Brief review: "Skinned Alive"

Distributor: Lionsgate



Skinned Alive is a gruesome but muddled horror movie.

In the heart of New York City, a prostitute is killing men in a gruesome manner - first dismembering them and then eating them. Caught in the web of murder are three people: a sad and lonely man named Jeffrey, a call girl with a dark secret, and a lunatic who wants her dead. Jeffrey is about to discover that true love can have a very bloody price.

James Tucker's film is a mixed blessing. The first hour of the 90-minute film goes by quickly and is nicely done. During this time, the film hardly could be called a horror movie aside from quick but brutal killings by an unseen prostitute. The lonely life of the protagonist Jeffrey (newcomer Jack Dillon) is established. He lives alone in his parents house, gets visited every once in a while by his concerned sister, gets soundly rejected by every woman he approaches, and pays for escorts but not for the sex, for the companionship only to be disappointed when they pretty much ignore him before rejecting him as well. As he says to himself, "I would kill myself but no one would care. I'd be pathetic even in death." This sequence works because the viewer begins to sympathize with Jeffrey because he really seems like a decent guy, maybe a little pathetic at times, who hasn't received a fair shake in life for whatever reason. It isn't exactly scary or horrific, but it could have been the setup for a good little movie. Could have been.

Unfortunately, once he begins dating the cannibalistic prostitute, the film proceeds to go downhill, fast. Without spoiling what occurs in the last half hour of the film, let me just say that it is incredibly difficult to buy what transpires. The film undergoes a drastic tonal shift at this point from straight horror to comedy-horror that does not gel with the previous material at all. Not in the least. It is so out-of-the-blue it wouldn't be too far-fetched to believe that the film changed screenwriters and directors midway through production. Alas, that is not the case, which makes the situation even more confounding. To say that the last half hour goes a long way towards undermining what came before it is an understatement.

The acting is good, the film looks decent for a low-budget production but the final 30 or so minutes of Skinned Alive make it difficult to recommend. If you do see it, turn it off at the one hour mark and invent your own ending. It'll be better than what actually occurs, guaranteed.

"Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!"

According to Home Media Magazine, Passion River Entertainment has announced the horror-comedy Zombies! Zombies! Zombies! for a September 9 DVD release.

The film looks similar to "Zombie Strippers" except this time the strippers are humans fighting zombies instead of being zombies themselves. Why exactly strippers would fight zombies no one knows but this could be fun if it is as funny as the premise would have you believe.

"Red"

According to Home Media Magazine, Magnolia Home Entertainment has announced Red for an October 28 DVD release date.

The film's plot is as follows:

An older, reclusive man, Avery, (Brian Cox) has a best friend in his dog Red. When three teens kill Red for no reason, Avery sets out for justice and redemption, attempting to follow the letter of the law. But when the law fails him, and the boys' father (Tom Sizemore) clearly defines right and wrong in his own way, Avery must use whatever means possible.

The Jack Ketchum novel this is based on was a gut-wrenching, emotional experience. With any luck, the adaptation will be able to replicate the experience.

"Mother of Tears" - Revised Artwork

I like this one better. It doesn't look as corny as the old one of a wide-eyed Asia Argento.

The film hits DVD on September 23.

DVD Releases: September 2/9

September 2:

Bait Shop (Lionsgate comedy)
Ballet Shoes (Koch drama)
Do Or Die (Image sci-fi)
How To Rob A Bank (IFC comedic-drama)
Itty Bitty Titty Committee (Wolfe comedy)
Married Life (Sony drama)
Morgue, The (Lionsgate horror)
Outsourced (Porchlight comedy)
Promotion, The (Weinstein Company comedy)
Reprise (Miramax drama)
Then She Found Me (ThinkFilm drama)
Wedding Weekend (First Look comedy)


September 9:

Baby Mama (Universal comedy)
Block Party Madness (Maverick comedy)
Child's Play: 20th Anniversary Edition (MGM horror)
Fall, The (Sony fantasy/drama)
Forbidden Kingdom (Lionsgate action)
Foreign Exchange (Screen Media comedy)
Heckler (Echo Bridge comedy)
I Want Candy (Magnolia comedy)
Manje (York Entertainment horror)
National Lampoon's Homo Erectus (comedy)
Nympha (MTI horror)
Sarah Landon And The Paranormal Hour (Sony thriller)
Seed (Vivendi Visual horror)
Something Beneath (Genius Products sci-fi)
Son Of Sam (Lionsgate horror)
Taking 5 (Sony comedy)
Zombies! Zombies! Zombies! (Passion River horror)

The influx of horror DVDs trying to take advantage of Halloween begins in earnest with more than the usual amount of horror films being released, especially on September 9. On that note, it's hard to believe that it has already been 20 years since "Child's Play" was released. I feel old.

Brief review: "The Cellar Door"

Distributor: Monterey Home Video



Matt Zettell's The Cellar Door is a minimalist, effective slice of independent horror.

A young woman (Michelle Tomlinson) wakes to find herself imprisoned in the basement of a serial killer (James DuMont). She is not the first to be entrapped in this diabolical torture chamber. She is not the first to captivate his perverse affection, Herman has been searching for the perfect girl, but all he's collected are pieces - a chunk of hair; a severed finger; a jar of blood - and now, the alluring and beautiful Rudy.

Imprisoned in a wooden cage and yet refusing to play along in his twisted game, she has only her wits to use against his savage and murderous insanity.

