SyFy's Goblin (2010)

A baby-stealing goblin comes to life each Halloween after the town of Hollow Glen is cursed by a witch in 1831.The teenage daughter of a vacationing family must protect her baby brother from the Goblin before he becomes another soul trapped by the evil creature.

Going into "Goblin" I assumed like every other SyFy Original I have ever watched it was going to be repulsive. Much to my surprise I was wrong very wrong "Goblin" turned out to be a very retro feeling and ultra fun flick that I walked away from very happy with. Yes ladies and gentlemen Hell must of froze over because I am in fact giving an SyFy Original a good review, climb aboard, strap in, and hold on the end times may soon follow.




  
Story wise "Goblin" was highly entertaining truly grasping that classic 80's / 90's era feel, it truthfully feels like this generations "Pumpkinhead" in my personal opinion. Goblin sticks to the classic cookie cutter creature feature recipe and the end result is a very fun movie that should please the appetites of any old school B horror fans.





 
The special effects for once are not that bad even the CG created Goblin itself looks pretty awesome and the mixture of practical effects and CG come together very nicely. Shockingly enough "Goblin" turned out to be pretty gory specially for a made for TV SyFy original I was pleasantly surprised and pleased when the blood and guts started splattering across my television screen. For a moment I felt like I was just a boy again posted up in front of my TV watching whatever random creature feature I discovered at the local video store that weekend and being totally stoked once the gore started to come wave after wave fueling my obsession with the craft behind the blood soaked scenes.





 
Overall I really enjoyed this film and recommend it to any fans of 80's / 90's horror if you love classics such as "Pumpkinhead", "Troll", or even Full Moon features you may very well find "Goblin" to be a nice little present. On behalf of The Liberal Dead I give SyFy's "Goblin" a well earned 6.5/10 and award for best SyFy Original to date.

6.5/10

- Ted "Ritualistic" Brown

Blood On The Highway (2010) Review

Though it wasn't the first of it's kind, since "Shaun Of The Dead" exploded into the mainstream cult classic that it is, the Horror/Comedy sub-genre of film has been an easy in for a lot of filmmakers. From 2005 on, it became almost impossible to find a flick that wasn't aiming to exploit the success of this style of filmmaking. Ultimately, as with any genre, you have a few that shine, and a metric fuck-ton of complete failures. I wouldn't go as far as to call "Blood On The Highway" a cult classic in the making, but I will say that I had a hell of a time watching it.

"Blood on the Highway" follows three friends as they travel across the country to attend some sort of music festival. After a spell of motion sickness causes the entire car to be caked in vomit, and destroys the map, the trio pull off at the nearest exit to find their way. What they don't know is, that they are driving into a town infested with a hilarious horde of vampires.




I thoroughly enjoyed this film's opening montage. Displaying the population of the town as brain dead before they actually become the undead was a fairly clever way to open the film. The opening follows the town folk as they shamble as a horde into the local mega-mart "Consumart". It sets the tone of the film up properly, and plays an important part in the overall plot of the film.



The acting in this film, is from what I could tell, purposefully over the top. So if you need Oscar winning performances in your horror, this may be a turn-off for you. It didn't bother me, and at times, it was actually fairly hilarious. Some of the one-liners in the flick were so ridiculous that I actually laughed out loud. One of the things that bugs me in films, is that when people are cursing, it's always so poetic. People don't sound like that in real life, they fumble their words, and say outlandish shit. I liked that this element of reality was written into the script.



One thing to clear up is that "Blood on the Highway" is not a horror movie. It's at it's core, a comedy. There just happens to be a town infested by vampires. Nothing that happens within this film will scare you, or even disgust you for that matter. The vampire aspect of the film is pretty cut and dry. There are vampires afoot, and they must be dealt with.

"Blood on the Highway" does well to exploit both the drive-in movie, and that nihilistic tone that was made famous by indie films of the 90s. It's one of those movies that your friends that aren't into horror wouldn't understand. It looks cheap, it talks cheap, and the violence is silly. On the other hand, it's the type of film that gives demented, like-minded folks a half-chub when the opening credits begin.  It won't make my list of top 10 films of 2010, but there was never a boring moment. I had fun watching this flick, and that's what it's all about.

6.5/10

Last Breath (2009)

In "Last Breath" we find a husband and wife, whose marriage is built on shifting sand, who find themselves imprisoned by a sadistic killer - forced to make choices that will ultimately determine their family's survival or demise.

The best way for me to define "Last Breath" in the most primitive fashion would have to simply be what "Saw" could have been but fell short of over and over again. Normally I am very leery of "trap" based horror films as I was never a fan of the "Saw" franchise or any of the clones that came to light after its success. I am very pleased that I gave this film a chance because it turned out to be a remarkable piece of cinema and an mind blowing example of cross genre entertainment blending horror/drama/romance not only successfully but in such a seamless way you'll find yourself on a rollercoaster of different emotions as the movie progresses something that I can honestly say I have not experienced in a very long time.





Story wise "Last Breath" is nothing short of remarkable a stunning display of solid writing through strong character development, very believable portrayal of various human emotions, and an ending that will leave you amazed at the fact you were not only directed by Ty Jones to feel fear and tension but also moments of sadness and even segments of starry-eyed induced romantic thoughts, a truly impressive feat for an indie horror film to say the least.






