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!
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!!!
The Beekeeper (On Demand) – This is not just another run of the mill action film starring Jason Statham. I think this movie is going to have some legs for the next few years. A mysterious dude named Adam Clay has rented a barn from a Mrs. Parker out in the middle of nowhere where he raises “bees”! But when Mrs. Parker is taken in by a computer scam and commits suicide after seeing she has just lost her savings Clay finds the aftermath. This sends Mr. Clay to find the United Data Company and burn them down from bottom to top. This event sets in motion Mr. Clay to find everyone who is involved and just burned them to the ground so to speak! Mr. Clay is an agent for the government that is a failsafe. He works outside of all agencies but has unlimited funds and have been a part of the US for decades as they are unstoppable killers. This is one of the better action film ideas I have seen in recent memory and love this concept as this taps into a very real-time subject that everyone could get behind and would want to happen as our government sucks at trying to control shit like this? Plus this movie doesn’t waste time at all throughout, there is no filler as Clay is just killing almost from the time it begins till the great ending as they still had time to fit in some interesting characters. This film gets my approval big time as I say you need to watch this as I give it 4 stars.
The Gladiator (YouTube) – A mid-80s TV movie from the dude that gave us ‘Driller Killer’ that I found out recently existed from my good friend/brother T-shirt Joe Garcia at www.fastcustomshirts.com . The film stars Nancy Allen, Rick Dees, Stan Shaw, and a bad ass 1969 Charger… Talk about a huge “let’s pick out of the grab bag of ideas”? The premise of this flick is a mysterious dude in this 1969 Charger (that never runs out of gas by the way) runs people off the road for fun. Rick and his younger brother become victims one evening after a bit of road rage. Rick survives the mishap barely only to become consumed with tracking down bad drivers and reporting them to the police with his bad ass 70s Silverado which by the way is able to shoot a grappling hook! Rick is literally making citizen’s arrest which is just laughable and just adds to the dramatic filler of this film. I wanted more out of this but maybe this is why TV movies in the mid-80s were dying off as they were not given as much creative freedom or their time passed unlike the fun times of the 70s TV movies as I could only give this 2 stars.
Raiders of the Living Dead (VHS) – A weird mid-80s no budget film that has been on my list of shit to track down to watch for years. We get someone investigating zombies, a boy making a laser gadget out of a laserdisc player (we are not dating this movie immediately?), and a movie that doesn’t make a whole lick of sense… This is most likely why this film wasn’t the easiest to track down and watch as I cannot give it more than 1 star.
The Boogens (Blu-ray) – By now I am sure most horror movie fans have either watched this film or have heard about it and have varying opinions on it: Too dark, the monsters barely show up, not enough people died, or this was one my favorite films to see on HBO when growing up in the early 80s. This was one of those horror films that slowly faded away as the 80s crept on and this title went out of print without anybody paying attention. Then sometime in the early 2000s when movies such as this were starting to pop up finally this movie was found by a newer generation of horror fans and that is how I believe it eventually had the rights bought up so it could see the light of day again in physical media? Anyway, set in Colorado, late February a small crew is reopening a mine that had a cave-in and strange happenings 70 years before. Talk of creatures eating miners and such fun crap. Well after this crew reopens the mine the strange bloodthirsty creatures awaken to feast again on those who dare enter their domain! For me this film just hit right when I was young watching it on the HBO, so almost every year in late February I am usually watching this with ‘My Bloody Valentine’ because I am a horror nerd at heart. But this is a recent Blu-ray release with a 4K transfer from Kino Lorber that let’s be honest I don’t how much cleaner they can get this? Anyhow, there aren’t a lot of extras but it does have two different commentaries from the director, cast, and film historian Howard S. Berger which were interesting if you enjoy the film? Also there is a little cool featurette called William Munns: The Man Who Made the Boogens. A fun interview that pretty much explains what we have and why and most likely why there really isn’t any deleted scenes floating out there as I give this proper release 3 stars.