Real, true independent filmmaking is fading these days. Are films like "Juno," "Little Miss Sunshine," and "Sideways" really independent films when they have major studio backing and the millions of dollars spent on prints and advertising that goes along with that? No, not in my opinion. If you want to see honest-to-goodness independent filmmaking, the best place to turn is the horror genre. Don't quote me on this, but the horror genre seems to have more independently-produced films released each year than any other genre by far. While some are quite bad (like any genre, really), there are a few impressive films. The Cellar Door is one of them.

What makes The Cellar Door good? First off, the direction is gritty and sometimes flashy but always solid. Zettell has shot a film that looks for all the world like a big budget film. It has impressive editing, tight, efficient pacing and cinematography, and decent gore effects when called for (although the film is definitely not a gorefest by any means). Look is important but what makes the film ultimately work is the storytelling. The presentation of what is an extremely simple story on the surface (captor and captive) is able to develop multiple layers. The film almost seems like a stage play at times with the mind games between the two taking front and center for much of the running time. It is credit to Zettell and screenwriter Christopher Nelson that a film that pretty much takes place in one room for 90% of the running time remains so intriguing. You are kept guessing what tactic the captive will try next and when the captor will have another random outburst because the guy clearly has more than a few wires crossed.

Also, the film benefits from solid performances from the two leads. DuMont's Herman is so temperamental, so schizophrenic that you don't know what version of him will show itself from scene to scene and it keeps you on your toes. His penchant for keeping poop and pee "samples" from his victims in jars alone is enough to give most anyone the willies. Michelle Tomlinson is his equal, giving a very convincing performance as his "girl in a box."

This is one "Door" worth opening.

"Hell Ride"

According to Home Media Magazine, Dimension Extreme has announced Hell Ride for an October 28 DVD release date.

Written and directed by Larry Bishop (and produced by Quentin Tarantino), the film concerns a feud between two biker gangs. Bishop, Michael Madsen, Dennis Hopper, Vinnie Jones, and Eric Balfour star.

I didn't get a chance to see the film during its short and limited theatrical run and look forward to at least renting the DVD. The generally negative critical response does very little to deter me since this Grindhouse-style film isn't something critics would be expected to take a liking to.

More on "Deep Blue Sea 2"

I did some digging and found out a little tidbit more of information regarding Deep Blue Sea 2.

It seems that the storyline that was bandied about following the first one is still in play. Said storyline involves a town getting hit with a hurricane, the water level rising, and the sharks entering the picture to terrorize anyone and everyone.

I like it but still am holding out hope they stick at least one scene in a SeaWorld type theme park. That would make it great.

"Deep Blue Sea 2" on the way

According to Fangoria, Warner Premiere is in the preliminary stages of developing a Deep Blue Sea sequel.

If you'll recall, the 1999 film directed by Renny Harlin concerned super smart sharks who overrun an ocean-based research facility and proceed to eat LL Cool J's parrot and Samuel L. Jackson.

I was a fan of the original for its eerie musical score, cool shark attack sequences, and the fun cast, which also included Saffron Burrows, Stellan Skarsgård, Michael Rapaport, and Thomas Jane.

The sequel is going direct-to-DVD, much like the recently released "Lost Boys: The Tribe." I hope it retains the entertaining aspect of the original and am intrigued as to what the plot will be. I say the sharks should overrun SeaWorld.

"The Vanguard"

According to Home Media Magazine, Starz/Anchor Bay has announced the DVD premiere date for The Vanguard as September 30.

The plot synopsis is as follows:

2015 - The world is in chaos - the last known oil fields have been vanquished, overpopulation has reached critical levels and mankind is about to become a thing of the past. It's a fight for survival among humans and a new race of genetically engineered mutants that just won't die.

Sounds decent. The artwork is doing its best to make the film look like its own version of "Underworld." I hope it's as stylish as that film.

Brief review: "The Killing Gene"

Distributor: Dimension Extreme



The Killing Gene (Formerly titled "WAZ" or "W Delta Z") is a psychological thriller that is high on mood and ideas but low on pacing and actual thrills.

Stellan Skarsgård (Exorcist: The Beginning) stars as Eddie Argo, a veteran cop investigating a string of bizarre serial murders. In each case, the victims were forced to make the unconscionable decision to save themselves or the life of a loved one. Now Eddie and his rookie partner (Melissa George, Alias) must stop the carnage before the killer strikes too close to home.

Director Tom Shankland and writer Clive Bradley have made a film with an undeniably intriguing conceit at its core: How much do we really love one another? The idea is that humanity is innately selfish and that when push comes to shove, we'll save our own hide, even if it means sacrificing another. The killer here is out to test that theory and does so in painful methods not unlike those devised by "Jigsaw" in the "Saw" films.

The cast assembled does a uniformly great job in bringing the premise to life. Stellan Skarsgård is a gruff, commanding presence, Melissa George shows suprising toughness as his rookie partner, and the rest of the cast fill out their parts quite well; I'll refrain from discussing them too much for fear of spoilers.

So it has an interesting premise and a good cast. What's wrong with The Killing Gene then? Well, Shankland excels at creating an atmosphere; New York has perhaps never looked worse than it does here; a hellish place of pimps, whores, gangbangers, drug addicts and, of course, psychopaths, films like this can't make the Board of Tourism very happy. While he was concentrating intently on creating mood Shankland forgot that every film must move along at a decent pace to maintain interest. There are way too many extraneous scenes and subplots that should have been cut. How many times do we need to see a close-up of Skarsgård puffing on a cigarette before flicking it away while the camera follows the cigarette as it rolls on the ground? He also favors extreme close-ups of his actors. It's a compliment to her beauty that not even piss-poor lighting and unflattering close-ups manage to detract from Melissa George's ability to look stunning.