Unlike "Saw" the traps found in "Last Breath" all seemed very believable and doable which aided greatly in me enjoying it as much as I did. But in the end my favorite feature of "Last Breath" was just the depth of the story and the way it plays out to an ending that some may find a bit cheesy but personally it has become one of my favorite plot twists and lands "Last Breath" a very high recommendation from myself for all Liberal Dead readers to give this movie a chance.






On behalf of The Liberal Dead I give "Last Breath" a well earned 9 out of 10 and award for best use of romance in a horror film in a long long while.

9/10

- Ted "Ritualistic" Brown

Horror Is Not Dead The Sequel : 10 Indie flicks that deserve your dollars

 

The Darkness Within (2010)

Chad Morgan and Ashley Sera are starting their new life together. They've recently gotten engaged and have moved into an apartment in a new town.

Everything is seemingly perfect; except for one thing - their next-door neighbor, Mr. Reed. After a bizarre encounter, Chad begins to realize that if he doesn't unlock the secret to this mysterious voyeur soon, he may lose everything - including his mind.

"The Darkness Within" came out of left field and has become one of my top picks for 2010 so far, with a remarkable story, believable acting, and an ending that will leave your mind blown, this is a must see for any horror fan. Made on a budget of almost nothing "The Darkness Within" is a perfect example of indie filmmaking in its purest most guerilla form.

Official Liberal Dead Review










Spring Break Massacre (2008)

A spring-break sleepover takes a turn for the worse for six sorority co-eds, after Stanley Peterson, convicted serial killer, escapes from maximum security prison. It's up to the college ladies to survive the night, and at the same time figure out who is behind all of the grizzly blood-soaked antics.

"Spring Break Massacre" is a homage film done so flawlessly it's hard to believe it wasn't discovered on a rack of VHS tapes in a local mom and pop video rental store. This indie flick deserves a view from any children of the 80's who are in need of a reminder of what made the era so fun and unforgettable.

Official Liberal Dead Review










Burning Inside (2010)

Burning Inside tells the story of a man known only as John Doe. Who has awaken from an extended coma with no memory of his past life, no clue as to who he is, or what happened to him. After obtaining a new life with a wife and normal existence he suddenly finds himself filled with a need for revenge that must be carried out by any means necessary.

"Burning Inside" is a truly unique cinema experience, from the start to the end I found my interest peeked and a building tension caused by the fact there is very little dialog, which is enhanced even further by a great mix of ambient sounds and music. Most definitely an art house style picture so if you find yourself unable to tolerate such films you may not enjoy this one as much as me but none the less I believe "Burning Inside" deserves to be viewed.

Official Liberal Dead Review









Mercy (2006)

Mercy follows the story of John Mercy, an ex convict who will soon discover that life after prison is far from easy. After meeting a strange woman inside a bar he finds himself on the brink of insanity and at risk for ending up back in jail for violation of his parole.

Remember when horror used politics and current news to induce terror? If you answered that with a loud "Fuck Yeah" then "Mercy" is a film you must locate and view as soon as possible. It's take on life after prison for an ex con is mesmeric and will leave you thinking, something that is lacking from a lot of today's modern day horror. This film has a very classic Hitchcock feel to it and is shot entirely in black and white I highly recommend this to any fan of classic horror.

Official Liberal Dead Review










Hanger (2009)

A horrifying tale of revenge that begins with a back-alley abortion, and ends with a bloodbath so vicious that it brings a new meaning to 'an eye for eye.' From pimps to dealers and hookers to junkies, this film dives headfirst into the depths of human depravity.

Growing up I was a real gore hound I always went out of my way in order to find the most graphic, offensive, and sometimes downright sickening films I could get my hands on. So naturally when I came across "Hanger" I was beyond excited and after all was said and done found myself smiling ear to ear. This is a must see for anyone who grew up watching 80's gore and sleaze flicks if you enjoyed the golden days of Tromaville, "Hanger" will skull fuck you and toss you in a dumpster afterwards, and when it's over you'll discover you enjoyed every last second of the assault.

Official Liberal Dead Review









Blood River(2009)

Adam Mason has quickly become one of our favorite directors at The Liberal Dead. He has an uncanny ability to take next to no budget, and create something that will blow your mind. "Blood River" is his best film to date, and a true cinematic masterpiece. The story follows Summer(Tess Panzer) and Clark(Ian Duncan) as they travel across the desert to tell Summer's parents that she is pregnant. A car crash that follows what I would say is the most interesting piece of film ever dedicated to a tire blow out, leaves them stranded. The film is set in 1969, so it's not quite as easy as just pulling out their iPhone and calling AAA. Clark, and Summer head out on foot to the nearest town, "Blood River". As the couple arrive, not only is there a cow carcass laying at the entrance to the town to greet them, but there are various skeletal remains scattered across the grounds, and nothing much else. It's completely abandoned. Soon, we're introduced to Joseph(Andrew Howard), who is seen from the distance, appearing out of nowhere. It's made immediately obvious that there's something not right about Joe, but they are so desperate for help at this point, that they're willing to overlook his quirks. Leaving Summer behind, Joseph, and Clark head off into the desert, in an attempt to salvage gas from the crashed car, and siphon it into Joseph's car. This is basically the top of the coaster. It was great up until this point, and the ride just gets better from here.

