Tag Archives: Lance Henriksen

Gross Movie Reviews #715

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After the Millenium (Blu-ray) – This is an excellent 2 ½ hour deep dive documentary into Chris Carter’s creation that changed television in 1996. With X-files slowly becoming a huge hit on Fox, the network turned to Chris to do it again as we got a very dark show about groups within the government that work outside of the lines preparing for the oncoming millennium that some believed would be the end of mankind? The show centered on a retired profiler in Frank Black (Lance Henriksen) who has a talent unlike most profilers to get in the killer’s mind. This dark departure from the X-files is something I think people at the time claimed to be ready for but were not as this show went to places that wasn’t seen before on networks. This documentary is such a nerd thing but great thing if you were a fan of the show as it has interviews with everyone (except Terry O’Quinn which I am not sure why as they all spoke well of him). The doc breaks down many episodes, how they were getting on television, to the reason the show was getting canceled as most behind the scenes blame television watching habits were already starting to change in 1999. I loved how deep this gets into the Frank Black character but it was really cool to see Lance Henriksen just relish the idea of speaking about the character again. If you were a big nerd for the show in the 90s like I was this will satisfy the hunger to know more as I give it 4 stars.

Second Chance (YouTube) – Grey Valley is a location where it seems there is a struggle between God and the Devil or who actually believes in them? This 2020 film is about a christian community dealing with a cult that has shown up to revive Satan as the cult believes in the second coming. Many in the town ignore or ignorant to the fact that bodies are beginning to pile up and this cult is going to take over. Kudos to the filmmaker for taking on some cool old school horror that I believe with a tweak here or there would get the independent film in fun creepy territory. I enjoyed the concept but the one thing that kept bothering me was the music as from beginning to end if there was different music that more fits the theme of this feature I believe there would be more eyes on this project as I give it 2 out of 4 stars.

Scribbles from the Crypt (DVD) – This anthology comes in different with its August Underground/Nekromantik imagery to begin the project with its four stories that hit more like a lost 80s SOV film. First story has a man reflecting on his madness and murder, the second story tackles a man’s obsession with death, as the third story is about a woman who has always felt she had more in common with the dead than the living, and the last story deals with a young woman seeing it through to become a witch.  Surprisingly this anthology kept my interest and succeeded where some others failed because of it embracing its low budget, knowing the idea of an anthology flow and connection, the passion behind this felt genuine, understanding of editing, but also its play with colors and being a little abstract at times. This was quite a piece of entertainment that I haven’t heard much on so take a chance and check this independent project out as I give it 3 out of 4 stars.

Popeye Resurrection (Tubi) – Another sequel into ITN Entertainment’s franchise that I am not sure why I am still paying attention to as a survivor (Cassie) from the last entry is trying to get over the horror of the Popeye experiment. Cassie having nightmares long after and isolating herself mostly except for the roommate she has to cope with the problem. Cassie’s roommate convinces Cassie to take a trip to her cabin with her just to get away? But they don’t mind the cult members already hanging out in the cabin as they wait for nightfall to plan bringing order to chaos as they want to have a ritual to bring Popeye back. Popeye comes back for ten minutes, the slaughter is on, Cassie must confront her nightmare, and this feels completely lazy and boring as I can only give this terrible sequel a ½ star.

Water Park Shark (Tubi) – Same person that gave us “Sharknado” gives us a new fun shark terror flick in which sharks have entered a water park. Wicked Waves water park has a celebrated football player come back home to work at the water park for a second chance. As Austin Dillard finds his way around, sharks are finding their way through the park’s drain system to attack unexpecting humans. Of course the mayor/owner of the park doesn’t want word to get out as the park is not as popular as it once was so of course he is trying to use all the electricity from the park to help mine for crypto in his park basement bunker. The high current is what makes the sharks search out the park to feed! It’s hilarious and fun but it lacks one thing and that would have been a premiere of SyFy Channel during “Shark Week”. It was a yearly fun thing that made it an event for horror movie fans to get killer shark movies every year. But now it just doesn’t feel right and actually feels it takes a little something away from watching something this fun as I give it 2 ½ stars.

Bambi: The Reckoning (Tubi) – Now I am not expecting a whole lot from this CG garbage as I just wanted to see a deer fuck shit up! And to their credit they gave me a mutant deer fucking people up. Anyway, deer and a few other animals drink the toxic waste that has been spilled in the forest, they mutate, now the animals are pissed. As Bambi stalks a family living out in the middle of the woods, a small group is trying to contain the mutant animals to dispose of them so there is no evidence of what has been done. You got a whiny kid, a crazy grandma, and a mutated deer that just fucks humans up… yep I enjoyed as I give it 2 stars.

Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare (Tubi) – This is an odd but interesting tale of a dude calling himself Peter Pan who is looking for boys to take them to Neverland, shooting up Pixie dust, and has a strung out woman living with him named Tinkerbell. A bizarre and somewhat brutal tale of a serial killer who snatches up his latest victim Michael but whose sister Wendy refuses to give up trying to find who snatched up her brother. But this isn’t any regular kidnapping as Peter Pan goes on an oddity of killing spree of a school bus and Michael’s friends’ family. For whatever reason this delusional serial killer believes Michael is his chance to be young again in Neverland but it soon becomes an unsuspecting bloodbath of a feature that I was glad I watched as I give it 2 ½ stars.

Gross Movie Reviews #681

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Bigfoot Town (YouTube) – Mitch Laing is at again with Bigfoot stuff as this time a family who inherited a farm in the town of Mountain Bend decide it’s a good idea to move there and get the place up and running. As they adjust to the new life two hunters die of unnatural causes which has authorities all over the property investigating. To add to the aggravation the “Chasing Bogman” crew shows up adding chaos to the event. Funny thing is the mayor allows the crew to do whatever they want in the small town as it’s not long before the film crew figures out they are in over their head with chasing this Bigfoot! Another bloody entertaining good time as I give this production 2 ½ out of 4 stars.

Sea of Madness: Siren’s Revenge (YouTube) – So what’s left of the “Chasing Bogman” crew finds their way to a research ship? But this isn’t any research ship as this an experiment with bacteria from the ocean floor has gone wrong! Something has infected most of the crew on board or has eaten them as a monstrous being lurks in the darkness of the vessel. Unbeknownst to some stranded people from another boat who find the vessel believe they are saved until they start to venture deep into the ship and find what is left of the crew. Instead of being saved now it is survival mode as they try to kill what is on the ship? ‘Mermaid horror’ is a hard thing to pull off on a big budget or small as something always goes wrong or the filmmaker lingers away from the original concept… I gotta give Mr. Laing and crew kudos on this one for bringing to life a new take on a tough horror concept especially with that cool transformation scene about 2/3’s of the way through the film. Independent movie fans, give this one a chance as it is free on YouTube to watch as I give it 3 out of 4 stars.

The Rake Investigation (YouTube) – This project is filmed a little different as its part documentary, part investigating a different Cryptid legend, part getting the band back together (Chasing Bogman show). This time around two investigating teams get together to join forces to investigate a supernatural creature in the woods that rips hearts out called “The Rake”. (The creature looks like a bootleg version of that character with eyes on their hands from Pan’s Labyrinth but with a smaller head or a smaller version of that thing from The Keep.) Anyhow the super team tries to focus on tracking this demon-like creature down but at the same time talk about their mid-life crisis of having their original host Richard Brooks rejoin their looks into the unknown. I enjoyed Mitch Laing and folks branching out away from Bigfoot with this newer project in order to breathe fresh life into Cryptid horror. This movie is far from perfect but I believe Mr. Laing has got something here and curious where he goes from here with future projects that live in this little universe he has constructed as I give it 2 ½ out of 4 stars.