Filled with countless pointless scenes, The Killing Gene is the perfect example of a film that should have been great but instead is almost singlehandedly wrecked by an over-indulgent director.

Brief review: "Juncture"

Distributor: MTI Home Video



Juncture is a superb, slick little thriller well worth your time.

What if you only had three months to live? For Anna Carter (Kristine Blackport), it's a nightmare come true. Diagnosed with a terminal illness, Anna's highflying lifestyle has come crashing down. Now seeing the world through different eyes and a colder heart, Anna, dispensing her style of brutal retribution, embarks on a personal quest to hunt down various miscreants who have slipped through cracks in the justice system. But with the police closing in - and death knocking at her door - will she be able to complete her plan before time runs out? Only death will stop her.

Mixing genres is always a tricky proposition. Unless it's done just right, films that attempt it usually end up a mess. Enterprising, ambitious director James Seale tries just that with Juncture. The film combines the "What to do before I die/terminal illness" film and the lone vigilante on a quest for vengeance film ala "Death Wish," "Death Sentence," and "The Brave One." Add in a touch of romance and you've got Juncture. Thankfully, Seale does a fantastic job intertwining the different elements and tonal shifts so that it all works quite well.

First and foremost, the film is about the vigilante aspect. The terminal illness is the catalyst though so it is almost of equal importance. The scenes involving the illness work because we grow to care about the main character. Seale and screenwriter Robert Gosnell do a nice job giving background on Anna Carter and presenting a well-rounded character the viewer can identify with.

The scenes of vigilante revenge are what most people who view the film will be interested in. Director James Seale proves himself a sharp director with an eye for style and coherence. The action sequences are impressive in scope, especially considering the film likely had a small budget. What's more, when a chase or fight scene ensues (which is quite often), Seale does a fantastic job of choreographing things so that the audience always has a perfect and exciting viewpoint on the action. Big budget films like the second and third "Bourne" could have used his eye when it comes to making such sequences intelligible.

Speaking of scope, the film tells a story very formidable in this area. The film was shot on location in Chicago, New Mexico, San Francisco, Denver, and Philadelphia, which is a notable feat considering the film's low budget roots.

Of course, a film focused so exclusively on one main character's quest depends a lot on the performance. Relative newcomer Kristine Blackport is up to the task.. Equal parts vulernable, tough, sexy, and intelligent, she does a consistently excellent job. Supporting performances are also decent but make no mistake, this is Blackport's show and she delivers.

Films like this show just how good independent films made on a budget can be. Tense, thought-provoking, sexy, and action-packed, Juncture is simply stellar. Best news: It is the first part in a planned trilogy. I, for one, can't wait for part two!

"Chill"

According to Home Media Magazine, Lionsgate has announced the DVD premiere date for Chill as November 4.

The plot synopsis is as follows:

In this retro horror thriller, Sam (Thomas Calabro), an aspiring writer, takes a job as a clerk in an L.A. inner city grocery market owned by the sinister Dr. Munoz, a former scientist who claims to have a rare skin condition that forces him to live in sub-freezing temperatures. Meanwhile, Sam befriends an attractive neighborhood boutique owner Maria (Ashley Laurence) and becomes unwittingly entwined in a threatening love triangle when she reveals that ex-boyfriend Detective Defazio (James Russo), who is investigating the recent disappearance of two local prostitutes, is stalking her. But it's what Sam doesn't know that might prove more fatal. A darker, diabolical secret lurks behind the freezer walls of his newfound employment.

That sounds uniquely cool (pun intended) and definitely worth seeing later this year.

Brief review: "Felon"

Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment



A hard-hitting portrayal of life behind bars, Felon is a viciously effective little film.

A loving family man with a promising future, Wade Porter (Stephen Dorff) suddenly loses everything when he accidentally kills the burglar who broke into his home. Convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Wade is sentenced to spend the next three years inside a maximum security facility where the rules of society no longer apply. Forced to share a cell with a notorious mass murderer (Val Kilmer) and subjected to brutal beatings orchestrated by the sadistic head prison guard (Harold Perrineau), Wade soon realizes he's in for the fight of his life.

Prison life has become a popular subject. With TV shows such as MSNBC's "Lockdown" and "Jail" from the producers of "Cops," the reality format has lead the way. Then, of course, there is the long-running drama "Prison Break" on Fox. Into this climate comes Felon, written and directed by veteran stuntman Ric Roman Waugh.

The film succeeds because of its consistently intriguing character development. First off, you have Stephen Dorff in the everyman role, a man punished for doing what he thought was right: protecting his family. You sympathize with his plight right from the beginning because when push comes to shove, most anyone would have done what he did. He struggles with life behind bars because he misses his wife (Marisol Nichols) and son (Vincent Miller) more than anything. It pains him that he will miss the formative years of watching his son grow up. His wife struggles almost as much as she becomes frustrated and depressed while trying to move on while feeling like her life is stuck in limbo until the love of her life is allowed to come home. On top of that, she has the very real problem of trying to support her son on her own when her husband was the one who had generated much of the income before via his construction business.

