Film Review: ART OF THE DEVIL II (2005)

Art of the Devil II (2005) has nothing to do with the previous film other than it having black magic contained within.  In this film Elementary School teacher Aajaan Panor (Napakpapha Nakprasitte) becomes the infatuation of every man in the village.  These men place a love spell on her but that many love spells is too many for her to handle so she seeks the advice of an Indian witch doctor who prescribes her a diet of human flesh which drives her even deeper into the darkness.  Two years later, six of her former students reunite after the apparent suicide of one of their father, who was really killed by Panor.  This set off a chain of events where Panor needs to eat the flesh of the students if she has any hope of gaining her sanity back and overcoming the curse.

The film is directed by an entire battalion of people – Pasith Buranajan, Krongkiat Khomsiri, Isara Nadee, Seree Phonguithi, Yosapong Saisikaew, and Art Thamthrakul, and it shows as the film is overly long and meanders quite a bit.  This being said it does look immensely better than the previous film especially in terms of cinematography but the film is ultimately hampered by mediocre acting.  The gore effects are immensely better than the previous film and at times more effective.

For fans of Thai horror films you can do worse than this film and it is, point of fact, more interesting and entertaining than the previous film in the series.

Film Review: ART OF THE DEVIL (2004)

Art of the Devil (2004) is the first of a trilogy of horror films from Thailand.  This film is one of the many Thai horror films that made a splash in the early ‘00s including Ghost of Mae Nak (2005), Omen (2003), Diary (2006), Shutter (2004), and Re-Cycle (2006), to name a few.  The story concerns a young pregnant woman by the name of Boom (Supakson Chaimongkol) who is spurned by her lover who is a married man.  She goes to a witch doctor that uses black magic against her lover and his family.  After they mysteriously die, a new family moves into their place and Boom is left with a new outlet for her rage until the films climatic ending.

Being one of the earlier Thai horror films of the ‘00s, this film lacks the refinement of such films as Diary and Re-Cycle not to mention that of Shutter which was released in the same year.  The horror is pretty straight forward as directed by Tanit Jitnukul, his first horror film after a string of action and adventure films.

The cast also includes Arisa Wills, Krongthong Rachatawan, Tin Settachoke, and Somchai Satuthum, to name a few and is written by Ghost Gypsy.  If you enjoy Thai horror films then this is a decent time waster (especially if you decide to sit down and make it a triple feature of the entire franchise) but leaves you wanting more since the gore is pretty basic and the performances are all over the place.

Film Review: CREEP (2014)

Jason Blum and Mark Duplass produce the found footage film CREEP (2014).  Duplass does triple duty as writer and star (along with Patrick Brice) in this film in which Joseph (Duplass) is a man dying and wants someone to film his story for his surviving child.  Aaron finds Joseph’s online inquiry and immediately takes the opportunity which will help him out financially.

Immediately upon meeting Joseph, Aaron thinks that there just isn’t something right with Joseph as he’s a bit eccentric and that not everything he’s telling Joseph adds up.  When Aaron’s car keys go missing he is forced to stay the night at Joseph’s house and things get even more strange prompting Aaron to get out of there as soon as possible.  But escaping Joseph’s house is just the start of Aaron’s problem as he soon learns that Joseph knows everything about him and been stalking him thinking that they are best friends.  Now Aaron must figure out how to handle Joseph’s unwanted friendship before things get really out of hand amid mounting danger.

The whole film is shot as if it was from Aaron’s camera as part of Joseph’s video but once Aaron leave’s Joseph it becomes Aaron’s way of coping with the strange situation he finds himself in and a document of what is really going on.  Duplass does an excellent job crafting a unique and creepy character while Brice’s Aaron is the every man. 

The film may not keep you on the edge of your seat in a suspenseful way but it more than makes up for it in terms of the “creep” factor so if that is the type of film you’re looking for then this one is it.

Film Review: ZOOMBIES (2015)

No one is ever going to mistake a film from The Asylum to be high art much less all that good, but they have a knack for crafting some ridiculously entertaining films sometimes of which ZOOMBIES (2016) almost hits all the right marks.

A strange monkey virus threatens to spread throughout a new safari park on the cusp of opening up to the public just when the new interns are getting assigned to their jobs.  Although there are no regular attendees yet, there are plenty of park workers that become cannon fodder for the savage zoo animals soon infected with a zombie-like virus.  It is up to the employees to stop the spread of the virus before it reaches the outside world and threatens all life on Earth.

Dr. Ellen Rogers (Kim Nielson) must find a way to navigate her employees to safety in the park while zombie gorillas, giraffes, lions, and all other manner of critters make food of everyone they come into contact with.