The Monster that Challenged the World (DVD) – Just another fun 50s movie where after an earthquake under the ocean an ancient giant creature is released and begins to breed as it feeds on humans. Now only the scientists and the US Navy are the ones that can save humanity! One of those late night horror host favs that should be watched with friends or at a drive-in as I give it 3 stars.
A Haunting in Venice (On Demand) – Kenneth Branagh returns in this third entry as Detective Hercule who is lured out of retirement to figure out if a medium is a fraud or not? Feeling off his game and starting to believe in ghosts at a home that is believed to be haunted but also the cause of a young woman’s death he investigates. It dabbles into paranormal a little here but never goes over the edge and remembers what these movies are supposed to be and that is mysteries. I have enjoyed all three entries of the series so far and surprised they made a third one as I didn’t believe the second one did much box office? Anymore these days Hollywood is driven by greed like most things in this world and we don’t exactly get entertained by movies these days or taken to a different world if that makes sense for 90 or 120 minutes as often as we should… Anyway horror fans if looking for something a little different? You don’t need to see the first two flicks and you like ghosts stories well this is all you as I give it 3 stars.
Johnny Z (Tubi) – A recent Indy zombie flick I have followed over the past year seeing where I could grab a copy or watch it somewhere since the concept interest me. A little tough waiting as I believe it may have hit some festivals and such but now widely available for us weird Indy movie fans. This Spanish/English combo works in many ways to tell a story that is set already in a world overrun with zombies as people continue to live among them. We also have a corporation that of course has the cure for this terrible plague in a thing called “Patient Z” that they want to use for their rich friends and basically control the world kind of thing. But after this creation is broken out of the facility “Patient Z” or eventually “Johnny Z” is taken in by an older man (Jonray) who has been broken by the zombie plague. Slowly these two form a bond and try to protect each other from the corporation coming to collect their project. I quite enjoyed and was entertained by the subject matter this Indy flick tackles here as it was more complex than it looks? They try to inject something new and a little difficult to pull off into a ‘dead’ Indy genre “zombies” but that is just my opinion. I like some of the people who worked behind the scenes as their names are familiar if you are an Indy fan and we get a quick appearance from one of the best Indy actresses out there in Ellie Church. Overall this film kicks ass and entertaining as hell but I also believe there is a little bit of filler in the middle that could have been cut out of its 94 minute running time. Kudos to all involved as this might be the closest thing in independent cinema anytime soon I have seen like Zane Hershberger’s “Force to Fear” as I give this 3 out of 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!
Blood Feast (4K/remake) – I had no expectations going into this film because just like a lot of horror movie fans I felt this had been done already… ‘Blood Diner’ anyone?! Hell even ‘Blood Feast 2’ made a decade or two ago? But of course that didn’t stop anyone as an American family the Ramses headed to Paris six months ago to start up an American restaurant/diner thing. Owner Fuad Ramses and his diner are having tough times so he has been working a second job as night security dude at a museum. One morning Fuad has lost his pills which are critical to his health (according to Caroline Williams, the wife) and that night he witnesses Ishtar. Ishtar fascinates Fuad so much he goes to the library to do research on the goddess. Thus his research makes Fuad believe he has found the answer to his failings in Paris and it all starts with preparation for a giant feast that upcoming Saturday night with his family. Not only is he feeding on those he is killing but his family will also feast all in the name of Ishtar! There is no doubt the film went out of its way to be gory as hell. The cast and structure was great as Robert Rusler stole the flick with his performance that felt like he should have been in the 1963 original film as Fuad. Also it was great seeing an appearance of H.G. Lewis doing a YouTube thing giving backstory to Ishtar, a very tasteful gesture of a cameo. But my original stance on the film is still 2 out of 4 stars. Let me explain: If there was no original H.G. Lewis I think myself and other horror fans would have celebrated this release as soon as it was announced because this remake is solid and wonderful. But the biggest problem for any filmmaker is you are tackling something “historical” not only in minds of horror movie fans but just fans of “cinema”. So at least for me as I watch this version (as good as Robert Rusler was) I cannot get that original out of my mind let alone the over the top greatness called “Blood Diner” from the 80s. Hell, there is still a large portion of horror fans still learning of the legend of H.G. Lewis? This film I believe falls under the category “of it will be appreciated by horror fans in a decade or so after its release…” Also with this 4K version is the uncut version of the film, a ‘making of’ featurette, music video, red carpet premiere in 2018, promo teaser, and Scare cam. The full package itself I give 3 out of 4 stars and can be found through www.synapsefilms.com .