Then there is the head prison guard (Harold Perrineau). A man who tells his son to turn the other cheek when faced with school yard bullies but then himself gleefully initiates fights among the prisoners for his own perverse enjoyment. A fellow prison guard (Nate Parker) and a rookie on the job at first respects him because of his position but slowly begins to realize just how twisted and wrong the man's actions are. Lastly, there is John Smith (Val Kilmer), a serial killer who systematically murderered two entire families for a total of 17 people. A "lifer," he is respected among prisoners, and has a lot of wisdom to impart to Wade about how to survive in the new world he finds himself thrust into.

The film benefits immensely from stellar acting. Dorff is simply superb, bringing a mix of toughness and likeability to his role. Nichols is equally good, bringing raw emotion to her role. Perrineau is able to shift from acting like a phony nice guy outside of work to a angry, contentious jerk while on the job. And Kilmer is perfectly cast; always thinking but also uniquely compassionate.

You won't find a recent film that does a better job of portraying prison life than Felon.

"Trailer Park of Terror"

According to Home Media Magazine, Summit Entertainment has announced Trailer Park of Terror for a DVD release on October 21.

The plot is as follows:

Based on the Imperium Comics series, six troubled high school students and their chaperon, an optimistic youth ministries Pastor, return from an outdoor character building retreat in the mountains. During a raging storm, their bus crashes, hopelessly stranding them in the middle of the Trucker's Triangle, a forgotten locus of consummate evil in the middle of nowhere. The hapless group seeks shelter for the night in a seemingly abandoned trailer park they find down the road. However, when the sun sets, it's not refuge they find. Instead, terror finds them in the form of Norma, a damned redneck reaper with a killer body who dispenses vengeance and death aided by her cursed companions, a bloodthirsty brood of Undead trailer trash.

That's honestly the first time I've ever heard the phrase "undead trailer trash." The comic book pedigree also gives hope that it'll be something more than a low budget, low grade horror film.

Brief review: "Séance"

Distributor: Lionsgate



Séance is a disappointingly mediocre supernatural horror film.

A college student thinks her dorm room is being haunted by the ghost of a little girl. Though her roommates think she is crazy, they decide to hold a seance during the Thanksgiving break in an attempt to get rid of the troublesome spirit. What they don't realize is that their seance can't bring back a ghost that is already present. Instead, they unwittingly resurrect the girl's psychopathic killer (Adrian Paul).

Writer-director Mark L. Smith wrote and directed Séance before he sold the script that would become the low-budget, effective thriller "Vacancy" starring Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale. With his debut, he has crafted a hit and miss little film that excels at creating interesting characters but is a big letdown when it comes to the execution of the actual plot elements.

The characters created by Smith are, at the surface, stereotypical protagonists for a horror film: college students comprising the "Final Girl" you know is destined to make it, the dumb blonde girl with a boyfriend who thinks about sex 24/7, the other friend who doesn't serve much purpose other than to potentially add to the body count, and the nerdy outcast with a crush on the Final Girl who may or may not become a hero before the story has been told in its entirety. Smith takes the stereotypes and gives them dialogue that is, for the most part, believable. The lines rarely sound forced and otherwise unrealistic and the acting is better than average for films of this nature.

That said, the film falters when it comes to delivering actual scares. The direction and musical score tell you that things are supposed to be getting scary but they never really do. Part of the problem is that Adrian Paul plays the killer with a modicum of interest. His performance is never very threatening. Instead, his supposed psychopath comes across as laughably pathetic most of the time. The plot also proceeds in such a generic fashion, complete with grainy flashbacks of the killer's misdeeds, that a horror fan can pretty much fill in the blanks of where the whole thing is headed from very early on. The film lacks the necessary pizazz to hold your interest outside, perhaps, of the characters,

In cases like this where the film is so utterly predictable, you may rightfully wonder: "I've seen this all done better before so what's the point?"

"Kill Switch"

According to Home Media Magazine, First Look Pictures has announced Kill Switch for an October 7 DVD release.

The plot involves a grizzled detective (Seagal) hunting two serial killers.

Pretty generic plot but at least it seems more like a thriller than a stupid action movie like the ones Seagal has been making for what seems like forever.

Brief review: "The Hazing"

Distributor: MTI Home Video



A sometimes cheesy, sometimes (very) gory, sometimes funny but never scary film, The Hazing is a fun enough watch to make it worth checking out.

Brad Dourif ("Child's Play"), Tiffany Shepis, Nectar Rose ("Roman"), and Parry Shen ("Hatchet") star in this college-set film. Unaware that a madman is watching their every move, fraternity and sorority pals haze pledges in a spooky house. Before long, the madman (Dourif) is wreaking havoc, possessing the students and making them kill. What will the remaining few have to do in order to survive the night?

From writer-director Rolfe Kanefsky ("Nightmare Man," a whole bunch of low-budget teen sex comedies), comes The Hazing, a fun little film that shares a fair amount in common with "Nightmare Man," most notably castmember Tiffany Shepis and the idea of demonic possession. Like that film as well, this has its fair share of humor. In fact, it is much more of a comedy than "Nightmare Man," which, aside from a few scenes, pretty much played it straight as a horror film.

