Film Review: FROM A PLACE OF DARKNESS (2008)

For a low budget independent film director Douglas A. Raine’s From a Place of Darkness (2008) is a pretty decent start for a veteran of such films as Men of Honor (2000), Holy Man (1998), The Postman (1997), and Broken Arrow (1996), where he was assistant director.  From a Place of Darkness is a smaller film than those that delves into the slow descent of a documentary filmmaker researching a snuff film filmmaker . 

Miles Kody (Travis Schuldt) is a documentary filmmaker whose latest subject is Vic (John Savage), a self-professed snuff movie filmmaker.  As Miles delves deeper into Vic’s mode of operation he slowly discovers that the location from which Vic has made these alleged films is haunted by his victims.   The more Miles discovers about Vic the deeper his obsession to know the truth and the more withdrawn he becomes to both family and friends.

Raine’s film is not perfect by any means but it is a slow burning character film that comes off as an indie film with something to say in the way of darkness and how it can eat into a person’s soul and make them do things that they wouldn’t normally do.  Savage does a lamentable job with the material but at times he comes off as a caricature.  This actually helps the film as sometimes it is does get bogged down by its own excesses.   

The cast for the film is filled out with very capable actors such as Conor Duffy, Valery Ortiz, Natalie Zea and a special appearance by Bronson Pinchot (who chews the scenery about as much as Savage does).  The film does pick up steam in the third act which is a bit odd considering how the first two thirds are.  The film decides to bring the paranormal aspects to the forefront which may turn off a few people expecting a more cerebral film but it does allow the film to have some immediacy which was lacking in the rest of the film.  Overall, the film is nothing spectacular but if you’re a John Savage fan then you’ll enjoy his performance as a snuff movie filmmaker.

Film Review: SNOOP DOGG’S HOOD OF HORROR (2006)

If you like EC Comics such as the original Tales From the Crypt or Crypt of Horror then Snoop Dogg’s Hood of Horror (2006) is perfect for you.   Its mix of dark humor and extreme horror may not be for everyone but it’s got the perfect charm for any horror fan. 

Snoop Dogg is the HOH (Hood of Hell) who witnesses and plays a part in his neighborhoods residents and decides where will go in the afterlife.  He is the storyteller of three such residents whose fates are determined by their own actions towards others.  The three stories contained within are very much indicative of a more urban setting as one story delves into the life of a graffiti artist who is given the power to decide who will live and who will die just by painting over someone’s name.  Another story concerns the inhabitants of a half way home filled with war veterans who must learn to live with a overzealous new landlord who needs to learn a little manners.  The final story concerns a rap artist who’s taken advantage of his life and the people around him for his own gain and refuses to pay up when the HOH comes to collect.

As the HOH, Snoop Dogg does and energetic and charismatic performance like he did in his previous horror film Bones (2001) and it seems like he’s always at home in his horror films.  This is a good thing as his scenes are usually more entertaining than some of the shorts.  This is not to take away from any of the shorts in the film as they are all well done and both funny and gory and many times have a point (which cannot be said of all anthology films).  This film also takes much inspiration from George Romero and Stephen King’s Creepshow (1982) by using animation in between each of the segments.  

The animation parts are at times more entertaining than the rest of the film making the whole film an entertaining joyride.  Fans of this type of dark anthology film will not be disappointed.

Film Review: RISE OF THE ZOMBIES (2012)

There is a lot I will accept from a low budget film especially when it has no stars in it but I’m not as forgiving with a low budget film that uses stars to sell their film and make it seem more interesting then it really is.  This is my biggest problem with Rise of the Zombies (2012).  With names such as Danny Trejo, Mariel Hemingway, Ethan Suplee, and LeVar Burton you’d at least expect a half way decent and entertaining zombie film, but that is not the case. 

When the zombie apocalypse occurs a group of survivors go to Alcatraz Island for safe haven.  Lynn Snyder and Doctor Halpern (Hemingway and Burton, respectfully) are trying to find a cure for the zombie plague but are stopped at every turn by Captain Caspian (Trejo) who believes the only good zombie is a dead one.  When Alcatraz becomes overrun by zombies they leave in the hopes of finding a Doctor Arnold (French Stewart) who holds the key to a cure for the plague.  