“Blood River” is one of the best films I have seen in a long time. It's currently getting the shaft as far as US distribution goes, but you can have it imported from the UK via amazon.co.uk. This is a film that would be worth the price of a region free DVD player if you don't currently have one. It's a crime that this won't see a wide theatrical release, as it deserves it more than most movies currently playing at the cinema.

Official Liberal Dead Review










Dead Hooker In A Trunk(2009)

Have you ever been skull-fucked after an ass rape? This is one of the many perplexing question posed by Twisted Twins "Dead Hooker In A Trunk". Identical Twins Jen, and Sylvia Soska wrote, directed, produced, and starred in this wildly dark, and comedic horror/comedy that delivers what the title promises. The twins play, well... twins, whom are the polar opposite of one another. The story follows the sisters, and two of their friends, after they find a dead hooker in the trunk of their car after a long night of partying. Everything that follows is complete insanity.

"Dead Hooker" does well to capture that "indie" feel of the mid to late 90's. If you're a fan of films like "Doom Generation" You're in for a treat with this one. The dialog is sharp, and funny, and well delivered by all involved. The violence is depraved, and plentiful. “Dead Hooker” is a film that you should go out of your way to purchase. It's a film that you can watch over and over again with a room full of friends, and still laugh till you bleed. “Dead Hooker” isn't available to purchase yet, but keep your eyes peeled to fortyfps.com for details, and use their contact form if you're interested.

Official Liberal Dead Review










Long Pigs(2009)

Long Pigs is a mockumentary in the spirit of "Man Bites Dog". Two filmmakers follow Anthony, a cannibalistic serial killer as he does his thing. The two document the entire process, from the stalk, to the kill, to the eventual cooking and eating of Anthony's victims. "Long Pigs" is absolutely haunting, and eerie. Anthony Alviano does such an amazing job at portraying "the serial killer next door" that his presence will haunt you long after the credits roll. There is something about the matter of fact way he goes about his business, humming as he carves the meat from the suspended corpses of his victims. The sense of joy that you can see in Anthony's face as he's preparing his meal is sinister. This film is living proof that practical FX trump CGI any day of the week. As disturbing as it is, the effects are absolutely gorgeous as Anthony is carving his victims up. One scene in particular, displayed in fast motion, Anthony completely "dresses" one of his hanging cadavers, and it is extremely convincing, and very well executed. “Long Pigs” is currently available to purchase via amazon.com. If you're a fan of indie horror, I DEMAND that you buy this film. It's absolutely required viewing.

Official Liberal Dead Review









Sympathy(2007)

Sympathy, in its entirety, takes place in one hotel room. After a bank robbery that we're not witnessed to, Trip, played by Steven Pritchard, has taken Sara, played by Marina Shtelen hostage. Trip cuffs Sara to the bed while he maps out a path to Canada, where he intends to catch a plane. After a quick trip out, trip returns to an unexpected visitor, and so the insanity begins. I have to say, even though it's fairly obvious that the film was made on a near nonexistent budget, I enjoyed the look that they accomplished. Sure, it looks cheap, but it looks grainy, and it manages to feel like the exploitation flicks that it's partially paying homage to. Sympathy is the perfect blend of a Hitchcockian thriller, and a straight up exploitation film. It does a perfect job at keeping you guessing, while serving up a few moments of pure splatter. If this is what first time director Andrew Moorman was going for, he's definitely hit his mark. Sympathy, as you can tell by the title of this review, is a film from 2007, but it didn't get picked up for distribution until this year. Thankfully, Vicious Circle, and Breaking Glass Pictures took a chance on this one, otherwise it might have never seen the light of day. My hope is that somebody from some big name studio will see Sympathy, and give Moorman a budget. I think, if given the proper resources, he has the potential to become a next gen master of horror. Sympathy is currently available through all the normal channels. While you can rent it from Netflix, I would recommend heading over to Amazon and just shelling out the dough for a copy of your own. It's the perfect genre film, and it's something you'll want to revisit.

Official Liberal Dead Review








Someone's Knocking At The Door(2009)
Chad Ferrin's “Someone's Knocking At The Door” is a complete mind-fuck of a film. A group of medical students break into the archives room, and read about a demented serial killing couple, that raped their victims to death. Also on file is an experimental drug that was being tested on the couple. So of course, the students decide to test the drug out. Soon they become hunted by the serial rape/killing couple, and begin to get picked off, brutally, one by one. “SKATD” is one of those films that has more going on than it leads you to believe. As an onlooker, it looks like just another modern day exploitation film made simply to shock you, and while it does shock, it's also surprisingly marketable considering the subject matter. Though I can understand why “SKATD” didn't go theatrical, I really wish it had. Even with the extreme premise, I think audiences would have enjoyed it. It's sick, it's depraved, and it's a ton of fun. “Someone's Knocking At The Door” is definitely a cult classic in the making. Though it sells out fairly often, you can find “SKATD” available for purchase via amazon.com. Director Ch ad Ferrin often updates his facebook friends as to the quantity of discs available for purchase, so drop him a line sometime.

