Gross Movie Reviews #309

By Tim Gross

West of Memphis (DVD) – A great documentary about the now legendary story of injustice of three youths who are now almost twenty years older and finally seeing the sun, sky, etc., outside of the prison walls. The film takes you through the tragic events that unfolded in West Memphis when a couple of children went missing. When there was no person that clues pointed to at the time, authorities immediately blamed three teenagers that were considered outsiders at the time. The misguided justice ruined many lives besides the now famous “West Memphis Three”, but parents of the missing and murdered children. Theories have been thrown out there; a couple HBO films called “Paradise Lost” were made about the horrible event, even people accused of the murders has been proven innocent. If you believe they did it or not this documentary point out what is really wrong with the justice system and the people who have to have too much power. Great film as I give a perfect 4 stars.

The Raid: Redemption (DVD) – You haven’t seen all action films until you have witnessed not watched, witnessed this non-stop action film. A task force of police are gathered and on their way to a high-rise building to bring down a drug lord. One problem the drug lord runs the whole building including security, has fellow patrons living there, and other gangs have died horrible deaths just trying to kill the drug lord. Once inside one man realizes they are trapped and knows they may not escape until he finds out his brother is the drug lord’s right hand man. Fun, brutal, fucking off the wall action you have never seen before. I have to give the film 4 stars.

Bering Sea Beast (DVD/SyFy Channel) – Its cheesy, its gory, it’s hilarious… Sea Vampires! Fishermen have to fight off creatures that look like the underwater version of the creature in “Graveyard Shift”! And it blows up in UV light! I give it 2 ½ stars, thank god for SyFy Channel.

Men in Black 3 (DVD) – Agent K must go back in time to help save Agent J as alien finds a time machine to go back and kill him so an invasion to destroy earth happens. The more I watched this film the more I kept asking myself why there was a sequel 15 years later… I give it 2 stars.

Hypothermia (DVD) – Michael Rooker and his family go to the family cabin to ice fish on their vacation. Trying to not offend or ruin a perfect winter day Rooker’s son explains to him he and his girlfriend is going into the peacecore for two years. Rooker being okay with it notices something weird in the water below and that is when the fishing lines get pulled in. After talking to a father/son duo ice fishing they start to think there may be something bigger under the ice? A cool creature film with a shitting looking creature but some awesome gore effects, plus it stars Michael Rooker. I give it 2 ½ stars.

Anthropophagous 2000 (DVD/YouTube) – Imagine a horrible no money independent remake made in 1999 that stars as Kyle Poling put it, “a bootleg George Eastman”. The movie is poorly done and was surprised it claims to pay homage rather than just try to be a direct sequel? Movies like this are what makes horror fans questioned what is considered movies these days… I give it 0 stars as it may be one of the worst films I have sat through.

Stonados (DVD/SyFy Channel) – Underwater volcanoes cause a disturbance in the atmosphere that picks up shit like Plymouth Rock and hurl it towards the Boston Harbor. I know the film is a big bag of poop but someone has to review this shit! It all can’t be Sea Vampires, Tara Reid, and Sharknados. I give it 1 star.

Freedom Strike (DVD) – Michael Dudikoff and commandoes take on Iraq in this film from 1998 that comes off like a cheap boring version of “Delta Force”. Dudikoff needs to get someone to cast him in the next ‘Expendables’ film. I give it 1 star.

Black Roses (DVD) – Filmmaker John Fasano fresh off “Rock ‘N’ Roll Nightmare” makes a horror film about a heavy metal band named “Black Roses” who produces music in the studio and want to begin their live concert career but want to work out some bugs. Meanwhile the parent groups, church groups, etc., are protesting the first concert in Mill Basin history. The parent groups want you to believe the band ‘Black Roses’ is evil and they will possess the teenagers and make them worship Satan. Which the sad part is the parent group was right in this case. This film has some cool looking creatures, cool music, and actually captures a piece of history of what it was like in the late 80s with parent groups and heavy metal music. If you are over 30, sit back and enjoy a fun horror flick as I give it 3 stars.

Insidious (DVD) – The horror film starts off calmly and creepy like “Poltergeist” where a couple of three children buy a new home and the middle child suffers a fall in the attic. What seems like a small bump to the head turns into something else as the kid does not wake up in the morning for school. Doctors don’t know what it is since it isn’t a coma and the parents don’t have answers. A few months go by and the mother begins to see and hear things, ghosts. The family moves to another home only to be followed by the same spirits. Soon grandma brings a friend in to explain the kid is fine but his spirit is somewhere else and other evil spirits are trying to get in since the father is haunted. The film starts off great but fizzles when it tries for its surprise ending. I give it 2 stars as I expected a little better from James Wan.

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

You can always visit and see some past reviews at: www.grossmoviereviews.com !!!

Also you now can purchase the co-directed film project from Daniel Boyd and I called, “Jagoff Massacre” at www.jagoffmassacre.com .

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 http://bloodbathsandboomsticks.blogspot.com/ .

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 that you can purchase a Gross Movie Reviews t-shirt but also Cannibal Campout, Woodchipper Massacre, and Spookies T-shirts also!!!! Go towww.fastcustomshirts.com for details.