What I liked about The Hazing is the laid-back, fun and cheesy attitude. While it will undoubtedly be a turn-off for those looking for a real scarefest, Kanefsky and company let you know pretty much from the get-go that the film is a horror-comedy with an emphasis on the comedy, both intentional and unintentional. For example, take the scene in which Dourif's character comes back from the "Land of the Dead" as he calls it and convinces one of the students to read a spell from his book of damnation that will allow him to enter the land of the living. There is a flurry of really poor, corny special effects and then Dourif appears in ghostly form, a green outline surrounding him and making him literally glow. The special effects are about on-par with a sci-fi TV show and Kanefsky knows this, lingering on them for what has to be comedic effect. Not to mention the fact that the student he asks to read the spell can barely read and has to be told that there is an English translation of the Latin spell on the opposite page!

After this scene, Dourif has been let loose, possessing one of the more maniacally mean-spirited students and going on a killing rampage. It is here that the film delivers the gory goods. He uses everything from chainsaws, darts, to a road sign to knock off his victims, often quipping like Freddy Krueger (or better yet, Chucky) while doing so. My personal favorite quip was the gloriously cheesy "You should have obeyed the sign" after decapitating his victim with a detour sign.

The film also benefits from a game cast that delivers fun performances. Shepis is her cheeky, sarcastic self. Parry Shen is a laugh-riot as the one everyone calls a nerdy computer geek, Nectar Rose is great as the requisite bimbo who sleeps with every guy with a pulse, and Dourif is obviously relishing his chance to play an evil character in person instead of just lending his voice to a demonic doll.

Sure, it contains its fair share of low-budget cheesiness but hey, you won't find a more eclectic demonic possession movie. The Hazing is worth seeing just for that alone.

"Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead"

According to Home Media Magazine, Troma has announced the DVD release date for Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead as October 28.

The plot synopsis is as follows:

When the American Chicken Bunker, a military-themed fried-chicken chain, builds a restaurant on the site of an ancient Indian burial ground, local protesters aren't the only ones crying fowl! The previous tenants, fueled by a supernatural force, take "possession" of the food and those who eat it, and the survivors discover that they must band together before they themselves become the other white meat!

Heh, sounds like it could be a fun combination of horror and comedy if done right. It'll be worth checking out just to see how the odd plot comes together.

DVD Releases: August 19/26

August 19:

American Crime (First Look drama)
Camp Rock (Disney musical)
Deal (MGM drama)
Evil (Asylum thriller)
Fighting With Anger (PeaceArch western)
Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (Disney)
Her Best Move (MGM comedy)
Life Before Her Eyes (Magnolia drama)
Love and Mary (MTI romantic comedy)
Lost Stallions: The Journey Home (Allumination FilmWorks family drama)
Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day (Universal comedy)
My Faraway Bride (Vivendi Visual comedy
Pacific & Eddy (Westlake Media drama)
Prom Night (Sony horror)
Quid Pro Quo (Magnolia drama)
Recount (HBO drama)
Restraint (Lionsgate thriller)
Riddle, The (Image thriller)
Scorpion King 2: Rise Of A Warrior (Universal action sequel)
Street Kings (Fox action/drama)
Wizard Of Gore (Dimension Extreme horror)


August 26:

Artifacts (Lionsgate horror)
August (First Look drama)
Border Wars (York action)
Call Of The Wild: Foxfire (Allumination FilmWorks family drama)
Chicago 10 (Paramount documentary)
Crusade: A March Through Time (Allumination FilmWorks fantasy)
Fishtales (Universal family comedy)
Judgment Day (York drama)
Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning (Disney sequel)
Lords Of The Streets (PeaceArch action)
My Sassy Girl (Fox romantic drama)
Postal (Vivendi Visual comedy)
Purple Violets (Genius Products comedy w/Edward Burns)
Redbelt (Sony drama)
Skinned Alive (Lionsgate horror)
Son Of Rambow (Paramount comedy)
Underground President (Maverick action)
Vampire Diary (Monarch horror)
Virgin Territory (Anchor Bay comedy)
Walker Payne (Image drama)
What Happens In Vegas (Fox comedy)
Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden? (Weinstein documentary)


The week of August 19 is highlighted by the long-awaited DVD debut of "An American Crime," the horrific drama starring Catherine Keener as a psychotic woman who locks Ellen Page in the basement and tortures her with the help of the neighborhood kids(!). Also streeting that week is Crispin Glover as the "Wizard of Gore," a remake of Herschell Gordon Lewis' 1970 cult horror favorite. Glover is so strange that he is always fun to watch, if only to see just how odd he gets. The Australian thriller "Restraint" looks worth seeing as well.

August 26 is pretty bare of horror films aside from the gory "Skinned Alive." Also, part of me wants to see Uwe Boll's "Postal" to see just how big of a trainwreck it is. Who knows? Maybe he's brilliant at comedy.

"Beneath the Surface"

According to Home Media Magazine, Well Go USA has announced the DVD release date for Beneath the Surface as October 7.

The plot synopsis is as follows:

By uncovering a world thought only to exist in his imagination, Ethan brings the love of his life back from the dead in order to clear her name and expose the truth behind her apparent suicide. However, he did not expect the chaos that would come back with her as well.

I wonder what the chaos referenced is? It'll be interesting to find out come October.

"Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead"

According to Home Media Magazine, Fox has announced Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead for an October 7 DVD release.

The plot synopsis, according to Fangoria, is below:

Directed by Louis ("The Hitcher 2") Morneau, Joy Ride 2 follows four young friends on a cross-desert drive, during which they make the mistake of “borrowing” a car belonging to murderous trucker Rusty Nail.

As someone who loved the first film, I really hope they get the sequel right. It could be really entertaining if done right. Nicki Aycox ("Jeepers Creepers 2") stars in a film written by one of the writers of "Dumb and Dumber"(!).