Jaws of the Shark (Blu-ray) – Oh, for the love of Rutger Hauer where has this 2012 no budget Swedish project been hiding from me? From second one this film was made with a smirk on their faces as scientists experiment with a shark and less than eight minutes into the film we have a dude in a bad shark costume running around with a chainsaw killing people! This 65 minute beauty had me laughing from beginning to end as the filmmaker didn’t just lean into the movie being bad, they know it and absolute had fun with it which makes this project brilliant. If the chainsaw doesn’t get you laughing? It doesn’t take long to watch the shark put a human on a spit roast, do horrible car stunts, or have a detective make terrible but hilarious jokes at a police lineup. With this creature on the loose it comes down to a survivor wearing a wig for no apparent reason (as most of the characters are) and a shark mercenary (he wears a gas mask the entire film) to track and kill this creature before it continues its slaughter! Oh my friends there is indeed a good chance this fine project ends up on my “Best of 2025 list” as I give this movie 4 out of 4 stars.

Needlestick (DVD) – So the man, the myth, the legend Lance Henriksen plays a doctor in this little hospital horror where he recently had a stroke but also has a super-secret experiment going on in the basement. His experiment deals with unlocking immortality! Which of course he is jabbing himself with his own formula to fix the complications from his said stroke. Meanwhile a young good doctor Alex is just trying to learn from him and be the main man at the hospital. That’s only a small part of the story as this hospital is the most corrupt movie hospital of all time as there is a lot people getting stabbed with needles in this little horror flick so beware as I give it 2 stars.

A Crazy Country Christmas (VHS) – A demented tale of a young man who kills his best friend during the holiday season as he truly feels he needs to kill again but is haunted by his actions. Most of this looks like a rough edit from a young filmmaker where most of the 24 minute running time is the main character Michael fighting with his inner self trying to convince that he is a maniac? A rude and crude throwback of someone’s early work but always interesting to see where and how filmmakers start out as I give it 1 ½ out of 4 stars.

Meat Cleaver Campout Massacre (YouTube) – A man with a meat cleaver has escaped the local psych ward to start slicing and dicing random people he comes across. According to his doctor who is not in a real hurry to track him down believes the psycho is heading back home to the campground where his original slaughter was (sounds a little familiar). Anyway, the killer seems to be unstoppable as he does admire his kills a little too long for this no budget slasher that if I read the credits correctly was made in a day??? Felt if this Canadian production was edited down to 30 minutes from the almost 80 minute runtime this no budget slasher might take on more of a menacing tone if that makes sense? But hey if you like no budget slashers, it is out there for free as I give it 1 ½ out of 4 stars as this truly feels like a lost project someone made in 1993 and just threw it out there for the first time.

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!

Gross Movie Reviews #667

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The Slasher Nurse (Film Freeway) – Twenty years ago two girls (Piper and Grace) go to what they believe is an abandon house that looks really cool for their movie shoot. But the girls find out they are not alone as some of their friends play a prank that has Piper locked in a trunk when they are run off the property by an old man. Her brother finds her later only to be stabbed in a fit of rage by accident by Piper. Fast forward twenty years and the friends all work together exception for Piper who happens to be at the Blue Ridge Facility. Grace, friends, and work friends are all going away for the weekend but old wounds are reopened when Evan who is blamed for the prank gone wrong shows up before the weekend gets started. If that wasn’t enough the same evening Piper who hasn’t said much for years has escaped the hospital and has already created a murderous path to Grace and friends. The film is an interesting “prank goes wrong” flick with some nice gory kills that includes a death by lawnmower. Plus what will help writer/director to get film distribution are the appearances of popular horror stars: Felissa Rose, Diana Prince, and Jim Krut. Even though Kerr gives it a fun touch of bringing some freshness to the slasher genre its main flaw is the 107 minute running time that could easily be trimmed down to 88-90 minute time frame but that is for another conversation. But Kerr’s saving grace (no pun intended) is the twist he gave to his horror feature as I give the feature 2 ½ out of 4 stars.

The Shizzly Grark (Fawesome) – Yes folks, half bear/half shark Cryptid that a small town claims is real? Kids doing a senior film project on this thing wanna prove that it is a thing of fiction, urban legend but they disappear before the project is finished. This is the found footage, interviews and experience of seeing this mysterious creature. The movie did a smart by keeping it under an hour and keeping the pacing non-stop but the real highlight in this mess about the fictional creature is “The Mummy” being interviewed on his thoughts… downright hilarious! The movie is a complete terrible mess but should have enough charm to keep you entertained and not disappointed you watched it as I give it 2 out of 4 stars.

Booger (DVD) – The film is from 2023 but just hit all the streaming sites and is a complete turd! Anna loses her best friend Izzy who helped take care of this stray cat. Shortly after Izzy’s death the cat supposedly bites Anna, disappears, and Anna slowly goes through changes including her depression for her dead friend. Anna completely ignores her boyfriend, job, and life in general looking for this cat named ‘Booger’. The film is listed as a horror/comedy and I neither laughed nor seen anything horrifying other than wasting my fuckin 78 minutes watching it. A stupid young twenty something wants to act like a cat and at the end all is fine? This passes for some kind of a movie? I have seen movies that don’t even try but this so-called movie is insulting Indy filmmaking in general as this of course gets nothing except for already winning the award for being the worst film I have watched already in 2025. Sorry it’s not Meta, it’s not ironic, and it’s just fucking dumb!        

Pandemic Thirst (Blu-ray) – Chris Woods and a talented cast put together a quick 64 minute film that revolves around 2020s Covid-19 and how it affects vampires. The film opens with Covid just hitting as people scramble to get home before everything closes down for a period of time as humans are about to deal with a horrible virus worse than vampires. During the early days of this pandemic Cynthia is on the run and sick with nowhere to turn a beautiful vampire Willow happens to find her. They share a hotel room and instead of Willow feeding on Cynthia she chooses to turn her. But there is a catch as the virus may have already been in Cynthia’s blood and for some unknown reason it has actually made Willow terribly sick as vampires have survived plagues and viruses long before this. Simply put this is an interesting concept that has that “SyFy Channel Saturday Night vibe” but done ‘The Sleaze Box’ way with Sushii Xhyvette Holder just being an absolute fun bad ass as she hits it out of the park with this role. Like Mr. Woods or not I do respect what he did with this concept and gotta give this entertaining Indy vamp flick 3 out of 4 stars.

Eat and Run (YouTube) – A mid-80s oddity from New World Pictures where an alien lands on Earth that enjoys eating Italian… Eye-talian people that is! A detective McSorely (Ron Silver) who works for the NYPD and talks like he is describing his character’s actions in a book at all times sees the impossible which this huge thing eating Italians and has to convince his boss that aliens exist. With the police force believing McSorely is nuts, he’s on his own to bring in this maniac alien with an appetite. There is some terrible 80s jokes and along with the alien cuckolding Ron Silver’s character but that doesn’t stop McSorely bringing the alien to justice as the film doesn’t really have an ending as I give the bad attempt at comedy 1 ½ stars.