Desert Shadows (Tubi) – This little weirdo creature feature has Mitch Pileggi as Donnie who has lost his brother out in the desert when hunting one afternoon. Donnie has this crazy story about a monster or Baru in this case has taken him. With no one believing him he finds a Professor Ridley at a university who does believe and knows of a possible experiment that had rumored escapee at an old shutdown government facility near the disappearance. With the help of the professor’s assistant Morgan, Donnie and her go back and look for clues in hopes of finding Donnie’s brother? Instead they find some aftermath of victims of the creature which it might be a parasite that cocoons its victims to change them, mold them. Come on people, weird creature, government facility, and the bad ass dude that played Skinner on X-files! Gimme this shit all day as I give this fun creature flick 2 ½ stars.
Hair Metal Shotgun Zombie Massacre (You Tube) – After a few years of trying to track this one down for my list (yes for those that pay attention I have a massacre list just like an Amityville list and we are now under eight movies to find on my massacre list out of like 220) I watched this on You Tube on some kind of channel that is a virtual theater??? Anyway, this film takes place somewhere in Texas after 1989 it claims where four desperate metal heads and their drummer screw up with an evil book. The band is struggling to make it and to record an album but finally get their chance at a studio that was placed inside a cottage in the middle of a cemetery that was used to bury rapists and murders. Yes indeed, that is Metal! Of course after getting the booze and drugs going they find the evil book in the basement of this studio and decide to use it for their music. Thus of course brings forth the dead in this rather gory little Indy film that has zombies crashing the recording session. Surrounded by the undead and even with their flame throwing guitar there is nothing to do but pray to Satan for help who is played by none other Tom Araya, who shows up to make the film worth the watch just for this moment! The 83 minute Indy film has its moments and is a definite must watch if you were a metal person in the 80s and early 90s as kudos to the filmmakers for keeping that vibe throughout the feature. The only thing I could of maybe added to this is if they would have gotten W.A.S.P. front man Blackie Lawless to show up with Tom Araya or one be god and the other to be Satan now that would have been wonderful? But fun times with this metal zombie chaos as yeah it could have been edited to probably 70 minutes but it has some great gore, good music, and fucking Tom Araya from Slayer as I give this 2 ½ out of 4 stars.
Pot Zombies (DVD/You Tube) – An Indy film from the early 2000s I remember being advertised at some of the horror conventions I use to go to at that time. This quick flick directed by Justin Powers has some locals secretly placing radioactive material into the weed seedlings. So now whoever smokes the weed turns green and has the munchies for human flesh! There really isn’t an ending to this movie but there is a sequel I plan on checking out soon and if you look up this film you will come across my favorite person of all time T-shirt Joe Garcia of www.fastcustomshirts.com making shirts and talking about the film as I give this no budget flick 2 out of 4 stars.
Nightmare Alley (DVD/remake) – A recent remake of a film that was unknown to me as I mostly check out horror flicks and such but anytime the name Guillermo Del Toro is attached to it you got my attention. This is a period piece that starts I believe some time after the first World War about a man Bradley Cooper playing a drifter who hooks up with a carnival one evening. As he stays and learns the ins and outs of the carnival lifestyle he meets a young woman named Molly that he cannot keep his eyes off of. After a while he convinces her to leave with him and two years later they have a mentalist duo act that caters to the rich. Bradley Cooper or Stan is warned of using these powers too much or for not so good things as they will lead to trouble? But as he starts to believe his own bullshit seeing the money getting bigger and bigger his life begins to crumble around him. This is a great telling of the Freakshow business in the first half of the 1900s. Again this isn’t a horror movie as much as an interesting drama as I give it 3 stars.
