H.P. Lovecraft’s Celephais (Vimeo) – A short story of Lovecraft’s adapted to film by Michael Neel who edited and directed this 34 minute short film project. This might be a story that horror fans are not too familiar with as the usuals are: The Unnamable, Re-Animator, From Beyond, or even Dagon of which we have seen adapted to name a few. This version deals with an old man fascinated with a dream place/land called “Celephais” that he has been chasing down since he was seven years old. He travels his dreamland when he sleeps constantly as he believes this is home but along his travels he encounters many that are interested in him. This short story/short film is fascinating to me as it can be taken as many things? For me for instance this old man is dying or already right at the edge and his brain is taking him to where he always thought he belonged… before he crosses over in so many words if you believe in such things as the ‘beyond’ to just put it out there broadly. That is how I see it as I may experience something like that a few years back but the point is filmmaker Michael Neel and crew just nailed this project as it was well thought out, well shot, perfect use of locations, and just enough weirdness that I think Lovecraft fans will enjoy it. This short film is one of the best things I have watched in 2025 as it’s absolutely charming at the same time hypnotically amazing! For that my friends I have to give this short film 4 out of 4 stars.
28 Years Later (On Demand) – Best way to explain this movie at least for me is: this isn’t the zombie/rage virus movie I was looking for? Of course it picks up 28 years after the virus has hit Europe. They have been able to contain it ‘Escape from New York’ style but basically if your ass was in that zone… you were fucked! A community cut off from the mainland because of high tide has managed to survive all this time because of their rules. A young boy turning into a man knows his mum is sick as he hears a story of a rogue doctor (Dr. Kelsey) who chose to stay on the mainland with the infected. The boy sneaks his mum out of the community to gain answers from this doctor in hopes of curing his mum. We learn there is “Alphas”, they can get prego, and this shit isn’t just go away, but a big part of me just wonders if I watched one long weird movie about “assisted suicide”? Again for me this wasn’t the movie I wanted to see for the third entry in the series but also I wasn’t quite a fan of the second film either as I give it 2 stars.
Dark Night of the Scarecrow 2 (DVD) – Literally whose fucking bright idea was it to make a sequel to a 40 year old TV movie that stars Larry Drake? Let alone at least one if not two generations of horror fans don’t even know about the original film as I hate to say it but you may have been better off remaking it instead of just a no budget sequel. Anyway, the film is about a killer scarecrow helping out a young boy Jeremy and his mom who just moved to this small farm community. Blah, blah, blah sorry but the plot comes off uninspiring as I doubt horror fans even know or care about this being released recently as I give it 0 stars.
Dead End Meg (Fawesome) – An oddity of a tale about two best friends who have a major problem. A guy named Gunnar that the two friends owe money too has a girlfriend named Meg who just had a wild kinky night of sex with one of the fellows. Here is the problem: he remembers nothing, they need to get rid of the body, and Gunnar’s guys suspect Meg is at the house? Just a weirdo off the wall independent movie with a lot of anal and penis conversations and a hilarious plot of how do they get rid of Meg? This is one of those films that will make a few viewers turn the movie off before it is over as I give it 2 out of 4 stars.
X: The Man with the X-ray Eyes (DVD) – An early 60s classic that involves Dr. Xavier having a breakthrough formula that can be used as drops in the eyes to help a human see beyond what the human brain can comprehend. The good doctor believes this could revolutionize healthcare as he keeps seeing his eye doctor preparing to possibly test on himself? As his funding gets pulled Dr. Xavier sees no other choice to prove all who doubt him wrong he must use it on himself. With the experimental formula his eyes begin to change as he can see past surfaces, see people naked, etc. but he accidentally pushes his best friend out the window when arguing about the risks. Because of the death Dr. X goes on the run as he ends up at a boardwalk circus and eventually Vegas as he tries to continue the treatment to his eyes. Eventually the experiment turns on him in this fun treat of a thriller as I give it 3 stars.
The Necro Files (DVD) – This 1997 independent feature from filmmaker Matt Jassile is a gritty, sleazy, even gory version of ‘The X-Files’. The story proceeds about a couple of cops who catch up to a somewhat cannibalistic serial rapist in the middle of his chaotic mess. The cops go a little too far with their capture of the notorious rapist as they kill him after being handcuffed. Nine months later a satanic cult (in midday mind you) performs a ritual to bring back this nasty abomination! Suddenly an undead serial rapist has risen and wonders the streets but just don’t ask why the zombie rapist’s dick is longer than most people’s arms… Even in the afterlife this horny bastard continues his demented raping and killing but let’s not forget there is also a flying demonic baby after the zombie that only bites you in the jugular (seriously not making this wild shit up)! So it’s all up to the two officers that started this mess as they chase this zombie down in their Ford Tempo and for that I give this film 3 ½ out of 4 stars.
The Craiglon Incident II: Aftermath (DVD) – A who’s who of independent cinema joins Joel D. Wynkoop in this wild alien war project that was done during COVID. Everything was done with social distancing involved and comes off more of a history piece or lesson for film fanatics of what it was like at that time of doing nothing. Joel goes complete cheeseball mode as he has fun with aliens invading Earth, but not just this Earth but all of them. The aliens at one point are going door to door to destroy all humans. See apparently our Earth has several portals to others as three so-called warriors are called into action by a good alien to save their world… maybe? Parsons, Emile, and Dawes (Joel Wynkoop, Shawn Phillips, and Phil Herman) become the heroes once they have the alien tech to win the war. It’s a very cheesy, laughable, but entertaining piece of cinema history that should be watched by all Indy fans. Hell I am not a huge Shawn Phillips fan but thought just like Joel and Phil he went full cheeseball mode and did their best to entertain as I give it 2 ½ out of 4 stars.
Jacker 3: Road to Hell (YouTube/DVD) – Mr. Herman returns to a character that caught many eyes in independent cinema thirty years ago as it fits like a glove and he wastes no time of continuing the lean into the supernatural that causes “The Jacker” to be seen as a mythical or even biblical figure. The Jacker or Mike has been quiet for 30 years as he disappeared after his reign of terror but a recent death of a drifter in the woods has caused concern along with the anniversary of the scary events. This has perked the ears of authorities and survivors alike as original characters return looking for answers. For one reason or another the time was right for The Jacker to return as he seems to be paving a road of blood to Gloria who found a way to survive The Jacker’s original attack thirty years ago. Between the return of original characters, the flashbacks to help explain the origin of sorts, and just this odd alternate world of supernatural gives the film a fun and entertaining quirkiness charm that will have independent die hards celebrating Phil Herman’s return to the character. For that I give this project 3 out of 4 stars.
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