Behind the Walls (Blu-ray) – A family moves into an old house with the intention of course to call it theirs and fix it up along with the broken family relationship. All members feel like there is something off about the house but of course since they are white decide to stay only to find out the hard way the house has an evil presence that has decided to keep them there. Which by the way the evil presence in the home is played by bootleg toxic waste dude from Robocop. The movie come off like a family drama than horror film as from beginning to end the movie just moves at a disjointed pace. Horror fans yinz are not missing much here as I can only give it 1 star.

The Nature of the Beast (Tubi) – A mid-90s Victor Salva flick where two very different men (Jack and Adrian) keep crossing paths in small desert towns. One stole a good bit of money from a casino and the other is a cold hearted serial killer. Both use each other as cover until they reach a breaking point that doesn’t end well for one as it stars the man, the myth, the legend Lance Henriksen and Eric Roberts. Sounds good on paper, two solid performers, but something just doesn’t feel right from the beginning as I can only give this feature 2 stars.

Heart Eyes (On Demand) – It is Valentine’s Day and in the past two years there has been a murder spree in Boston and Philadelphia that the serial killer has been named the “Heart Eyes Killer”. Now set in Seattle the Heart Eyes Killer has set his sights on this city where once again he will look for couples to kill as he did the past two years on this lovely holiday. Best way to describe this latest slasher feature is ‘Scream meets a RomCom’ made for people under the age of 24. Now while I say that this isn’t a terrible movie by any means that most likely will be the ‘My Bloody Valentine’ for the new generation of horror fans? But this might be the first film in quite a while that was literally targeting a very specific group of horror fans to start a franchise. You see the ending coming a mile away and plus you’ll understand why I said ‘Scream’ as I give this interesting let’s say ‘test subject for the young-ins’ 2 stars.  

Trail Cam Sasquatch (Fawesome) – Something strange has been going on in the woods of Central, Pa., in fall of 2024 as UFO sightings are almost reported daily but what comes along with that is Sasquatch sightings. Trail cams in the woods have been snapping a photo daily of this mysterious creature but to no avail it stays elusive from authorities. So a small hunting party plans to go into the woods for the weekend to capture the elusive creature unless Tim Hatch’s character is trapped in a bathroom taking the morning grumpy? But the only thing this small hunting party finds is a young injured woman lost in the woods that brings the wrath of not just one Sasquatch but many! Tim Hatch’s character keeps the horror light in this Polonia feature but entertaining as I give it 3 out of 4 stars.

The Girl Who Wore Yellow Lace (Tubi) – This feature feels like Mark Polonia goes way out of his comfort zone to bring a giallo to his resume. I knew I was in for something different from the legendary Indy filmmaker when the Polonia usuals only had bit parts in this feature. A young model Arianna is convince to join a modeling agency as she wants to do whatever it takes to be the most popular model. Arianna dream to become one of the biggest models has a price as she loses grip with her old life and boyfriend. The more she tries to become the most in demand model the more of her fellow models are murdered by a mysterious black-gloved killer. Kudos to Mark Polonia for doing something totally unexpected and for the love of Rutger Hauer, Jeff Kirkendall’s character is extremely creepy in this Indy giallo 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!

Gross Movie Reviews #601

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Amityville Ride-Share (YouTube) – NO FUCKING KIDDING KIDS! Entry #47 can’t even stick to its title as only 20% of the film is doing the Amityville Uber thing or is that copyrighted? Anyway, we get 70 minutes of portals, a midget (sorry little person clown), news story about a missing girl who may be part of a snuff film, another uber driver who gets stabby, another clown killing someone in a cannabis store, a You Tuber’s live stream of a bad weed reaction, and whatever at this point as I lost track as some dude Henry comes on screen to explain he is making “Amityville: Faces of Death” or something… I guess? Then trailers roll for twenty minutes like the terrible “Evil Bong” series and Charles Band you are not. Honestly this was a dumb idea for a movie because here is its legit issue: You stuck with the ride-share thing literally only a fraction of the film so you failed horribly as I give this 0 stars.

Message from Space (DVD) – An Asian film from 1978 about a dying planet that has an old dude who throws eight seeds into space that will sprout heroes to save them?! No, I wasn’t high when watching this… Anyhow, Sonny Chiba and Vic Morrow show up in this Japanese production to give it creditability as a princess follows the seeds so she can oversee the heroes. The plan is for these seeds to find good people to fight these evil steel plated people who if they would have listened to this cruel old lady the movie would have been over in twenty minutes as she just says most of the film “Kill so and so”! For that I give 1 ½ stars.

Mansion of the Doomed (DVD) – Okay yinz kids let me set the picture: Lance Henriksen, Richard Basehart, and Stan Winston doing effects, and Charles Band’s first produced feature supposedly… you interested? If not then you are an asshole or dead so let’s move on. An experienced doc in Dr. Chaney who is in a car accident with his daughter Nancy that causes her to go blind. Dr. Chaney has a sudden change of heart in experimentation of eyes in order to bring his daughter’s eye sight back? But this requires live donors and the first is Dr. Dan Bryan who he drugs in order to perform surgery and it works for his daughter… for a short while. Thus setting up two storylines: one the good doctor non-stop experimenting until he can perfect and truly bring his daughter’s eyesight back and second, the live donors that rot in a prison in the Dr. Chaney’s basement. On top of that his daughter going crazy from all the transplants driving her insane! This film has aged a little bit but doesn’t take away how disturbing and cringe worthy this flick is as I got to give it 3 ½ stars.

Dead Dudes in the House (DVD) – The film is also known as “The House on Tombstone Hill” and recently got the special treatment but never heard of this film. Funny thing is I know if I see it when first released in 1989 there is good chance I would be talking about it like I talk about “Spookies”. But with this we get a young group of friends arriving at a broken down home that Mark of the group just purchased. After one of Mark’s friends destroys a tombstone in the backyard an old lady wakes up and the group is suddenly locked in the house. Now this group of unsuspecting people must fight an old lady that is able to hack these people to pieces with no effort. The film has its moments, blood, and the killer old lady which makes this fall under that category of fun weird shit that includes “Spookies and The Video Dead” of we can’t explain this shit but I am giving it 3 stars.

Winnie the Pooh Blood and Honey (On Demand) – Apparently the talking animals of 100 Acres woods and our childhood stories is pissed off at Christopher Robin! All because Christopher when he grew up decided to pick college over his animal friends and there happen to be a bad winter and ate one of their own. Now, they have vowed to not talk to humans and fuck people up turning the childhood story into a subpar slasher film. Reverting back to their original instincts causes them to become the ‘bigfoot’ of our time? But of course this doesn’t stop a group of women heading to the woods for the weekend to become slasher fodder for the animals. I get the premise; I understand what was trying to be done… But lightening in a bottle only came with “The Banana Splits” if you wanna be truthful as I give this sadly unoriginal tale of our youth 2 stars.