Official Liberal Dead Review



Written by : Shawn & Ted

After.Life (2009) Review

 

After watching After.Life, I feel silly for looking forward to it simply because of Christina Ricci. I thought I would be presented with a silly popcorn flick, some Ricci eyecandy, and that would be the end of it. I was completely wrong. 


Anna(Ricci) Is depressed, and she doesn't know why. She doesn't know what she wants, or how to get it. All she knows is that she is not happy. Paul(Justin Long) Anna's boyfriend. He doesn't know what is wrong with Anna, he just knows that something isn't right. She's not passionate about anything anymore, and typically of a male, he assumes it has something to do with him. Paul has a big job offer, and is excited to ask Anna to marry him, and move away. A botched proposal sends Anny out the door, and into the car for some angry driving, and phone-fu which ultimately leads to a car crash. Anna regains consciousness, or so she thinks, lying on the table in the basement of a funeral home. Elliot Deacon(Liam Neeson) is the funeral director that will be preparing Anna for her funeral. 


This is where I'll stop with the plot rundown. The less you know about this film going in, the deeper it's impact on you will be. Much of the details that lead to the impact of After.Life are hidden beneath the surface. You're not going to get a cliche reveal moment, nor are you going to be spoon fed the plot. It's really clever, in that it makes you think that something else is going on, even though the answer is right underneath your nose. At the same time, the story tries really hard to avert your eyes, to get you to focus on something else, while what should be painfully obvious to you unravels without you knowing it. 


The overall look of the film is beautiful. It's extremely dark, almost surreal. The entire film is so bleak, and grey, almost dead looking, save for Ricci's bright red dress, which sticks out like a sore thumb, and triggers racing thoughts, and even dares the viewer to question the story, and the way it's being told. There are subtle hints hidden throughout the film, that are very easy to miss if you're not paying enough attention. I would honestly recommend watching this film twice, back back, because even the most eagle eyed of viewers is bound to miss something, and chances are, if director Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo went to the trouble of filming it, it's paramount to the plot. 


And just to put to bed the question that many of the male readers may have, yes, Christina Ricci does appear naked for a good portion of the movie.Now that that is out of the way, there's actually a solid film that surrounds that fact. "After.Life" is a solid psychological thriller. It challenges it's viewers in a way that most films are afraid to. It never clearly identifies it's self. After.Life gives you the tools you need to decide for yourself what you have just witnessed, even more to the point, to decide what type of film it even is. 


Color me impressed. Going in, expecting to come away with a "meh" feeling, and being titillated a bit by the haunting beauty that is Christina Ricci, I've experienced one of the best psychological thrillers I have seen for a while. It's not black or white, and if you're not willing to commit yourself fully to the film, you may not have the same reaction that I did. If paying attention to ever little detail in a film in order to understand it turns you off, you'll be better off skipping this one. But if you're like me, and you like when filmmakers don't treat us like the brain-dead drooling troglodytes that Hollywood seems to think we are, don't even think twice about seeing this flick. The devil is in the detail, remember that. 


8.5/10

Open Graves (2009) Review

"Open Graves" tells the story of an international group of young surfers who come into possession of an ancient artifact, Mamba, an old board game made from the skin and bones of a witch executed during the Spanish Inquisition. At a drunken party one night, they casually decide to play. It's all fun and games until they find out that curses last forever and death is the ultimate undertow.

The entire time I watched this movie I was waiting for them to open a random door and behind it would be Robin Williams in a furry cave man outfit which would have made this movie a little more entertaining. Yes if you haven't figured out by the plot already this is a horror version of "Jumanji" and while that sounds like it may be fun, it's not and comes off as an adult version of a badly written episode of "Goosebumps".

I don't even know where to start with "Open Graves" it comes off as very silly and almost childlike, but at the same time they try to throw in adult situations and graphic gore. It really is almost like they purchased a script that was written to be PG and amped up the violence to get an R rating.





 
Unfortunately the makeup starts off strong but then through the rest of the film is very hit and miss mainly caused by hideous uses of CG, a real let down after such a graphic display in the first few minutes of the film. I will give the special effects house huge props for a scene involving the regeneration of a man's legs very impressive use of CG something you will rarely hear me say.

One thing that drives me absolutely crazy is when a scene just doesn't add up and this movie has one of the most "are you fucking serious" movements I have experienced in a while. ***Possible Spoiler Alert*** There is a big rig coming down the highway and suddenly a dragonfly swoops pass the drivers windshield, a normal sized nothing special dragonfly, this causes him to swerve suddenly to miss the insect in the process capsizing and crashing his giant gas filled tanker truck on its side. Seriously? When has anyone ever swerved to avoid hitting a bug? Did this guy have some superhuman vision and passionate love for insects that he was so willing to risk his own life to save one I call total shenanigans?




  
While this is not a SyFy original I can see why they decided to purchase this one from the horrible acting, the vomit inducing script, and mind blowing bad CG created animals "Open Graves" has SyFy written all over it. Besides a couple displays of practical effects there is very little reason to ever watch this film unless you just want to punish yourself and sit through another Z-grade SyFy channel style feature.