Doesn’t sound that bad does it? 

Looks can be deceiving as I found out the hard way from this complete mess of a film.  Besides the script being something cobbled together from various Romero zombie films this film has absolutely no original bone in its body (other than setting the film on Alcatraz).  Performances are worse than subpar which is surprising coming from the established talents up on screen (who I’m sure only did the film because of the pay check).  I’ve come to expect some cheese with my low budget horror films but stupidity is a whole other story.  None of the characters are smart and motivations are non-existent.  This film took the best of other zombie films but didn’t know why they worked in those other films making this nothing but an excuse to get a bunch of stars together for a zombie film.  I am surprised by Hemingway and Burton’s participation in this film as both deserve better and even Trejo (who has made a living in low budget horror film haven) seems to be phoning this film in (and it should come as no surprise that when he dies a third of the way in you are not in the least bit sorry).

These stars deserve better than this dredge and so do zombie fans.

Film Review: THE TORTURED (2010)

The idea of a good torture porn flick went out the window when they decided to make six sequels to the infamously profitable Saw franchise (and to some extent the Hostel franchise as well) but film makers and studios continue to churn out derivative horror film to derivative horror film with complete disregard or lack of understanding of what it takes to actually make a decent much less good torture porn film.  I am sad to say that despite the heavy presence of decent star names above the title The Tortured (2010) is yet another easily forgettable film. 

The Tortured stars Erika Christensen and Jesse Metcalfe as loving couple Elise and Craig Landry whose son is kidnapped and then killed by psychopath John Kozlowski (played by the always entertaining Bill Mosely).  Kozlowski is subsequently captured and tried for the murder of which he is sentenced to prison where he may have the chance at parole one day.  Elise & Craig are torn asunder by this injustice and decide to take matters in their own hand.  When Kozlowski is being transferred to prison they hijack his transport.  Elise and Craig want to deliver as much pain and suffering to Kozlowski as he put their son prolonging his death until they are ready to let him die.

Now the set up for this film is actually not that bad because it depicts every parent’s greatest fear which is the loss of a child.  They seek justice for that loss but when politics get in the way they decide to deliver their own justice.  This is played very serious by Christensen and Metcalfe who do their best with the mediocre script, but when Mosely appears everything becomes very tongue in cheek.  For most of Mosely’s other films this would be fine but not for this film which takes itself seriously.  Then when the Landry’s start torturing Kozlowski the unintentional comedy jumps into high gear and the seriously established from the beginning is completely lost. 

There are a few things to offer which is that the performances, for the most part, are solid and Robert Lieberman’s direction is well paced and suitable but the biggest part is with the script which starts off real well but falls apart part way through because of the horror film aesthetics associated with the torture porn genre.  There are a lot of good points to be made through the film but its trapped in its own mode of torture from it cannot escape from.

Film Review: PARANORMAL INCIDENT (2011)

Found footage films are a mixed bag.  Sometimes they can be very effective (i.e. Paranormal Activity or REC) while other times they can be less interesting (i.e. Apollo 18 or The Devil Inside).  The found footage style of film has become common place for indie horror films of which Paranormal Incident (2011) can now be included.  The plot of Paranormal Incident is nothing you’ve not seen before (way too often) in which a group of film makers/students venture into the abandoned place known as Odenbrook Sanitarium to prove to each other and the world that the paranormal exist.

The problem with the film first and foremost is that it takes place in an abandoned sanitarium which has become the biggest cliché in the found footage genre of horror films (although cleverly done in the Grave Encounters films).  What also throws the film off is the complete lack of originality or concern with the fact that the film has nothing new to offer.  There was a moment when I thought that the film might actually go somewhere but my hopes were slashed away in the third act with the over complicated conspiracy theory of which was needed for an otherwise bland run of the mill haunted house film.

In my opinion, the found footage film can be used to great effect.  This is plan in The Blair Witch Project (1999), Man Bites Dog (1992), and Cannibal Holocaust (1980) but more often than not it’s a lazy excuse for film maker to make a cheap film with no stars and a mediocre or non-existent script.  Paranormal Incident is one of these films that can be completely ignored and forgotten.