Unwelcome (DVD) – So literally it is like someone decided there needed to be an origin story and a sequel to the wall gnome from “Cat’s Eye”? Thank you for amusing me for a minute anyhow a young couple who get brutalized in their swanky townhome recently inherit a country house in the Irish countryside and decide to go be a apart of this small community. Shortly after arriving they are told of a legend of the little people/red caps who live beyond the door of their garden. The aunt that use to live there gave them a blood offering nightly to keep them at bay or so the legend goes among the community? Well there is a lot of buildup of these redcaps the first hour or so but the payoff is glorious and enjoyable for all. Great writing, fun characters, and love that the wall gnomes live as I give this film 3 ½ stars.

Grimoire Volume One (YouTube/DVD) – A short film from filmmaker Donovan Smith who brings us a grim and gritty tale of a man reflecting on his past. He is on the hunt for something evil that leads him to an ancient book. Thus the ancient book gives him knowledge of a cruel unkind creature he has been tracking for some time and it must end now. This short film looks amazing but feels unfinished like it is supposed to lead to something or what you kids don’t know about what we call an investment video for a feature before there was a Kickstarter, indiegogo, etc. I enjoy the premise, the character, what it could be? Mr. Smith has something here; now let’s see if he takes this interesting piece in the right direction as I give it 3 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!

Gross Movie Reviews #521

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Gross Movie Reviews #521

 

Exorcism at 60000 Feet (DVD) – This is the horror film version of ‘Airplane’ that stars few horror convention all-stars with music from Richard Band. Viet Kong Airways is having its last flight to Vietnam and Father Romero is onboard taking a trip after a tiring exorcism. But noises keep being heard in the cargo area of the plane as the demon spirit of Bill Moseley as hitched a ride and hell-bent on haunting the good father.  One by one the demon possesses the passengers on board and kills them in horrific ways as it tries to get closer to the priest. The film has all kinds of political incorrectness good or bad that steals its plot from that ‘Twilight Zone’ episode. The film starts off funny for the first twenty minutes but quickly the joke dies of a horrible dull death causing me to only give this film 1 ½ stars and it stars Lance Henriksen as the pilot for the love of Rutger Hauer.

 

Spree (On Demand) – Another film that reminds me that I am getting older and it is possible this film is only aimed for a certain small age bracket of audience? Kurt is an average dude who like most young people these days has his whole life on social media or in this case “Kurt’s World”. A streaming channel that barely has double digit followers and Kurt so wants to be internet famous like most young people these days. After many years of trying to have everyone accept him as an internet influencer has a chance meeting with an up and coming comedian that has a hundred thousand followers enters his Uber, oh I mean ‘Spree’ car for a ride. From here he has installed cameras throughout the vehicle recording everything and was already in the process of his plan of becoming a serial killer just for the clicks and follows. Remember kids if you are not trying to be an influencer then you are no one! One day changes it all as Kurt decides to kill his online bully and takeover his feed and the downward murder spree goes from there as it all leads back to the popular comedian he is obsessed with. This of course goes viral. For me I can totally believe this is where society is going anymore just because I have little faith in humanity for how it has been acting recently. But saying that I found the film annoying from the beginning and found the Kurt character super annoying which the filmmaker may have been going for anyway? For all I have said I still believe this film is literally made for a small audience that I am not a part so go figure as I give this unlikable film a ½ star. Wouldn’t be surprised people under the age of 21 feel this is the “Best Movie of 2020?”

 

The Pact (DVD) – Another sub-par paranormal goobly goo nonsense where a young woman named Annie moves into a family home that is haunted. Instead of leaving of course she needs to know more about her family. If you have read my reviews in the past you know I feel most paranormal films fail to ever impress me because they are usually boring and really do not come up with something interesting or maybe new to make the viewing memorable? There is a few out there I enjoy but I feel studios mass produce this type of cheap thrill more than zombie flicks as I only give this 1 star. If you need to abuse yourself more this film does have sequels… If you care Casper Van Dien shows up in the picture.

The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood (DVD) – This 1980 sex comedy is a prime example of a film that find that niche between porn and a R-rated film that has one very short sex romp. William Warkoff owns a popular Hollywood studio wants his producers to find the next big hit to film and make him millions of dollars as his studio is falling behind in these modern times. They come across this “Happy Hooker” book that would be the perfect project for the studio. Problem is the Happy Hooker herself, Ms. Hollander wants to come to Hollywood from New York and discuss terms and be sure her story is told correctly. The studio doesn’t care for that so once there Ms. Hollander feels she gets the run around. This causes a young and talented grandson to convince Ms. Hollander the film could be made independently. They come up with a script and then come up with how they can get the funds as Hollander’s lawyer and let’s say friends are called in from New York. Of course hijinks ensue with lots of nudity that includes a butt shot from the legendary Adam West! There is a scene I was surprised we didn’t get to see his dong as it came close. Before Skinamax, Viewer’s Choice, and satellite porn channels you had these popular sex comedies that ride the edge of the ratings system as I give the film 2 ½ stars.     

 

After Doomsday (DVD) – Lilith lives in a world that has recently fell apart that she wanders looking for anything that has survived. Biggest problem is she just wanders! No mutants, no assless chaps with motorcycles, any plagues, etc. Just flashbacks of military pilots discussing before they blow up the world and a subplot of Lilith’s husband who knows about the oncoming apocalypse and is trying to get in with the 1%. Yeah I know there isn’t much budget and do not tell me it’s art, but yinz could have fleshed out this subplot with the husband much more to make this film at least watchable. Forgive me but this movie is an undesirable bag of hot garbage that doesn’t even deserve a rating because it is so bad!

 

Apocalypse Road (DVD) – I am never done abusing myself with bad post-apocalyptic films as I found this film about two sisters wandering the wasteland with a sniper tracking them. As they are chased by the sniper they get separated and make their own ways to the coast as if this will save them both. They were wrong and this was another big waste of my time as not a whole happens except the sniper chasing them from beginning to end and do not care if there was an actual reason as I give it 0 stars.

Castle Freak (Shudder/remake) – So hey kids Fangoria are at it again as they helped reboot another Charles Band classic in “Castle Freak”. The original starred Jeffery Combs and Barbara Crampton and it was directed by Stuart Gordon with a small but vicious cult following for the film. This time a twenty something woman Rebecca and her asshat boyfriend John are in a car accident that causes her to go blind. Meanwhile in Albania the mother she never knew about is keeping a creature in the basement of a castle locked up and whips herself for acknowledging it. The mother passes away and Rebecca inherits the castle and the creature she doesn’t know about. Once there her boyfriend is trying to sell everything quickly and lies to Rebecca whenever he can as he needs drugs again just to deal with the situation. But Becks becomes curious of the castle as she cannot see but constantly hears sounds behind the walls and becomes even more curious when an ancient book is found in her mother’s closet. Once their friends get there from the states to help move stuff the one friend they call the professor begins to read the book and believe Becks isn’t crazy. The book speaks of “The Old Ones” and “Cthulhu” and on top of that the professor discovers the creature in the basement is Becks twin sister from her grandfather and the disgusting rape of her mother. Just like the original it starts off slow but unlike the original I believe this has more plot to give and enjoyed where the climax of the film goes. I liked the original and I liked this film but neither was over the top wonderful as I just believe it does deserve a chance as I give it 3 stars.

 

Any comments please send to grossmoviereview@verizon.net 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 find all of my books at www.lulu.com just search for Gross Movie Reviews or Tim Gross there!