"Return to Sleepaway Camp"

According to Home Media Magazine, Magnolia/Magnet has announced Return to Sleepaway Camp for an October 14 DVD release.

The plot synopsis is as follows:

It's summer camp as usual at Camp Manabe where the kids torment each other for fun while the underpaid camp staff provides as little supervision as possible. Greedy camp owner Frank and junior partner Ronnie do their best to keep everyone in line, but something sinister is about to put a slash in the roster. When campers and staff mysteriously begin disappearing and turning into gruesome corpses, paranoid Ronnie can't shake the memory of a series of grisly murders that took place at Camp Arawak, where he worked two decades earlier. Has a ghost from the past come back to haunt him?

The original series from the 80's was good if cheesy fun. Hopefully, this continues that tradition although it can't be good that this was filmed way back in 2003 and isn't being released until now. I've heard of films sitting on the shelf or struggling to find distribution but that is just craziness.

"Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer"

According to Home Media Magazine, Anchor Bay has announced Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer for an October 7 DVD release.

The plot synopsis is as follows:

As a child Jack Brooks witnessed the brutal murder of his family. Now a young man he struggles with a pestering girlfriend, therapy sessions that resolve nothing, and night classes that barely hold his interest. After unleashing an ancient curse, Jack's Professor undergoes a transformation into something not-quite- human, and Jack is forced to confront some old demons... along with a few new ones.

Early word via the festival circuit is very good. Hopefully, this will get noticed in the overstuffed October. Note to studios: there are other months in which a good horror movie can do well, either on DVD or in theaters.

Brief review: "Rogue"

Distributor: Dimension Extreme



A taut, thrilling little survival horror film, Rogue deserved a far better fate (to say the least) than an unceremonious direct-to-DVD release.

When a group of tourists stumble into the remote Australian river territory of an enormous crocodile, the deadly creature traps them on a tiny mud island with the tide quickly rising and darkness descending. As the hungry predator closes in, they must fight for survival against all odds.

Greg Mclean's feature debut, 2005's "Wolf Creek" was a divisive film in the horror community. A simple tale of a group of twentysomethings who run into all sorts of trouble in the Australian Outback, most notable a psychopath intent on skinning them alive, the slow pace was a love or hate it trait. Then he rather quickly produced a follow-up, a film called Rogue that was revealed to be the tale of a killer crocodile. Then a competing film titled "Primeval" was rushed into theatres, promptly bombing and scaring Rogue's distributor Dimension. Well, nearly a year later, the film has finally been released, albeit not in the format many probably had hoped. Still, theatrical release or no theatrical release, nothing changes the fact that Greg Mclean has wrote and directed one very cool little creature feature, the best of its kind since perhaps "The Edge" in that like that film, it overcomes the whole killer animal angle to become a film more about what people do when thrust into a kill or be killed scenario.

The film gets nearly everything right when it comes to telling a story like this one, a story whose familiarity demands such perfection in order to become something more. The setup is quick enough to keep your interest but developed enough so that the characters become more than just cardboard cut-outs waiting to be served up on a platter to the beast.

Once the film gets into the survival angle though, here's where things get really good. Nail-biting scene after nail-biting scene commences. I don't want to ruin anything but a sequence involving a rope and keeping balance is just about the most pure thrilling scene I've seen in a movie like this, ever. The film also gets bonus points for unpredictability. Characters you'd assume are safe, aren't and vice versa. Nothing like that to keep us on our toes.

Of course, a film cannot become great without good performances. Thankfully, this film has them. Radha Mitchell is believable as the assertive and intelligent tour guide Kate, Michael Vartan is fun as the travel journalist, and the rest of the cast, including "Wolf Creek" alum John Jarratt, are also quite good.

Rogue is just about the best creature feature I've ever seen. I suspect that you won't see a better mix of suspense and horror of this kind for a while.

"They Wait"

According to Home Media Magazine, Vivendi Visual Entertainment has announced the DVD release date for They Wait as September 16.

The film stars Jaime King ("Sin City"). The plot synopsis is as follows:

A young mother and her six-year-old son come face to face with the mysteries of two murders and a great crime against the Chinese community into which they have recently arrived from Shanghai.

King is a decent actor; always fun to watch not to mention gorgeous and early reviews say that the film is entertaining. I eagerly await its release in a little over a month.

"Anaconda 3: Offspring"

According to Home Media Magazine, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has officially announced Anaconda 3: Offspring for an October 21 release on DVD.

As you can tell, the film stars David "Don't hassle the Hoff" Hasselhoff. The plot goes something like this:

A mercenary-for-hire (Hasselhoff) accepts a mission from a billionaire to capture a dangerous snake that could possibly help cure a terminal illness.

The film just debuted on the Sci-Fi Channel. I couldn't make it through more than 20 minutes before shutting it off. It was terrible.

Brief review: "Starship Troopers 3: Marauder"

Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment



Back in November of 1997 a little film called "Starship Troopers" was released in theaters. Starring a cast of up and coming actors, among them Denise Richards who. up to that point, had mostly done TV work. Joining her and curiously receiving top billing was another with mostly TV work, a little known actor named Casper Van Dien. The movie was set up to be his launching pad to stardom and a rebound for director Paul Paul Verhoeven after the debacle that was "Showgirls." The man was returning to his stomping grounds, a sci-fi tale rife with satire ala his "RoboCop" and "Total Recall" films. He had even brought "RoboCop" screenwriter Edward Neumeier along for the ride. Alas, the $105 million budgeted film flopped on delivery, grossing a meager $54,814,377 in domestic box office and barely breaking even after foreign box office was taken into account.