Willard (DVD) – Food of the Gods, SyFy Channel, etc., owe a lot to this classic that doesn’t get talked about much these days that also not only had a sequel of sorts but a remake with Crispin Glover that was dark and wonderful. It is always fun to go back and revisit something like this 1971 classic about a young man Willard, who is stuck in a terrible job where he is overworked and overwhelmed by his controlling mother. But things are about to change for Willard as he makes friends with a rat outside of his mother’s home and the friendship blossoms that helps Willard come out of his shyness. But just when things are beginning to look great for Willard, his mother dies, he is about to lose his house, and that ignorant boss of his has just fired him causing friction between Willard and his new rat friends. Fun horror stuff that is kind of light hearted by today’s standards but was definitely the template for future “animal attacks horror films” and “rat horror films”. Just as equally good is the remake with Crispin Glover which I believe is a more sinister and darker version of this film also worth checking out as I give this 3 stars.
Hold that Ghost (DVD) – A 1941 film that has Abbott and Costello in their second film ever as the comedy act play relief waiters who get fired the first night on. They then become gas station attendants to make ends meet. Trying to explain jobs that don’t exist any longer for those who don’t even know this was a job long ago? Anyway these two somehow get mixed up with a mob man Moose Manson and are with him when he dies so they get to inherit supposedly a haunted hotel. From there as someone is murdered and two guys claiming to be detectives but disappear as the hilarity ensues. This is just a fun reset for horror fans that are looking for that movie to help cleanse the palate before doing another deep dive in cinema as I give this 3 stars.
Blood Gorge (You Tube) – I received a screener of a 40 minute independent horror film from a new name to the scene Victor Gabriel who wrote and directed this slasher film that takes place around Halloween. Victor gets right to the point in this straight forward Indy slasher where a masked man is slaughtering his way through a group of young people with some fun unique kills. The cast is likable, Victor was sure to keep this tight so the story doesn’t grow dull (it’s hard to bring something new if anything to the slasher genre), love the Faces of Death jacket to engrain that 80s horror feel, but the surprise good thing of this first effort out is the effects as they are just delightful to see! Victor and company are not reinventing the wheel here but this has that “let’s see if we can accomplish this first before we do what we really want to do next” kind of film feel. An experimental project if you like to say as I believe they have succeeded with flying colors! Great stuff from a new name to me in the Indy world and look forward to seeing what is next as I give this project 3 out of 4 stars.
Saltville (DVD/You Tube) – From the mind that gave us Indy lovers “Music Store Massacre” comes an independent drama about racism still existing in a small mountain town of Virginia and the past coming back to haunt those who are corrupt. You know me this isn’t my usual cup of independent film tea but always enjoy getting to see stuff from a filmmaker that is completely off the beaten path. A brother returns home after twenty some years after a disappearance of their sister in the mountains that still haunts them. They disagree on just about everything including the new ski resort that is going to be built on the mountain but requires removing or forcing people who have lived up there out of their forest homes for hundreds of years. Sleazy lawyer, sinister plans to remove people, inbred blue people, racism, a missing sister, and using the Civil War as a back drop for this drama makes for an interesting project as I got give this film 2 ½ out of 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!