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!

You can now purchase copies of Jagoff Massacre and our new feature Blood Freak DVDs online that I co-directed with Dan Boyd at https://drunkenyinzersproductions.company.site/ !  

Gross Movie Reviews #443

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Gross Movie Reviews #443

 

The Tripods (VHS) – This made-for-TV flick was a BBC production made in the year 1984 and some would say even has some kind the film has some kind of cult status? But anyway this 2 ½ hour film is set in July 2089 outside of London where mankind has been long invaded by alien machines. People have accepted this and live in peace and actually worship the machines and have somewhat gone back to the old days of living before technology. But there are a few people or vagrants that have refused the “capped” process and live scattered among the mountains to evade capture by the alien machines. Since the machines have arrived, war has been non-existent, and the people willingly give their children at the age of 16 to the machines to be “capped”. The machines take them in and basically tattoo their skulls or doing god only knows to their brains. So two teenagers meet this vagrant and decide they don’t want to be “capped” or questioning authority and runaway to the mountains to escape believing there is more to life than these alien machines. The project is very British so for me a little bit was lost in translation but is an interesting project and worth the watch if you love sci-fi flicks as I give it 2 stars. Random fact the TV movie premiered here in the U.S. in the mid-80s on PBS.

Nightfall (VHS) – A 1999 independent vampire flick that had distribution through Troma that was set in Seattle, Washington. A F.B.I. agent named Jack Talbot is investigating a string of murders that have the victims bloodless and marks on their necks and believing there is a serial killer in the city. But Talbot’s partner is killed during the investigation and he begins to believe this vampire theory to the point he chases the vampire to a different city. Talbot teams up with a couple of local detectives who are already on the case of similar victims to try to kill this vampire. I can understand why Troma picked up this flick: nice amount of blood, the acting isn’t terrible, and the story is pretty solid. I give it 2 stars.

Jack Be Nimble (VHS) – This is a story of two kids, Jack and Dora who live in New Zealand and were given up for adoption but separated for the adoption. Jack went to a weird, backwoods; abusive family and Dora went to a nice couple and grew up without issues until high school. Now teenagers they both are having issues and try to explore this possible psychic link in finding each other? Dora gets picked on because of this obsession so she kicks some major ass at school and begins her search for Jack. Where Jack gets down right crazy and dark and hypnotizes his family to kill his parents to escape into the countryside looking for Dora. A really weird and violent flick from the country down under but it makes for an enjoyable watch. Plus you get to see Alexis Arquette in an early role as I give it 2 stars.

 

Big Legend (On Demand) – Tyler and his soon to be wife head out to the remote woods to spend time together and so Tyler can propose to his girl. But it is interrupted by a very large hairy creature that drags her away and leaves him a mess as she disappeared. Twelve months go by and we see Tyler leaving an asylum where he was placed as many thought he was crazy and try to get him to understand it was most likely a grizzly bear attack. Once out and some advice from his mother he heads to the woods armed to the teeth wanting answers. While there he is attacked by this large thing again but it goes away and Tyler meets a new friend who tells him a story or two and talks about a private company owns the woods. This private company knows about the thing in the woods and he has also been looking for it but only has heard sounds and stories until today. Eventually Tyler has a bloody battle with thing/bigfoot/creature and survives. The film ends with having a conversation with Lance Henriksen setting up an “Avengers vs. Bigfoot” sequel or at least I hope that is what it’s for?  Also look for cameos by Amanda Wyss playing Tyler’s therapist and Adrienne Barbeau playing Tyler’s mother as I give it 3 stars.

 

The Domestics (On Demand) – The film is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the government may have hit the reset button by dropping black poison on all its citizens one random day. Those who were immune or survived are faced with fighting for their lives day in and out if you are anywhere near the major highways or roads. These are the areas where different gangs of “Sheets, Gamblers, cannibals, etc.” settle at looking for fresh humans for whatever means they need. We are introduced to a lovely couple who were in the process of a divorce right before all this shit went down and just trying to survive like everyone else. The wife has lost contact with her family and wants to travel to Milwaukee to see them. So the husband packs up the AMC Eagle and get on the road out in the Midwest to drive to their destination and satisfy the wife. I really enjoyed this possible reality or outcome of America because I could easily see this happening and that is some cool shit! For that I give it 3 ½ stars.

 

Beyond the 7th Door (DVD) – A Canadian film from 1987 that centers on a man named Boris who just got out of jail and is meeting his ex for a drink. After some bickering about who should have done what before he went to jail suddenly come up with an idea that involves Wendy’s boss and his house. Wendy’s boss is Lord Breston who pays well but supposedly keeps a bunch of cash on hand. So the two come up with a plan of Wendy sneaking Boris in once her shift starts and getting out Boris out when she is done. Once in both are trapped inside by a heavy steel door and they must go forward. A recording of Lord Breston comes over a speaker explaining in order to get out they must move forward for the money or die trying. So it becomes a series of rooms that Boris and Wendy must solve until they get to the end where a million dollars sits. The film is overall really weird and how Wendy and Boris ever got together is a story I would like explained. But the kicker of the film is the ending once they have made it through. Like or hate it you will have to admit this is one of the more interesting films that you will have in your collection as I give it 2 stars.

 

The Medusa Against The Son of Hercules (DVD) – One of the many Italian ‘Hercules’ films that came out in the late 50s and early 60s where this one has no Hercules but it has monsters! A warrior named Perseus fights a sea dragon and Medusa to try and stop a war. But Perseus is double crossed and war breaks out anyway. So by killing Medusa he is able to have warriors return from stone and help. A fun introduction for kids who want to watch some fantasy genre films or just a nice appetizer for the early 80’s cult flick “Clash of the Titans”. I give it 2 stars.

 

The Raven (YouTube) – Todd Ernest Braley shows off his filmmaking and casting talents with this short film adaption of the Edgar Allan Poe story. The black and white short film has narration throughout telling the story as two wonderful actresses act it out. Poe fans will love this short film so be sure to hit up Todd at: https://www.facebook.com/colofilmmaker as I give it 4 out of 4 stars.

 

The Bucks County Massacre (DVD) – This is an independent found footage flick released through Brain Damage Films. The event in question takes place in 2008 with the film/documentary being released in 2010. Basically a group of friends head to a remote cabin for a 25th birthday party. Of course someone is filming everything going on there. While the footage unfolds there are interviews with family members of the deceased from the videos. All of them of course trying to get past the hard times but also still trying to understand how this could happen?  Especially with police trying to stop the leak of the footage out there on the internet but anyway once the party is starting to die down a girl goes missing. Her boyfriend goes looking, people get angered, poor judgment because of the drinking, and presto they are all being attacked by some human-like creature. From there it is all blood and chaos. The film is not bad at all just for me takes entirely way too much time building up the party and every character in the party even before the girl goes missing so I give it 1 ½ out of 4 stars.

 

Tagus Ranch Massacre (DVD) – A group of friends heading out to a deserted restaurant on a bus breakdown but after some repairs finally get to their destination. Mostly tired and miserable the group of friends wants to just sleep after getting there but a friend falls down and may have had a seizure? Nope, just a demon spirit possessing his ass! Of course the group slowly disappears or becomes possessed by these demon spirits that haunt the former restaurant. The demons don’t just possess them they also want to kill in very gruesome ways. Think of “Night of the Demons” on a much smaller budget and I can respect that. Not a big fan of the ending but sure it felt right when the project was finished leaving it open as I give it 2 out of 4 stars.