The film is filled with colorful characters and enough gore to satisfy even the most diehard horror fan and even though it lacks the polish of a Hollywood studio film (the CGI is pretty bad) there is plenty of entertainment and zombie carnage to keep you occupied from beginning to end (especially if you like these types of films).  Fans of The Asylum films know what to expect and the film delivers in spades.  If you’re not fans of The Asylum or don’t have an open mind then this film is definitely not for you as you need to be “in” on the joke in order to enjoy these types of films.

Film Review: HORROR STORY (2013)

Seven friends decide that after a night of drinking that the best way to cap off the night is with a trip to an abandoned hotel that is rumored to be haunted in the film HORROR STORY (2013).  Now, I’ll forgive the film for the oblivious cliché of a horror set up even though there is no logical explanation given for these seven friends to ever even be interested in going to an abandoned and rumored haunted hotel but without these characters’ bad decisions we wouldn’t have a horror film to watch.

There is not an original story element to be had in this Hindi horror film which borrows heavily from horror films from the ‘90s.  Characters make stupid choices that usually end up pretty bad for everyone.  This being said, the film itself looks really good with some amazing production design for the abandoned hotel.  The film is very creepy and the actors, despite doing the best that they can with the material, are not all that bad either.  The film has a lot of atmosphere with some engaging cinematography that fits the story and moves the plot along.

Unfortunately, all these great elements are lost in a film that is over twenty years past its expiration date.  An interesting film for horror fans looking for something else but little else.

Film Review: LEATHERFACE (2017)

The latest prequel/remake/reboot to the Texas Chain Saw Massacre arrives with the origins of our favorite killer Leatherface (2017) which strives to tell the story on how Leatherfae became the infamous killer we now know and loathe.  Verna (Lilli Taylor) has been taking care of her boys for a long time until one day they end up killing Sheriff Hal Hartman’s (Stephen Dorff) daughter.  As punishment, he takes Verna’s youngest boy away from her and places him in a halfway house. 

Years later, Verna is still trying to get custody of her boy when a break out at the halfway house leaves several people dead and nurse Lizzy (Vanessa Grasse) prisoner to three of the children from the halfway house.  Now Lizzy must find a way to stay calm as she finds herself in the middle of a murder spree and a deranged Sheriff will stop at nothing to recapture the children at any costs.

Written by Seth M. Sherwood and directed by Alexandre Bustillo and Julian Maury this is a violent and unforgiving film in the same vein as the latter Chainsaw films.  The film pays homage to the legacy of the original film (while ignoring most of the previous film Texas Chainsaw 3-D) which is to be expected from Bustillo and Maury who crafter the film Inside (2007).

Keeping the true identity of who ultimately becomes Leatherface among the four hospital escapees is a new added level to the franchise but I’m not convinced it was needed but that is a small gripe for a film that does a good job of trying to appease fans of the franchise.  The film may not succeed on all levels but it does do a good job of keeping the legacy alive and relevant at a time when most horror “old school” horror franchises have already seen their final days.

FILM REVIEW: WHERE HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE GONE? (1974)

After the Earth is struck by solar flares people suddenly disappear in the TV movie WHERE HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE GONE? (1974).  Steven Anders (Peter Graves) and his family are exploring the caverns on an archaeological dig when they are caught in an earthquake after the Earth is hit with powerful solar flares from the Sun.  It’s not long before Steven and his son and daughter (played by George O’Hanlon, Jr. and Kathleen Quinlan, respectfully) discover that everyone caught out in the open during the solar flares has been reduced to this white powder and only those immune are still alive.  Now they are a trip to get back home to discover the fate of their mother who was not with them when everything happened.

This is a road trip movie as Steven and his family discover what has happened to the world and how they plan on surviving in it as they meet other survivors both as companions in this new world and as a new type of menace where everyone is out to survive by any means necessary.

It’s an interesting concept that puts a modern-day science based look on a post-apocalyptic theme.  The film may lack the more gruesome elements of a typical horror film but it makes up for it with the psychological suspenseful elements, especially when the characters learn that the solar flares have made dogs slightly made and they must be careful what they eat and drink as some things have exposed to radiation.  It’s a film that speaks about the contemporary fears of the ‘70s while also producing an engaging film.

For a made for TV movie it’s not bad even if it has aged a bit in over forty years.

FILM REVIEW: DON’T GO IN THE WOODS…ALONE! (1981)

Written by Garth Eliassen DON’T GO IN THE WOODS…ALONE! (1981) is your typical horror film of the ‘80s…or at least it tries to be.  A maniacal killer is loose in the woods killing people for no other reason than he wants to.  The film is filled with card board characters that get dispatched fast and relentlessly but there is no main character that really draws you into the story and keeps you engaged.  It also lacks the fun and gruesomeness of a FRIDAY THE 13^th or THE BURNING or MANIAC.