  
On behalf of The Liberal Dead I give "Open Graves" a 4 out of 10 and a "WHAT THE FUCK" trophy for the ridiculous dragonfly verses big rig scene.

4/10

- Ted "ritualistic" Brown

Spring Break Massacre (2008) Review

A spring-break sleepover takes a turn for the worse for six sorority co-eds, after Stanley Peterson, convicted serial killer, escapes from maximum security prison. It's up to the college ladies to survive the night, and at the same time figure out who is behind all of the grizzly blood-soaked antics. No you have not stumbled onto your very own Hot tub time machine, although this film does an excellent job at reenacting the feel of a classic 80's who did it slasher, "Spring break Massacre" is actually from 2008, and a great example at how a homage film is done.

Recently I have watched a lot of homage films mostly paying tribute to the 70's exploitation film or the 80's slasher with only a handful managing to pull it off to their advantage, "Spring Break Massacre" happens to be one of these mentioned movies. This movie feels so retro that it should be sold on both VHS and DVD in my opinion and any fan of the era will come away from "Spring Break Massacre" more than pleased with their viewing experience.





Story wise "Spring Break Massacre" is your classic who did it slasher, constantly confusing you around each turn as to who the killer is and why they are eliminating college guys and girls at an alarming rate. All the 80's clichés are here and often done in a very humorous way everything from good old fashion 80's style gore, to your typical dose of T&A, it can all be found within the running time of "Spring Break Massacre" causing it become a must see film for any old school horror fans looking for a fix of pure popcorn fun you'll feel like your back at the drive-in minutes into this film.




The special effects are your basic 80's style practical effects, nothing but latex and buckets of blood the way such a film should be created. There are some very fun kills that reminded me of the early "Friday The 13th" franchise during its hay day, one involving a coat hanger you should keep an eye open for when viewing "Spring Break Massacre".





Overall I enjoyed this movie, but I warn you it is geared towards the fans of cheesy gore loaded 80's horror so if you find yourself not liking most of the era's offerings your best bet is to skip this one, but for your fans this is a hidden gem you will absolutely love and I highly recommend you give this one a watch. On behalf of The Liberal Dead I give "Spring Break Massacre" a 6.5 out of 10.

6.5/10

- Ted "Ritualistic" Brown








  

Dread (2009) Review

I was able to see Dread last fall, but for some reason, it just slipped my mind. Thankfully, After Dark Films picked it up for their fourth annual Horrorfest. Say what you want about the "8 Films To Die For" series, but each year the lineup has gotten significantly better, and this year was the best so far.

Dread follows a group of college students as they do a study of fear for their thesis. The idea, at least as it was begun, is to learn the cause of fear for most people. As it spirals out of control, it becomes a quest to confront the beast that is "Dread" and hopefully come out on top.

Dread is a Clive Barker adaptations, and honestly one of the best. I was a huge fan of "The Midnight Meat Train" when it was finally released, but not so much a fan of "Book Of Blood". "Dread" kind of redeemed Barker adaptations for me. I wasn't expecting much, and I was given a hell of a surprise.

First of all, the overwhelming sense of.... well... dread in the film is outstanding. The atmosphere created is tense right from the start. You don't know exactly what is going to happen, but you know it's not going to be good. I think that's one of the things that makes this such a good film, it's unique.  It's not a remake, or a retelling, or a reboot, or whatever you want to call cashing in on name recognition. It's not your standard run of the mill slasher. "Dread" is a thinking man's horror flick, which is an endangered species these days.





The cinematography is beautiful. The opening scene of the movie features some of the best POV shots I've seen since Scotty Spiegel's "Intruder". The camera, focuses on an axe as it enters a person's head, and then once again as it's dragged up the stairs, bouncing on each step. As soon as I saw that, I let out a sigh of relief, as I knew I was going to be in good hands for the next 90 minutes or so.

This isn't an overly gory flick, though there are several scenes of highly visceral violence that are handled with some beautiful practical FX. The opening scene kind of reminded me of High Tension for some reason, but it can be a bit misleading. When you start the film, you may think you're in for a slasher film, and then what follows is a dark and gritty psychological thriller that happens to be oozing with beautiful looking blood. Some of the topics touched on are really morbid and disturbing.





I'm kind of surprised that nobody picked "Dread" up before After Dark Films did. This could have gone with a wider theatrical release than it got. I wish more studios were willing to do what After Dark is doing for independent horror.

The acting is superb across the board. Jackson Rathborne, who is unfortunately part of the brain dead "Twilight" series actually does a good job. Amazing how well an actor can do when there's an actual script involved. The real star of the show though is Shaun Evans as Quaid. He's a disturbed guy, and takes a lot of medication to get through the day. There's a scene where he dumps all of his meds, and from that point on, you can visually see his descent into madness.





If you're like me, and you're always on the lookout for something different, "Dread" really hits the spot. It's been out on DVD for a little while now thanks to After Dark, and it's well worth the purchase price. If you've had bad experiences with the ADHF in the past, give it a go, I promise you that have gotten better each year, and this is one of the best in the entire series.