This week we do one of our favorite shows with one of our favorite people T-Shirt Joe. And that show will be a recap of the good, the bad, and the mediocre of 2021. Everyone else did it so why no us. So download this episode or NO T-SHIRT FOR YOU (because Seinfeld… ya know)
This week Tim, Kyle and John return to talk about yet 3 more movies that you may have overlooked. First John talks about a great flick that was theatrically released last year but didn’t do much at the box office in the great monster flick ANTLERS. Then Kyle talks about a buddy druggie flick that stars 2pac and Tim Roth in one of those “everything goes wrong” movies in GRIDLOCK’D. And finally Tim chats about one of his favorite independent comedies to come out lately in BURGERON BROTHERS: WEDDIN VIDEOGRAPHERS, Along the way we chat about the current state of the foosballs, how Kyle got THE COVID, We got your questions and all the news that’s fit to chat about. ALSO, we take the first trip down the Amityville road by talking about the O.G. Amityville Horror movie in what will be us covering a 52 week series reviewing any movie with Amityville in the title. So download this episode or GET OUT!!!!!
This time Tim, Kyle and John come back and bring another 3 flicks from the deep recesses of your local mom and pop video store to talk about. First we have an oldie but a goodie and what may be a very early inspiration for Batman in THE BAT WHISPERS. Then Kyle finds out what happens when Corey Feldman and his buddies get up to when they find rocket launchers and a pissed off Don Swayze while playing grab ass in the woods in EDGE OF HONOR. And Finally John talks about an Agatha Christie adaptation starring Donald Pleasence and Frank Stallone in the Cannon Groups’ version of 10 LITTLE INDIANS. We also get up to our old nonsense like talking football, reading the news, and answering your questions. So download this episode or your less talented sibling will tell you to listen to another podcast.
This week we invite our good friend and your friendly t-shirt salesman T-Shirt Joe back on the show because it’s Halloween. And when we think of Halloween we think of 80’s boner jamz. And on this episode we pick 3 flicks so bad that they may have killed the boner jamz episodes for good. First Joe brings us to T&A College and 5 dudes on their never ending quest to see all the boobies in SCREWBALLS. Next Kyle picks a cinematic abortion from 1984 that has no redeeming qualities at all (except maybe the sweet Sake tunes from The Untouchables) in THE PARTY ANIMAL. And finally a different set of dudes set about the beaches of California to get laid, see boobs and drink ketchup in HOT MOVES… Hey! At least Jill Schoelin is in it to Kyle’s great joy. And as always we have the news, we answer your listener questions, and talk about our favorite tricks to pull at parties. So download this episode or the will make a re-boot of The Party Animal (GOD FOIRBID)
This week Tim is on vacation so we called upon the only man who can solve all of our current race related problems T-SHIRT JOE! So firstly on Blaxploitation week John brings us SOUL BROTHERS OF KUNG FU, And Then Joe talks about a Bernie Casey jam called DR. BLACK AND MR. HYDE. And finally Kyle cools us out and chats about a tale of a racist white man played by genre staple WILLIAM SMITH trying to push drugs into a clean neighborhood in BLACK SAMSON. Along the way we talk about all the old time comedy duos we can’t stand, what is with all the recent anti-Asian hatred, Why Kyle now hates THE OUTSIDERS (except Estevez, that dude is harsh), We also cover all the news, Answer all your listener questions, and cover what we have been watching the last week. So download this episode or Bernie Casey won’t cure your bad case of Hepatitis at his Health clinic/thrift store.
As we prepare to slam the door on this dumpster fire goat fuck of a year it wouldn’t be complete without a visit from T-Shirt Joe to help us run down the good, the bad, and the ugly of all the flicks of 2020. And we also have a very important… very special message from Tim Gross that you all need to hear. And as always we cover what we’ve been watching. What’s been happening in the news, and answer your listener questions. So download this episode or prepare to get infected with COVID 20.
This week we return with 3 very different movies to discuss. First we chat about a Clint Eastwood crime flick in TIGHTROPE. Then Tim picks UNCLE PECKERHEAD as only Tim could. And finally we cover our very first Santo flick in SANTO AND THE BLUE DEMON IN ATLANTIS. Also we get around to talking about such things as T-Shirts and where to get them, why Tim looks like an asshole to random people, Captain Kirk and the proper way of punching aliens in the dick, And a dozen of other topics. We also answer your questions and run down what we all have been watching this week. So Download this episode of Spock will get all horny.
