VHS/YouTube) – It’s 1990, we got Erik Estrada, and this low budget direct-to-video trash precursor to “The X-files” storyline… You have my attention! Lisa’s sister is having strange dreams and visions before her untimely death, now Lisa is feeling very different like something has happened to her more than losing a sister? Dr. Stone comes a sniffing around to continue his ‘evil work’ secretly along with an author, Mark Timmons, who now is very interested in Lisa as he believes Lisa and her sister were abducted by aliens. But what complicates things besides the government wanting to get involved is Lisa being prego with an alien baby that two ‘men in black’ that can only afford driving a black Ford Tempo are trying to track her down. If you are old enough to remember outside of the Ford Pinto of the 80s, the Ford Tempo was the next hot piece of garbage Ford tried selling to consumers. Speaking of hot garbage this movie is bad but a hilarious fun bad if you remember renting these direct-to-video cult classics as for the love of Rutger Hauer it stars Erik Estrada that alone gets you 2 stars.
The Last Vampire on Earth (DVD) – On what Lord Rutger Hauer’s green earth did someone think this ultra-low budget “Twilight” trash think this was a good idea? This is a story in 2010 about a vampire boy having a relationship with a Christian girl who just so happen to have AIDS. It’s dumb, it’s overdramatic, Preacher dad wants to kill said vamp, and oh yeah let’s not forget the two are doing a “Dracula” college play! Let me whip this DVD into the trash and set it on fire as consider yourself warned if you even dare to attempt this turd as I give it nothing!
TRET (DVD) – So independent filmmaker Matthew Diulus decided to delight horror fans with a tale of Halloween horror that runs a little over 17 minutes. This tale of terror deals with a person disrespecting another person’s Halloween decorations and candy bowl thus there is consequences for this action? Break the rules you must choose ‘Trick or Tret’? So if there is anything to take away from this delightful scare it’s always respect people’s Halloween stuff as this was a wisely casted, performed, and crafted Halloween horror short that I got to give 4 out of 4 stars.
Summer of Fear (Blu-ray) – A Wes Craven TV movie production from 1978 that stars Linda Blair as Rachel who gets a surprise for the summer as her cousin Julia moves in after the untimely death of her mum. As Julia settles in strange little things begin to happen that only Rachel is noticing including her boyfriend played by Jeff East being stolen away. Everyone else believes Rachel is just overreacting and needs to just go with the flow. But Rachel refuses and gets help from her professor friend down the road to help her prove Julia is into the witchcraft and using it for no good. It’s your typical TV movie horror but a fun look back at seeing Fran Drescher playing Linda Blair’s best friend. Also the movie was titled at one time “Stranger in Our House” and did pretty well in the ratings when it first aired as I give the film 2 ½ stars.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (On Demand) – Round two of Kong and Godzilla has the titans living worlds apart. Kong is exploring Hollow Earth as Godzilla keeps Earth safe from giant creatures who show up to destroy cities. But Monarch goes exploring Hollow Earth after they are getting some strange signals and Godzilla seems to be powering up for something big? Kong and others discover another realm in Hallow Earth and become disturbed because the ancients tell a story of a Scar Kong that wants revenge and send the Earthly realm into darkness. Now Monarch must get Kong and Godzilla on the same side to go to war with this new threat. It is a big budget fun popcorn movie but I am to tell everyone I enjoyed it but it is such a far cry from greatness like “Godzilla Minus One” as that film has changed the landscape for the “Godzilla” franchise as I give this 3 stars.
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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