Then something happened. The film exploded on home video, renting like mad and becoming something of a cult hit. Sensing money to be made, Sony finally got around to sequelizing it in 2004 with "Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation." The direct-to-video release was a decent performer, easily besting its $7 million production budget. Some fans remained disappointed as Casper Van Dien and, more importantly, the satire that made the original such a cult hit, were missing in action. Instead, the film featured a new cast of characters and a tone akin to a straight-ahead horror film. Well, four years later, series writer Edward Neumeier has reinstated the satire, not only writing but also making his directorial debut. Also, Casper Van Dien is back to reprise his role as the gung-ho Johnny Rico. Does the third entry's bigger budget and tonal shift help or was the series actually better off switching to horror?

Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien) is back on lead his team on a secret mission to rescue a small crew of troopers stranded on the remote desert planet of OM-1. Battling bugs, both new and old, the new "Marauder" advanced weapons technology may be their only hope against a treasonous element operating within the Federation itself. As Captain Lola Beck (Jolene Blalock) and the rest of the starship crew fight to survive in the harsh conditions, it begins to dawn to them that something on OM-1 is very, very wrong. This time the bugs have a secret weapon that could destroy humanity.

Nowhere near as good as the original but more enjoyable than the sequel, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder is a passable amalgam of sci-fi and satire.

Surprisingly, the film gets what you'd expect it to get right wrong and vice versa. The action sequences are as fun and gooey as ever. The special effects are quite impressive, looking on par with the original and illustrating just how far the technology has come in little over a decade. The only mild disappointment with these sequences is that they aren't as gleefully gory as they were in two previous films. The red stuff simply doesn't fly like it used to. The performances are game with most notably, Van Dien obviously glad to be back doing a film with a bigger budget than the usual direct to Sci-Fi Channel stuff he has done pretty much since the original "Starship Troopers."

It is the satire stuff that drags the film down. The "Federal Network" interstitial segments, like before, pretty much play as thinly-veiled recruitment videos. But now they also take predictable jabs at the U.S. military and the Iraq War. These parts are way too obvious and tired to be of any note. The plot machinations that take further jabs at real world events are almost as tired. But what is most confounding is the earnest and decidedly straight forward inclusion of a religious component. A few of the soldiers have found religion and they proceed to preach the power of their most likely Christian God (the Christian part is never overtly said but made rather obvious by other elements) to others. This is the first film in which a action sequence of soldiers killing giant bugs has been combined with the scene of two characters kneeling and chanting the "Our Father" prayer. It is a jarring sequence, to say the least.

Overall, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder is worth seeing for the further decently thrilling adventures of the Federation and its ongoing battle with the bugs. I'd welcome a fourth film if they are so inclined.

"The Devil's Chair"

According to Home Media Magazine, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced The Devil's Chair for an October 7 DVD release.

The official synopsis is below:

Searching for twisted thrills, Nick West (Andrew Howard) takes his girlfriend to an abandoned mental hospital to drop acid. But when his date sits on a mysterious chair, she is mutilated and her body is dragged into an unforeseen demonic black hole. When Nick tells his horrifying tale to the police, he is deemed clinically insane and locked away. Now, four years later, a brilliant psychology professor and his students return to the crime scene with the accused killer searching for the truth behind the terrifying occult mystery in this blood-drenched, supernatural thriller.

This Adam Mason directed horror film sounds twisted; I like it!

Brief review: "Pray for Morning"

Distributor: Allumination FilmWorks



It's rather interesting (and sometimes infuriating) the films that find distribution. Sometimes films so bad find distribution instantly while all too often decent to good films fly under the radar, struggling to find a company to release them. Pray for Morning falls into this category. While it is not an original or mind-blowing film, it is a fun little ghost story that was produced in 2005 yet didn't find distribution until recently.

The plan was to spend one night in the abandoned Royal Crescent Hotel, where in 1985, five students were murdered, their killer never found. What was supposed to be just a night of fun for a group of just graduated high schoolers, hunting for the victims' bloodstained rooms, suddenly changes when they find a severed hand and awake an evil presence within the hotel. Now they are running for their lives, trying to solve a mystery one hundred years old before it's too late.

Ghost stories are not my favorite kind of horror film. All too often, they come across as corny and too CGI heavy to be scary at all, instead ending up lame and forgettable. They also pander too much to the teen audience, especially the ones released in theaters. Going with a PG-13 rating pretty much eliminates any chance of creating any real fear, inane jump scares standing in for real atmosphere and thrills. Thankfully, Pray for Morning mostly avoids these pitfalls, telling an intriguing story coupled with nice bits of the red stuff, enough so that it clearly isn't interested in pandering to the teen audience. It also helps that the acting is quite good from all involved.

Jessica Stroup is probably the most well-known of the "teen" actors, having had substantial roles in "The Hills Have Eyes II" last year and "Prom Night" this year. She is quite good here, bringing likeability and intelligence to her role. Her fellow castmembers are also fine, just less notable because they don't have as big of parts. Of course, they are joined by cult favorite Udo Kier, who gets top billing despite only having about fifteen minutes of screen time. Having appeared in over 180 films since the 70's, the man gets work and keeps busy. He's probably most recognizable to horror fans for roles in films like "Blade," "FeardotCom," and Rob Zombie's "Halloween" remake. His role here involves him whisper talking, sounding a lot like Marlon Brando in "The Godfather," oddly enough. Still, he's fun. His eyes! So intense!