 

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

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: www.bloodbathspodcast.blogspot.com/ also available at http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kyle-poling-2/bloodbaths-and-boomsticks?refid=stpr

 

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 for details.

 

See yinz at GROSSFEST! July 28, 2018! Go check out www.grossfest.com for all the details! 

Gross Movie Reviews #424

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Gross Movie Reviews #424

 

The Lost Tribe (DVD) – A scientific group is sent to a small island where it is believed lost natives still live there cut off from the rest of the world. The point is explore and prove that the missing link does exist as its worth millions. But things change when Lance Henriksen shows up to take the evidence and kill anyone there. Things get even more ut of control when a small boat shipwrecks on the island and finds whats left of base camp. Blood, broken shit everywhere and the shipwrecked people feel like they are not alone. They are not as these lost natives still live and like to hunt humans! The box art looks kinda like a ‘Predator’ rip-off but still cool, the story sounds good, but when watching it just seems the movie got too much going on when it should have just focused on the tribe. I give this flick 2 stars.

 

Lovelace (DVD) – A film that documents or reacts the rise and fall of the woman known as Linda Lovelace. Anybody over the age of 30 knows the name or has at least googled it, or even stumbled upon her work at some point. The young woman basically change the porn industry as her film “Deep Throat” brought porn into the mainstream. The porn she starred in played in many mainstream theaters and was a milestone for the business in the 70s. That was only part of the story as Ms. Lovelace spent the rest of her life trying to not be a part of the business that used her to grow it worldwide. After an abusive husband and a bad time of seeing the shitfest the porn business could be at the time she just wanted a normal life and move on. A great film that gives you the inside stuff on what really happened throughout her life as she said, “She was only in the business for 17 days.” I give the flick 3 stars.

 

Operation: Endgame (DVD) – A well produced under the radar action/comedy about the changing of the president from Bush to Obama as the back drop. The two branches of the secret government in their underground lair go ape shit on each other when their secret lair goes on lockdown. No escape as they are about to be purged unless they find out who killed their superior. It is a comedy but there is some really surprising brutal fight scenes and a bit of gore. And the cast isn’t your no name just starting in the business type of cast, this film has some vets that I will not name just so you go watch this very amazing movie. This is a treat we old people would find from time to time in the video store during the days of straight-to-video. Snowed in, rainy day, calling off work cause they suck a bag of dicks, then look for this flick as I give it 3 1/2 stars.

 

Dark Skies (DVD) – This film is like a lost episode of “The X-files” staring Kerri Russell (I don’t know why but she always bothers me ever since showing up on the WB network) and also could be compared to if smashed the films “Paranormal Activity” and “Signs” together? I don’t know if that works for you but Kerri and family keep having strange shit happen to them. They are a well to do family that suddenly has like something randomly coming through the back door at night, setting up puzzles and art work with their chairs and plates, making signs that they are aliens… Being rich white people they do not know how to deal with it until they are accused of child abuse and go visit the crazy dude aka J.K. Simmons and explains aliens are fucking with them. The movie is interesting but yet boring at times too. Different cast or maybe better different pacing of the film could have made this a better watch because the material is there. I give it 2 stars.

 

No One Lives (DVD) – Oh for the love of Rutger Hauer this was such a pleasant surprise. We have a family of criminals who look for small time heists, people to screw over, cons, etc. Their last job goes bad when they had to kill the people that lived at the house they were robbing early. Upset, they hit the bar and find a normal looking couple that looks like they have money? The innocent couple is moving and just wants left alone but of course that cannot happen. The couple gets taken on a dimly lit road and the criminals believe they got a score that will make up for the last one that went wrong. Things go sideways when the woman of the couple slices her own throat on a knife and they break into the gentlemen’s car only to find a blonde woman tied up in the trunk. Things go to even weirder when they learn this normal looking man is a crazed and beyond smart serial killer that is upset his trophy has been killed. Chaos ensues as the criminals now become the hunted in their own home. Brutal and beautiful at the same time as I give it 3 1/2 stars.

 

The Machine (DVD) – Its the future and a very bright doctor named Vincent McCarthy is doing research and trying to develop A.I. that will like a human. Lots of tries but it always thinks like a computer. He wants it to be logical. He dreams of a cyborg of sorts that you cannot tell the difference. But also too he is trying make a program, a chip, or parts that would form with the human brain, arm, leg to become one with them. The good doctor is trying this on war vets that have no hope of brain function or missing limbs and no where else to turn. Of course the government that is funding the project wants it as a weapon. The government’s goal is to defeat China in this not too distant future. While looking for an assistant or testing them Dr. McCarthy finds Ava, a woman who has a program of her own that is fond of the good doctor and how he treats the program as an equal. When the higher ups feel Ava and Vincent are getting to close they kill Ava. Dr. McCarthy knows this and builds a prototype robot with Ava in mind. From there the film gets very interesting as it does not take the usual twists you would expect. Enjoyable flick that may explain this reality is not as far away as we common people think as I give it 3 1/2 stars.

 

It Stains the Sands Red (DVD) – A different kind of zombie flick where a woman forms a relationship with a random zombie out in the desert. When her and the boyfriend get stuck in the sand on the side of the highway they are attacked by a lone zombie. Before I go on I must explain the film opens up with the zombie apocalypse hitting in Vegas and these two are trying to make it to an air field to fly to Mexico! Once the boyfriend is bitten and the woman travels into the desert she spends most of the movie roaming the desert and talking to this lone zombie that keeps shambling along to her. The film goes on a bit long but I did enjoy the story of the relationship that is formed between the woman and the zombie. I give it 2 1/2 stars.

 

Zombie Massacre 2: Reich of the Dead (DVD) – The zombie flick should have been called the “Reich of poop” as the movie was not much about anything. Mainly about a team of soldiers trapped in a building by Nazi zombie experiments. Not really worth your time zombie fans and go back and watch “Frankenstein’s Army” you will thank me later as I give this 0 stars.

 

Master of the Drunken Fist: Beggar So (DVD) – A story about a rich kid ‘So Chan’ who has everything but also is a great fighter. But when the these fighters get together in front of their king and he gets screwed over he wants to get back at them after he is forced to be nothing. He gets together with a rogue settlement of people who believe in equality and drunken boxing or fighting. He learns this skill so he get his revenge. Cool action flick but without Jackie Chan the movie just seems like it is missing something the whole time you are viewing it. I give it 2 stars.

Brutal Relax (Vimeo) – From the makers of one of the best films of 2017 “Fist of Jesus” in my mind that I watched, comes this beautiful gem! A man is told by his doctor he needs to relax so this man heads to the beach in his white underwear, sits on the beach, and listens to music. He loves it, he is relaxing… Then ugly creatures come from the sea and begin a brutal bloody gore filled massacre on the beach. Our main character still sits blissfully unaware of whats going on as people are running for their lives and being ripped a aprt and feasted on! The creatures luck changes for the bad when the man’s music stops and he stands up in a fit of rage and takes it out on the creatures. Once again brilliant, beautiful, fun, amazing, and down right entertaining. For me 2018 has started off right with this short film as I give it 4 out of 4 stars. For more details on this project and the great “Fist of Jesus” head over to http://www.fistofjesus.com .