8/10

Hellweek (2010) Review

A rush week prank takes a turn for the gruesome in Fright Teck Pictures "Hellweek". A group of college students find themselves in a fight for their lives against a group of masked psychopaths who have been held up inside of an abandoned doll factory for years. A local legend that turns out to be true is ignored by the group, as they use the factory as part of their rush week initiations.

I just want to start off by giving you brief descriptions of a few of the "masked psychopaths" featured in this film, their leader is a fat Phantom of the opera look alike who reigns over a posse of the following: a man wearing a mask that looks like grandpa from TCM whose name happens to be "gramps" that wields a chainsaw and even does the signature Leatherface dance at one point chainsaw in hand, a man wearing a clown mask similar to that of Slipknot who at one point chases a girl while playing a banjo, and a hand full of other cliché filled characters that come from other known films throughout the ages. homage's are one thing, but this film felt like a total rip off from start to finish. "Hellweek" is a weird stew of horror clichés forcefully mashed together in hopes of coming off as retro and fun, but ultimately turns out as a poorly written, and dreadfully executed attempt at recreating the glory days of the Slasher films of the 70s and 80s.


 
The special effects are atrocious. There's a particular scene where a woman is hit with a sledgehammer and is cut in half with one swing as if it was the world sharpest axe cutting through a stick of butter. A lot of the time I found myself wondering if the blood was nothing more than watered down Kool-aid. Don't get me wrong I love low budget gore and horror but this had nothing to do with budget it was simply poorly done. Adding to the frustration of this film is the fact every time you think you're about to see something really cool it cuts to a different scene almost as if your watching a film that has been edited for TV. When you're finally given a little bit of gore, it's handled so poorly that it makes you want to turn the film off and see what's on the SyFy channel.



 
As far as the story goes, if I'm being honest, it's a complete clusterfuck.  It's almost like they tried to blend three or four bad scripts into one movie in hopes of producing a good finished product and failed miserably. It drags on for way longer than needed, and honestly I feel it would of made a better short than a feature. If a lot of the filler was removed, and the characters were given more original names and features, and the special effects were improved, it could of been interesting enough to fill the running time of a short. Overall I highly disliked this film and found no redeeming qualities. It would be wise of both fans of mainstream, and indie flicks to steer clear of "Hellweek".

2/10

- Ted "Ritualistic" Brown

Stag Night (2008) Review

Stag Night appears to be the product of two stoners, a bag of pot, and a late night viewing of "Wrong Turn". The movie follows a group of friends out on the town for a bachelor party. When one of our main characters attempts to sexually assault a girl they are on the subway with, the chaos causes the group, and two girls to get off of the train, only to have it, of course, leave them behind. Trapped, and looking around, they come across a news paper article about Nixon and Watergate, so it doesn't appear that the exits have been opened to this particular stop in some time. While searching for an exit, they run across a couple of wiley men, slicing a police officer limb from limb. Since they can't walk slowly back into the tunnel without kicking a can to alert the psychopaths, they are now being hunted.

The problem with Stag Night is not that it's a terrible movie, it's just so eerily similar to other films, especially Wrong Turn, that you just can't ignore it. Events unfold in almost verbatim order and fashion. The car accident, is now replaced with a botched train ride, then of course, six stranded people, four of which head off into the unknown to seek help while the remaining two hang back to smoke pot and have sex. Sounding familiar yet?





The acting is fairly decent, all things considering. I've never been a fan of Breckin Meyer. There's just something about him, he reminds me of a garden gnome, so it's hard for me to take him seriously, especially when he's kicking a 6 foot tall troglodyte's ass. For the most part though, him and the rest of the supporting cast play their roles as well as the script would allow. No real complaints.





The Special FX, I'm sure are nice. The blood looked nice, but for the most part the "Bourne" shaky cam effects completely ruins it. It is rare that you actually get to see the carnage on-screen. It's mostly delivered in quick flashes of red blurriness. There is a "head squish" scene in the flick that is almost reminiscent of the one in Intruder(1989). There's plenty of gooey red stuff in the flick, so the violence is present. it's just hard to decipher what exactly is happening.





The antagonists in the film are... Well, they're not scary. It's like they went into the subways of NYC and traded cheeseburgers to homeless people for them to act in the movie. There is no reason why that they seem to have the supernatural strength that they do, nor the martial arts skills of a Shaolin Monk. They're just dirty people with beards and dreadlocks. At least in Wrong Turn, there was years of inbreeding that suggested something about their abilities, and that they were deformed.

"Stag Night" feels pre-processed. It is a movie that you will watch once, then completely forget. I'm not saying to stay away from it, I'm just saying, it's something you've seen before, and seen done better. If you see it for a buck in a redbox, give it a go, it's better than prime time reality television that's for sure. But don't go out of your way to see it, it's not worth the trouble.

5/10

Long Pigs (2009)

Long Pigs is a mockumentary in the spirit of "Man Bites Dog". Two filmmakers follow Anthony, a cannibalistic serial killer as he does his thing. The two document the entire process, from the stalk, to the kill, to the eventual cooking and eating of Anthony's victims.