Directed by James Bryan whose other films include SEX ALIENS, WHAT EVER TURNS YOU ON, LADY STREET FIGHTER or BOOGIEVISION you can kind of get an idea of what you are in for.  Bryan doesn’t really direct a horror film but instead puts victims in front of the camera to be killed one by one in not all that original or creative of a way.

This is not a gem of the ‘80s horror boom but an easily forgotten misstep of straight to video fluff.  The most interesting aspect of the film is the original one-sheet poster.

Film Review: LEPRECHAUN: BACK 2 THA HOOD (2003)

I’m getting around to reviewing this film now only because this happens to be the only one in the never-ending franchise that I had never seen (until now).  There is not much that can be said about Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha Hood (2003) but I’ll try anyways.  I never really cared for any of the films in the original franchise.  I think the original was very fun and successful only because of actor Warwick Davis as the Leprechaun character.  This can be said of all the films in the franchise including this film and if you’ve seen them all (as I now have) it’s because Davis seems to have so much fun playing the character despite how horrible the films actually are. 

In this film Emily (Tangi Miller) has been told by a psychic that she will come into money which is what she really needs living in the ghetto and her rundown neighborhood filled with crime and gangs.  When she comes across a pot of gold she believes that her fortunes have changed for the better not realizing that the gold belongs to the mythical Leprechaun (Davis) who will stop at nothing to get all his gold back, now Emily and her friends must film a way to rid themselves of the evil Leprechaun while also finding a way to keep the gold as they don’t want to return to the way of life before the good fortune of the gold.

This film is not entirely bad as it does give a better back story to Emily and her conflicted life living in a poor world consumed by compromise upon compromise.  She wants a way out of her old life and sees an easy out.  Miller is also one of the better actors in the entire Leprechaun franchise and Davis is at home in his character.  This being said, the film still has many flaws and will only really appeal to fans of the franchise who have managed to stick through to the bitter end (this being the final film in the Davis franchise).

Film Review: WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS (2014)

In general, I don’t particularly care for vampire films.  There are so few that actually have something to say and they’re filled with clichés and things that you’ve seen time and time again and even if the Twilight franchise has watered down their image there are just as many 30 Days of Night films that try to go in the complete opposite way.  Vampire comedies, in my opinion, fit even below the lowest of my expectations which is why it has taken me so long to get around to What We Do In The Shadows (2014).  I had zero interest in this film but due to the overwhelming great critical response to the film I decided to give it a chance and boy am I glad I did. 

The film follows three vampire flat mates – Vladislav, Viago, and Deacon (Jermaine Clement, Taika Waititi, and Jonny Brugh, respectfully) whose lives are turned upside down when they decide to allow a film crew to film their lives as they prepare for the vampire party of the century.  The three vampires are trapped in their own time from when they were turned.  Living in the modern era has left them lost in time, but salvation comes in the form of a newly turned vampire who is up with the modern era but needs a little help with being a good vampire.  

The film crew is given full access to everything and get to see and experience the day to day lives of vampires including their drinking habits, their animosity towards werewolves, and how they deal with vampire hunters.  For a film like this it covers a lot of ground while still being very character driven and funny at the same time.

What makes the film so successful is that the comedy is all character based and not bad jokes sprinkled throughout.  This film could have become a complete parody of itself but writer/directors Clement and Waititi do a great job grounding the film in the zany world of vampires.  Having the style of the film as a documentary goes a long way in allowing the audience to take the film seriously even though it is a comedy.  

I ended up enjoying this film immensely as the story was easy to follow yet presented an almost “traditional” vampire story in a non-traditional way.  It had me entertained from beginning to end and even had some impressive visual FX to go with the story.  This film is one I highly recommend for both comedy and horror fans.

Film Review: STAGE FRIGHT (2014)

Stage Fright (2014) is a film I probably shouldn’t like since its part slasher film and part musical but all the elements come together in way that it crafts an entertaining and fun film.  Kylie Swanson (Minnie Driver) was killed during a theatrical performance of an original play and now years later at a theater camp the play that she was killed in is being resurrected and her daughter Camilla (Allie MacDonald) wants to continue in the role that killed her mother. 

The problem is that people keep coming up dead and soon everyone starts to believe that the camp is cursed.  Camilla must summon her own strength in order to come to terms with the legacy of her mother and to survive before she becomes the killer’s next victim.

The film has several entertaining musical numbers and some extremely high production values making this one of the few exceptional horror films to successfully mix horror, slasher, and musical genres.  Written and directed by Jerome Sable (with music and lyrics by Sable and Eli Batalion) this is a film made by film makers who love horror just as much as musicals and has managed to craft a film that utilizes both in a satisfactory way.

The film also excels in crafting a very good mystery by making sure there are enough red herrings to keep the audience guessing until the end.  If there is any gripe it’s that there isn’t enough Minnie Driver as it was interesting seeing her in a horror film.  Whether you’re a fan of musicals or not this is a film any horror fan may enjoy.