Death Cases (DVD) – A creepy and a little sleazy flick from Russia that is hosted by a man known as the ‘Gravedigger’ takes you the viewer through real stories of death. Think of it as a another branch of the genre that has titles such as “Faces of Death”, “Necromantik”, and “Traces of Death”. The blends together brutal scenes of tapes, footage, voiceovers, and pictures of different demented psychos along some of their own footage in it to connect together. Fans of Toe Tag Pictures’ “August Underground” and “The Murder Collection” may think this the lost film of Fred Vogel and company which is a good thing. Alex Wesley goes for the jugular again in his latest project that will find an audience that will be foaming at the mouth to watch over and over again as I give it 3 out of 4 stars.

 

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

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: www.bloodbathspodcast.blogspot.com/ also available at http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kyle-poling-2/bloodbaths-and-boomsticks?refid=stpr

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 for details.

Independent horror fans it is coming… GROSSFEST! July 28, 2018! Go check out http://www.grossfest.com for all the details!

New episode up Bloodbaths fans!

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This week Kyle finds an amazing Italian movie that he deems to be just as good as his beloved SPOOKIES in GRAVEYARD DISTURBANCE.  Will Tim agree?  Or will it cause a rift in time and space forcing us to shut down the show in order to save the fabric of the universe from being torn asunder.  Probably not. But the flick is that damn awesome (despite what Tim might think) Also, Tim talks about a Lance Henriksen flick called IN THE SPIDERS WEB.  So listen to this show and learn the many ways in which to destroy the grim reaper, because apparently he’s a giant pussy.

 

http://bloodbathspodcast.blogspot.com/

Triple Threat Match: we just dropped three new episodes!

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This week we may make enemies of the fans as we take on 2 of the most decisive entries in 2 of the biggest horror franchises of all time.  But first we talk about a dumb movie about birds that go on the attack in BEAKS.  Then Kyle explains that by taking your franchise to space only makes it cooler and more fun as he covers JASON X.  Then Tim and Kyle go over in great detail how Tim’s fascination of being able to inherit an aging Leatherface that dwells in your basement may be the best idea ever as we cover TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D.  Also we answer all your questions, and have a little Facebook live chat nonsense.

http://bloodbathspodcast.blogspot.com/

We return! And we are bringing the king of the monsters with us as Kyle checks out the latest theatrical Godzilla flick Shin Godzilla.  Then Tim covers an independent Possession / heist / gore / monster flick straight outta South Africa in A HOUSE ON WILLOW STREET.  Also we answer all you questions.  Review this week’s watch, And take you to monster civics class.  #ROARRRRRRRR

http://bloodbathspodcast.blogspot.com/

 

This week we lost legendary filmmaker George A. Romero. So, we asked the fans of the show to writ in and tell us tales of the man and his movies… and they did.  Also, we have 2 anthologies.  The first is Kyle’s pick for the best anthology ever in NIGHTMARES.  And lastly some shot on video oddity that Tim found that includes ex-pornstar Ginger Lynn as a ninja that is trapped in hell (you read that right) in SATAN’S STORYBOOK.  R.I.P. George

http://bloodbathspodcast.blogspot.com/

Gross Movie Reviews #408

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Gross Movie Reviews #408

 

Madman (Blu-ray) – An amazing restoration of a cult-slasher film from the early 80s that includes: interviews, commentary, and other fun tidbits that you may have never known about the flick. A group of people are out in the woods telling stories of a legend called “Madman Mars”. The group scares each other as they near the old house that supposedly Madman Mars went nuts and killed his family. One of the younger persons of the group screams for the legend to come and get them after being warned to not. They pack up and head back to the cabin as it’s the end of the season and they will be going back to the city in the morning. But Madman Mars heard the kid and now is on the prowl to track down the group and slaughter the poor folks. Wonderful kill scenes, a good amount of blood and guts, and a disgusting looking yet cool killer (Madman) makes this slasher a must have and makes you question why there isn’t several sequels? This low budget feature follows the ‘Friday the 13th’ formula and now you know where the people behind ‘Slaughterhouse’ got the idea for their killer and poster art? A must own for horror movie collectors as I give it 3 stars.

 

Nightmare in a Damaged Brain (DVD) – A horror film that may or may not have had Tom Savini doing the effects for this gorefest of a slasher film? This has been always debated over and from what information I could track down on Savini he didn’t have anything to do with the project that is best known for a woman being decapitated by a kid. There is a guy who is a schizophrenic and has been tested on with a new drug. He believes he is cured and goes out on the town only to find himself losing his mind and begins to kill again while his doctors have lost track of him. He eventually makes his way back home but first he has several flashbacks of his murderous childhood and has several new victims. The film is on the sleazy side but also is uneven and can be dull at times. I give this odd sleazy flick 2 stars.

The Guardians (DVD) – A Russian version of ‘The Avengers’ that features a man that turns into a bear, has a machine gun and a woman on his back killing evil persons while running through Moscow! Yep, I am sold and do not need to say anymore but I will. After the Russians entered the war in 1940 scientists were doing secret genetic research. After several failed experiments over the years a scientist goes rogue and starts to use people to further his experiments. When the military tries to intervene the scientist gets caught in a chemical explosion and becomes a part of his own experiment only to disappear until now. During a high tech military exercise this monster reappears and takes control of all machines killing all involved and disappears. So the Russian military forms a team of superheroes Nick Fury style: Ler – a man who can move rocks and things and uses them as weapons or a suit. Khan – a guy who has swords and can move like the wind. Kseniya – who is able to regulate her body temperature? And my favorite because he looks like a character from the Sega game “Altered Beast” Arsus (I believe that is how it’s spelled) – is a man who turns into a thing with a bear head and when he is really pissed off turns into a giant grizzly bear! They must take down the former scientist Kuratov now evil monster mastermind who also made them into what they are. Kuratov wants to take over Moscow then the world and make more troops like him. His goal in accomplishing this is using an old Reagan satellite in space left over from the “Star Wars program”. First time around The Guardians is defeated quickly but they reset things and prepare differently to become a team and defeat this evil Kuratov before it’s too late. The movie is a brilliant comic book-style popcorn flick that fits right in with the Marvel and DC universes! I absolutely loved this exciting flick as I give it 4 stars. Come one for the love of Rutger Hauer you have a bear with a machine gun you know this is gonna make my “Best movies of 2017 list”.

 

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (DVD) – So I have jumped head first into this weird world of David Lynch and cult TV show and movie. This movie for the most part is the story about the homecoming queen Laura Palmer before her murder. Almost two hours of drug use, weird shit going on, sex, two FBI agents disappearing, and eventually violence. Don’t understand it but do give it credit for being weird and interesting as I give 2 ½ stars.

 

Space Rage (YouTube/VHS) – A young pony tail wearing Michael Pare is Grange where in a futuristic society he gets caught by authorities after a bank robbery. He is banished to a penial colony on another planet where the only escape is a supply ship that lands once in a great while. So of course once Grange arrives he begins kicking ass in prison and plans his escape. Once escaped and on the run there is an old dude trying to track Grange and the inmates down before Grange blows up the landing site and killing everyone on the incoming shuttle. Lots of cool car stunts and Pare shooting everyone on screen are the highlights of this unknown sci-fi/action gem as I give it 3 stars.