You may think to yourself, that this has been done recently with the film "Behind The Mask", and while that might be a fair comparison, it is also fair to state that the two films couldn't be more different. Where "Behind The Mask" was more of a comedy, "Long Pigs" is absolutely haunting, and eerie. Anthony Alviano does such an amazing job at portraying "the serial killer next door" that his presence will haunt you long after the credits roll. There is something about the matter of fact way he goes about his business, humming as he carves the meat from the suspended corpses of his victims. The sense of joy that you can see in Anthony's face as he's preparing his meal is sinister. Even going as far as joking that if he ever gets caught, the way he will capitalize on his crimes will be to publish a cannibalistic cookbook.

This film is living proof that practical FX trump CGI any day of the week. As disturbing as it is, the effects are absolutely gorgeous as Anthony is carving his victims up. One scene in particular, displayed in fast motion, Anthony completely "dresses" one of his hanging cadavers, and it is extremely convincing, and very well executed.






The acting, as mentioned above, is one of the best parts of the movie. All roles are played very competently and believable, but it's Anthony that steals the show. While it's not entirely believable that a serial killer would let a film crew record him in action, it's at no point over-the-top.

First time directors Chris Power and Nathan Hynes have the potential to become big names in the indie horror realm. An absolutely solid first time outing. The writing is clever, the story is very interesting, and at no point does the film drag. It's quirky and interesting from the first frame until the last credit rolls.






I was a tad apprehensive at first, to be completely honest. While the premise sounded extremely interesting, we've been beaten to death with these first person style mockumentaries for the past five years or so. In my opinion, "Long Pigs" is one of the best examples of how this style of filmmaking is done right. It's smart, it's interesting, has an amazing range of supporting actors, and actually feels genuine. I highly recommend this film to any fan of indie horror. The film has haunted me since I finished watching it, and it takes a seriously well crafted film to do that.

8/10









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The Killer Inside Me (2010) Review

The Killer Inside Me is many things. It's a modern day western-noir, It's a slow burn thriller, it's a murder drama that unfolds in a first person perspective. What this film is not, is easy to watch. That's not an insult to the film, more of a praise, coming from me. It takes a lot to make me feel uneasy, but this did it.

The story follows Lou Ford, hauntingly portrayed by Casey Affleck. Lou is a deputy sheriff in a small west Texas town. He is sent by Chester Conway, the town big-shot played by Ned Beatty, to run a whore out of town(Jessica Alba) with whom his son has fallen in love with. When Lou falls for the whore himself, the tangled web of sex and murder begins.

Directed by Michael Winterbottom, who some of you may know from his cult hit "24 Hour Party People", this thriller noir is told in first person, in such a matter of fact way that it almost feels surreal. The first time I was exposed to Case Affleck, as the annoying kid at the booth in Chasing Amy, never would I have thought that Ben's nerdy looking little brother would turn into the actor that he has. After his performance in "Gone Baby Gone", and now this, I'll purposefully seek out any picture that he is involved in from hereon out. Without spoiling too much, each time he commits an unspeakable crime, it's made that much more effective, both by Affleck's performance, and for just the sheer fact that it wasn't expected.

The Killer Inside Me is not a horror film, so there's not much "gore" to speak about. That being said, the type of violence in this film is highly disturbing. Heinous acts of highly brutal violence against women make this a hard film to watch. If this type of thing bothers you, be warned. I'm not talking about rape, or anything like that, just pure vicious violence. However, if you're looking for a slasher film, you've come to the wrong place.

While the violence has harrowing, the film still manages to drip sexuality. The sex scenes in this movie are absolutely sticky hot. With eye candy such as Jessica Alba, and Kate Hudson, it's hard not to stand at attention. Even the sex scenes are riddled with violence, but the way that it plays out never comes across as sexually violent, just consenting adults having amazingly hot, rough sex. While this is the most of Jessica Alba's body I've ever seen in a film, it's still filmed in a way that you can't technically call it a nude scene. In some ways, it's better though.

Some viewers will be turned off by the pacing of the film. But if you like the events in your film to take their time unfolding, then you'll be pleasantly surprised. I wouldn't go as far to say that we're given a lot of character development. It doesn't dwell on any one particular background character's story, but the script is so solid, and the amazing lineup of A-List talent pull their weight, so to speak, so you do feel like you know what each character is about.

Visually the film is stunning. Some amazing cinematography, and a keen eye for detail. Being a period piece, you have to work a little harder to suck the audience in, and WinterBottom did just that. He's managed to create this odd atmosphere that I can't even explain, perhaps a thick sense of dread? Whatever it is, it works. That, combined with the writing, the solid acting, and the overall insanity of the story, I was glued to my seat till the credits rolled.

"The Killer Inside Me" is currently available on-demand via IFC In Theaters. At 6.99, it's well worth the price.I knew nothing about this film going in, and wound up pleasantly surprised. Hopefully, you will be too.

8/10

Ryan Nicholson's "Hanger" now on Netflix Instant view.

Just a heads up for those of you that subscribe to netflix, you can now catch Ryan Nicholson's grindhouse opus "Hanger" via instant view. Let's show netflix that this is the type of content we want on their service by streaming the hell out of it. Below you will find my previous review of the flick in case you are not aware of it.

