Film Review: IT STAINS THE SANDS RED (2017)

There is a new zombie film in town or at least in Las Vegas which is the setting for It Stains the Sands Red (2017).  The film opens during the beginning of the zombie apocalypse and Nick and Molly (Merwin Mondesir and Brittany Allen, respectfully) are heading to an airstrip to hitch a ride on an airplane headed to safety.  Unfortunately, they have car trouble and get themselves stranded on the highway in the middle of the desert. 

When a lone zombie attacks them, Nick is left wounded and Molly is left alone to fend for herself.  Molly, who has lived her life on the glitzier side of life, escapes the safety of the car and makes her way on foot in the desert towards the airstrip.  Unfortunately, the lone zombie decides to follow her.  Now Molly must run as fast as she can through the heat of the desert sun, dwindling supply of water and food, and other dangers.

After a while Molly’s pet zombie which she ends up calling Smalls (Juan Riedinger) becomes not only a thing of danger but of solace as she regains her humanity after having lived a life in Sin City while forgetting the life she had before.  There is more than meets the eye in Molly which audiences will learn as the film progresses.

The film hinges on the relationship between Molly and Smalls as it changes from the beginning when he sees her as food to the final act where she sees herself as his protector when military personnel want to shoot him dead.  Molly goes through a lot and becomes a very strong and willed character through her experiences.

Written by Stuart Ortiz and Colin Minihan (who also directs) crafts a unique take on the zombie film that borrows from George Romero’s Day of the Dead while setting its own course.  This is a film that will satisfy genre and zombie fans.

Film Review: SUICIDE GIRLS MUST DIE! (2010)

It is time for a weekend photo and filming shoot with all the Suicide Girls and you are all invited in the film Suicide Girls Must Die! (2010).  The Suicide Girls are off to a secluded place to shoot photos for their calendar as well as shoot behind the scenes footage.  Each of the girls are given a camera to film everything throughout the weekend.  Unfortunately, what should have been an innocent weekend of fun for each of the girls turns into murder and mayhem as there is someone out there killing the girls one by one. 

Written by Brian Fagan and directed by Sarah Remetch (Sawa Suicide) the film comes off as a reality Big Brother via Suicide Girls as alliances are created and friendships are destroyed as everyone suspects everyone.

If you are not a fan of found footage films then this film may not appeal to you as it plays up everything that you would expect without adding anything new to the genre.  This being said, there is nudity and the makeup FX are good, but some people may be turned away by the constant bickering of the girls especially in the final act.

Going in, I was not expecting too much but I was overall entertained despite not being a fan or knowing a lot about the Suicide Girls brand to begin with.

Film Review: FREE FIRE (2016)

 

Director Ben Wheatley’s Free Fire (2016) is in the same vein as his Kill List (2011) or Down Terrace (2009) so if you enjoy those films you might enjoy this film which takes a bunch of criminals and throw them in a warehouse for the deal of the century only everything goes completely wrong and its criminal against criminal in a blood bath or carnage and mayhem.

The film has an amazing cast that includes Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, and Cillian Murphy to name but a few of this huge cast.  With a screenplay written by Amy Jump and Wheatley the film is filled with some amazing dialogue which gives the actors some amazing moments of comedy despite the ludicrous set up of the story.  If you have seen some of Wheatley’s previous films, he’s all about characters that have particular issues who are put in unusual circumstances that can be both funny and brutal.

Free Fire is a very brutal film but it is done in such cartoon violence that you can’t help to be taken for the ride.  Now this is a film that may not take itself too seriously and neither should you as all the fun is in entering the film with an open mind and just going along for the ride.  If you can do that then you will enjoy this film.  If not…well, I guess we should just put you in front of the firing squad now.