 

Starslammer: The Escape (YouTube/VHS) – Oh folks this is a lovely Fred Olen Ray mid-80s treat that is a B-movie combo of ‘The Ice Pirates’ and ‘Reform School Girls’ on a prison ship. Actually the film was titled “Prison Ship” in some countries and also includes a John Carradine cameo. The girls/prisoners have had enough of abuse on the ship and now are about to become part of some unwanted experiments. So with help from the underground they have a plan to escape. Fred Olen Ray madness is always good for 2 ½ stars.

Vice Squad (YouTube/VHS) – The movie represents a fictional account of what Hollywood police have to put up with in 1982 as prostitution was rampant. We are quickly introduced to Wings Hauser’s character Ramrod and his awesome Ford Bronco that now makes my “list of great movie vehicles”. Ramrod tracks down Nina Blackwood from MTV as she owes Ramrod money and believes her pimp loves her. Ramrod kills her but doesn’t know she contacted her best friend Princess and told her all about Ramrod. After some coaxing by local authorities Princess brings down Ramrod. But once in custody he breaks out of a moving police car and plans on finding and paying Princess a visit. A slightly sleazy Wings Hauser and Hollywood Blvd along with prostitution as the backdrop makes a wonderful early 80s flick worth the rewatch as I give it 3 ½ stars.

 

Harbinger Down (DVD) – A film written and directed by Alec Gillis with very cool practical creature effects starring Lance Henriksen as a captain of crab fishing boat out in the Bering Sea. He picks up some whale researchers that include his daughter that are there to measure climate change. One night the crab guys pick up something unusual after it was spotted by the researchers. Encased in ice they debate over whose find it is? But after some melting they notice the ball of ice is old wreckage with a pilot inside. But it’s too late something has escaped onto the boat and trying to take over all humans. Trying to figure out if its alien or not they figure out it was a decade’s old experiment that the Russians may have let the ship find it and see how the creature reacts? Plain old fashion creature feature with lots of cool creations and the man, the myth, the legend Lance Henriksen taking charge trying to bring this ever changing thing down! A very solid and entertaining sci-fi/horror flick with more than enough cool creatures that deserves 3 stars.

 

FDR: American Bad Ass (DVD) – This film is an accurate portrayal of FDR played by Barry Bostwick our wheelchair bound president who led the US against the Nazis! In the early 30s FDR is bitten by a werewolf that gives him polio. FDR loses use of his legs but doesn’t let that get in the way of him going from governor to President of the United States. The film follows him from the campaign trail to where FDR gears up and fights Nazi werewolves in order to keep them off of US soil! To just explain it does not do the film justice as also the great cast makes this hilarious flick work. The great cast consists: Ray Wise, Barry Bostwick, Robin Sydney (Full Moon fanatics know her well), Kevin Sorbo as Lincoln, Lin Shaye, and Paul Ben-Victor as Werewolf Hitler. So you need to refresh your history this is the first place to start with this masterpiece of accurate history as I give it 3 ½ stars.

 

Monolith (DVD) – Bill Paxton and Lindsay Frost are two detectives that accidentally get involved with a highly secretive government project that consists of an alien force/parasite that has awakened. This parasite is able to jump from human body to another trying to get to its ship to leave. The government or John Hurt is willing to risk the world as this has been his life to find answers from this force. Throw in a little bit of Louis Gossett Jr. and you have a fine sci-fi feature that was mostly overlooked in the early 90s as I give it 2 ½ stars.

 

The Void (DVD) – An extremely vague but interesting horror film that has some of the best movie creatures since ‘The Thing’? A man is picked up along a dark road and brought into a closing hospital by a small town police officer. Things only get stranger when the man does not wanna quit babbling and the police officer is attacked by a person in a white sheet outside. Once the doctor and nurses stop the bleeding on the officer more of these people in white sheets show up. Meanwhile another nurse goes nuts, rips her face off and stabs a patient in his eye killing him and that’s when it gets even weirder??? Two guys show up bitching about a massacre, a huge disgusting creature steals the state trooper and begins feeding on him, and apparently the good doctor of the hospital is the next Pinhead!? Fun and gruesomely entertaining film! My only drawback with the film is you must pay attention to pick up on some of the happenings because I would have liked a little more explanation. But this film is easily the new horror generation’s ‘Hellraiser’? I give this amazing creature filled film 3 ½ stars and most likely be somewhere on my “Best of 2017 movie list”.

 

The Shallows (DVD) – Blake Lively is a young woman who is at a crossroads in her life and just wants to visit a place her mother told her about. So she surfs and loses herself until the last surf out she finds a large dead whale and the huge ass shark that happens to be hanging out there. Injured and panicking she must act fast to survive and gets on a rock during low tide. Trapped she must survive the night and figure things out as the shark circles. The next day after a few attempts people are killed by the shark trying to save her so she either dies on the rock or figures out how to escape? The film has that fun ‘Jaws’ feel, the film is shot really well, and Blake Lively puts on a great performance. Add this flick to your list of great shark films to watch every summer as I give it 3 ½ stars.

 

Dead 7 (DVD) – Asylum Entertainment does it again as they do their own ‘Magnificent Seven’ but with zombies. The apocalypse has happened and zombies or in this case “copperheads” have taken over. Years have passed and now some people like the simpler way of living (Old west) and some like Apocalypta gather an army of undead to overrun the small thriving towns to take their supplies. A small town deputy goes on the search for several individuals to be crazy enough to go up the mountain and kill Apocalypta and her army of undead. Its cheesy and somewhat watchable but remember I have watched much worse as I give it 1 ½ stars.

 

Nightforce (DVD) – Rich kids don’t have much to do until their friend Christy is kidnapped by drug dealing terrorists from Central America. All because Christy’s father Senator Hanson has declared war on the drug dealing terrorists. So they want a ransom and want him to back down from his new policy. Linda Blair and friends gather weapons and make their way to Central America where they meet up with a war vet (Richard Lynch) and his pet monkey to take down the man and his troops who kidnapped their friend. Hilarious and over the top violence rules in this movie as Linda Blair is fucking people up in order to help her friend escape. If you pay attention closely you also get to see the great actress Kathleen Kinmont in a bar scene. I give 3 stars just because I miss this type of entertaining films where random 80s movies were just made never questioned…

 

Outlaw Force (VHS) – So Billy Ray is a stunt show cowboy who also sings. But when his wife is killed and daughter is kidnapped by some punks rolling through town he becomes an outlaw! Paul Smith and Frank Stallone are two officers of the law trying to track down Billy Ray’s daughter but when they are not getting the job done Billy Ray takes the law into his own hands. One by one he shoots, stabs, and hangs his way through the punks. And when he isn’t doing that he is singing his song “This Honkey is gonna Honkeytonk Tonight”. Another random fun B-movie from 1989 that is most likely get lost when a new movie format comes out as I give it 2 ½ stars.

 

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You can always visit and see some past reviews, independent film news, or me ranting at: www.grossmoviereviews.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: www.bloodbathspodcast.blogspot.com/ also available at http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kyle-poling-2/bloodbaths-and-boomsticks?refid=stpr

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