Review: 


Ryan Nicholson's films are some of the most polarizing experiences in motion picture that I've ever seen. For some, they're cinematic gold, taking us back in time to the sleazy 80s. For others, they're annoying, and disgusting. I fall into the former category. While I admit, the first time I saw Live Feed, it didn't leave that much of a lasting impression on me, but it's one of those movies that gets better with each time you watch. The first time I saw Gutterballs, though, I knew I was in for a slobbering love affair with this director. Hanger one-ups Gutterballs with the gross-out factor ten fold. It's vile, and disgusting, and I loved every dirty minute of it.

Hanger is a classic example of a rape/revenge film, only instead of forced sex, our victim, a pregnant prostitute named Rose played by Debbie Rochon, is held down by her cliche pimp, played by Ronald Patrick Thompson, while he forcefully removes her baby with a coat hanger. This sequence is played out in very graphic detail, so if this is something that will bother you, it's best to steer clear of this one. While this act of violence leaves Rose dead, surprisingly, her baby survives. Flash forward 20 or so odd years later, and we're introduced to Hanger, a cruelly named homeless man, with a horribly disfigured face, due to his abrupt delivery via coat hanger. An unnamed man, known only as "The John" due to his love for the ladies of the night, takes Hanger in, gives him a place to stay, a place to work, and tells him to practice killing, because they're about to go on a revenge spree. John was a regular customer for Hanger's mom, and he's fairly convinced that he is Hanger's father. When this toxic father/son duo reunite, the world of prostitution is about to be brought down to it's knees, and ass raped in the name of vengeance.

I can't stress this enough, "Hanger" is not for those with a weak stomach, there are scenes that made me gag a little, and I'm a hardened veteran of trash cinema. There is something in this movie to offend anyone, so just remember, I warned you. The film is not without it's flaws. There are some serious pacing issues, including a 10 minute long graphic female masturbation scene. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every second of it, but it pretty much brings the film to a complete halt. Some of the performances are pretty ridiculous, but it's forgivable, as you can tell it was done on purpose. Putting in a particularly over the top cameo performance is Lloyd Kaufman, who plays a transvestite prostitute that gets brutalized from trying to come to Rose's aid. The star of the show here is Dan Ellis. Ellis plays the perfect "man with no name" character. I've even mentioned to Nicholson that he needs to direct a spaghetti style western, casting Ellis as the lead. After seeing him in "Hanger" you'll understand why this makes sense.

If you were a fan of "Gutterballs" you may, or may not enjoy "Hanger." I've seen both reactions, and it's hard to gauge. While the charm of "Gutterballs" is still present, it's buried under layers of grit, and grime. If you're obsessed with some of the nastier grindhouse classics, you're in for a dirty little treat. Dump your popcorn out in a bowl so that the empty bag can be used as a barf bag, some of you may need it.

Altered (2006) Review

Fifteen years ago, five friends, Cody (Paul McCarthy-Boyington), Duke (Brad William Henke), Otis (Michael C Williams), Wyatt (Adam Kaufman), and Timmy were abducted by aliens. Otis, Duke, and Wyatt have spent endless years returning to the spot where the horrible incident took place in hopes of capturing one of the creatures that had caused them so much suffering. Cody on the other hand has become a shut in who lives in constant fear of the creatures return. One night during one of their routine hunts for one of the creatures, they find themselves in possession of one, very much alive, and take it hostage, bringing it to Cody knowing he's their only hope of surviving now that they have captured one. So begins the intense gore infused ride that is "Altered"


I had never heard of this film, but Shawn, knowing that I have a huge obsession with the Alien sub genre of horror, recommended I give it a watch since it was on Netflix instaview. Wow, talk about a movie that deserves way more recognition than it's received. When I think about alien abduction movies, the following films come to mind "Close Encounters of The Third Kind", "The Fourth Kind", "Fire in The Sky", and now "Altered". Directed by Eduardo Sánchez famous for "The Blair Witch Project" and the upcoming "Blair Witch Project 3" this is by far his strongest film in my personal opinion.





The storyline is very original, beautifully written, and pulled off in a flawless manner "Altered" will leave you on edge and with a constant sense of building tension until the very end. This is further supported by the astounding acting done by all those involved. The characters are believable, and fear and emotion are portrayed impeccably. It baffles me how this did not receive a theatrical release. I believe it would of made a killing at the box office given the proper amount of marketing, and released during the right season.





Gore wise, this film is also incredible, with good old fashion practical effects, and CG used only when absolutely needed, and very sparing as it should be. I found myself constantly saying "Oh My God" out loud throughout the entire flick as it kept one upping itself with sheer blood soaked ultra realistic looking gore. There is a scene in this movie that is forever embedded into my sub conscious for the rest of my existence, involving an alien and a man held captive in a very grisly manner which is all I will say because I hope your jaw hits the floor as mine did when you see it for yourself.





Overall I really enjoyed "Altered" and now add it to my list of alien abduction movies worth watching again and again. I highly recommend this to any fan of the sub genre, not only as a watch but as a buy, for those just looking for a fun gore filled flick to watch with some friends, this should also be moved to the top of your to view list. On behalf of The Liberal Dead I give "Altered" a 9 out of 10 and award for best use of guts in a film in a very long time.

9/10

- Ted "Ritualistic" Brown