Pray for Morning certainly isn't anything groundbreaking, nor does it try to be, but it's a decent and suitably gruesome ghost story with good production values and an above-average cast.

"Room 205"

According to Home Media Magazine, Lionsgate has announced the DVD release date (October 14) for the Danish horror film Room 205.

Wanting a fresh start, Katrine moves into a university dormitory but quickly learns the myth about a ghost of a former resident who was killed. The myth soon becomes a terrifying reality.

Doesn't sound particularly inventive and ghost stories are notoriously difficult to get right so color me skeptical at this point.

"No Man's Land: The Rise Of Reeker"

According to Home Media Magazine, Lionsgate has announced the DVD release date for No Man's Land: The Rise Of Reeker as October 14.

As previously reported, the film is s sequel to the 2005 film "Reeker." the follow-up concerns a band of thieves being chased not only by cops but also something worse. Much worse and its name is "Reeker," a monster that can travel between the world of the living and the world of the dead.

The original was interesting if unfocused. Hopefully, this film will rectify what was wrong with the first film because the creature has definite franchise potential.

Brief review: "WarGames: The Dead Code"

Distributor: MGM



Back in 1983, the U.S. was engaged in the Cold War with the Soviet Union and computers were just about to really burst onto the scene. In comes "WarGames," a film that, in its own way, spoke to the fears the public had of terrorism from abroad and ever-encroaching technological advancement. The film went on to become a huge hit, launching Matthew Broderick's career in the process and certainly doing no harm to Ally Sheedy's either. Fast foward 25 years to 2008 and once again the U.S. is engaged in a war with a foreign country and concern about terrorism is ever-prevalent.Wargames: The Dead Code is released. Oh, how things change yet stay the same.

Computer hacker Will Farmer (Matt Lanter) engages a goverment super-computer named Ripley in an online terrorist-attack simulation game. Little does Farmer know that Ripley has been designed to appeal to potential terrorists and now it thinks he is one. Before long, Will and his new girlfriend Annie (Amanda Walsh) are on the run in Montreal, Canada. Can he prove his innocence before it's too late? Will Ripley go rogue and initiate total annihilation? Will you really care?

WarGames: The Dead Code starts off okay. It introduces the two main characters as the likeable computer whiz and the intelligent, elfish-looking girl he has an instantaneous crush on. The film also gains interest through its delineation of the government's attempts to fight terrorism abroad, complete with enough explosions and gunfire to get you thinking that perhaps, this direct-to-DVD in name only sequel will be worth your time. Even once the chase portion starts, the film is passably entertaining. The car chases on narrow streets so obviously trying to mimic the Jason Bourne movies are decent fun. The "Fugitive"-like portion is wholly entertaining, yes. But all too brief. Once the two stop running, the film goes downhill fast.

Warning, spoilers ahead. Skip this paragraph if you don't want to know how the film proceeds to suck all life out of the proceedings in the last half hour. Ripley does initiate a countdown to destruction. The government doesn't have a clue what to do so they call on their new captive to help them. He, in turn, calls on WOPR, the computer in the original film. The "thrilling" climax involves fast and furious typing on Will's part followed by him and everyone else watching a computer screen for what seemed like ages as the program he created played itself out as WOPR "battles" Ripley. It is so incredibly cheesy and anti-climactic it ceases being stupidly inept and becomes pathetic as time passes. I realize that the film was made on a budget so a big-time explosion-fest finale was probably not an option but still, what were director Stuart Gillard (a bunch of TV series/movies and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III") and screenwriter Randall M. Badat thinking? Someone has to have told them that such a passive, dull sequence is certainly not the way to conclude a film, let alone act as the supposed climax, right? I guess not.

WarGames: The Dead Code offers some decent thrills for about an hour before completely collapsing during its seemingly endless (not to mention endlessly stupid) final half hour.

"The Last House in the Woods"

According to Home Media Magazine, Lionsgate has announced the DVD release date for the Italian horror film The Last House in the Woods: October 14.

The film is reportedly in the vein of Wes Craven's infamous "The Last House on the Left," hardly surprising given the title similarities. Still, generic plots have little to do with whether a horror film is successful. It's all about executing the elements and ratcheting up the tension. Let's hope the makers of this new release get it right.

"Dark Floors"

According to Home Media Magazine, Lionsgate has announced Dark Floors' DVD release date: October 14.

Not much can be found about the film except to say that it is a Finnish film involving a hospital, a monster, and time travel. Odd combo; let's hope that they are smoothly intertwined or else the film could be a mess.

"Dance of the Dead"

According to Home Media Magazine, Lionsgate has announced Dance of the Dead for an October 14 release on DVD.

The plotline goes something like this:

On the night of the big High-School Prom, the dead rise to eat the living, and the only people who can stop them are the losers who couldn't get dates to the dance.

Heh, that's a fun premise. From zeros to heroes, all in one night. I bet one gets the girl too!

"Brotherhood Of Blood"

According to Home Media Magazine, Lionsgate has announced Brotherhood Of Blood for an October 14 DVD release.

The film is described as:

A claustrophobic thriller about a team of vampire hunters who infiltrate a nest of undead to rescue one of their own.

Sounds interesting and the cast and coverart are eye-catching. Sid Haig always plays such odd people.