This week we return to talk about some T&A flicks and we are bringing with us T-Shirt Joe. First we got a pretty weird Animal House rip-off in KING FRAT. Then Joe brings the heat with 1987’s PRETTY SMART. And finally we chat about 1979’s H.O.T.S. We also lament the cancellation of Halloween, How to identify and understand what random John Wayne your Dad is watching on television, The new greatness of Korean zombie flicks and a ton of other hot topics. So download this episode of all those poor seals will die.
This week Kyle, Tim, and John gather again to chat about 3 more genre flicks to make your brain fry. First Tim covers WERESQUITO: NAZI HUNTER (yes, you read that right). Next Kyle picks a flick he has never seen but seems to be right up his alley in BRAINSTORM. And John covers a sequel to a Christmas time cult classic in JACK FROST 2: THE REVENGE OF THE KILLER MUTANT SNOWMAN. We also talk about what we have been watching and read and answer you listener questions. So download this episode if you love Christopher Walken wearing futuristic headgear.
Welcome to the year 2020… And you know what time it is not. It’s time to join our good buddy T-Shirt Joe and recall all of the best movies we’ve all watched in the year 2019. We cover it all. The good, the bad, and the honorable mentions. So download this episode before Trump kills us all.
The 2019 was a great year for television. And Kyle and T-Shirt Joe are here to talk about all of it. Well, all of it except the What We Do In The Shadows series on FX because Kyle forgot to write that one down.
This week Tim, Kyle and John return to discuss 3 more fine flicks. Starting with a great comedy jam directed by Jackie Kong and starring the Unknown Comic in NIGHT PATROL. Then we continue on to cover a really great art/horror flick in MESSIAH OF EVIL. And lastly we chat about an all-time video store jam in 1984’s MUTANT. We also talk about shudder T.V. and Joe Bob Briggs conspiracies, Shitty Amazon practices, why every podcaster is always sick, and Kyle watches more quasi racist Clint Eastwood movies.
This week Kyle, Tim and John return with 3 more genre flicks to talk about. First we go to jail to meet John Vernon and his weird sexy time jail house in CHAINED HEAT. Then, John talks about another video store jammy jam in Kevin Tinney’s WITCHTRAP (wick Kyle may have watched Witchboard mistakenly watched). And lastly Tim picks a real turd in THE KILLINGS OF OUTPOST ZETA. We also talk about how awesome Alice Cooper is, how shitty KISS is, and we also answer your questions and read some news too. So download this show or Gene Simmons will set your wallet on fire.
This go around we reunite to cover all things Westeros in our annual GAME OF THRONES SEASON * Wrap up show. And since Tim and John don’t watch (or care about) the greatest television show of our time Kyle has invited 2 sensible human beings to co-host the episode with him. Those 2 dudes being T-Shirt Joe and Danno Klonowski. So did the show end with a bang, or, did it go out with a whimper and shit the bed. You decide! So, go and download this episode or you won’t get any tasty Varys BBQ.
This week we return from our respective graves to chat up 3 more genre films. The first being an independent slasher in the wood flick with the always great Tiffany Shepis in AXEMAN. Next we dive into the deep end of Bruce-sploitation and we see what happened when Bootleg Bruce Lee fights Popeye, The Godfather, Emmanuelle, Dracula, and all sorts of other kooky dudes in hell in THE DRAGON LIVES AGAIN. And lastly we chat about Jamie Lee Curtis in an all-time 80′ slasher jam in TERROR TRAIN. We also talk about the absurdity of Avengers: Endgame. Tim continues his search for Platypossum, and we also have a ne fascination with our new found podcast mascot Chinese Popeye. So download this episode or no spinach for you!
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