Lo (2009) **1/2
This movie proves you make an engaging film with limited budget and a good concept. If the comedy factor would've been toned down, I would have rated it higher.
I Sell the Dead (2009) ***
A campy tale full of fun about grave robbers. Great performances, a splash of comedy, and a some gore. This one is just a good time.
Buppah Rahtree: Flower of Evil (2003) ***
A horror movie from Thailand suggested to me by a friend as it's one of her favorites. This one starts out rather melodramatic as a good looking rich kid wins a bet with his buddies by having sex with shy girl, Buppah. She gets pregnant and has an abortion...and dies. The middle part goes into almost full on slapstick and parody (The Exorcist has big influences here) as it deals with the cast of characters in the apartment building Buppah now haunts and the local shaman trying to exorcise the ghost. The final act is nothing short of Takeshi Miike territory. It has a little of everything and I actually jumped out of my chair once.
The Zombie Diaries () **
It seems to dread over much of the same issues as we've all seen before without bringing anything really new to the table.
Lake Mungo (2009) ***1/2
This fictional tale done in documentary style about a family experiencing supernatural events after their daughter drowns is simply great. It never takes down the path you think it's heading and the final fifteen minutes are down rite chilling.
Hidden aka Skjult (2009) ***1/2
A man returns home after his mother's death and attempts to deal with a tragedy from his childhood. This Norwegian film has a Twin Peaks feel to it in terms of the setting. There are some truly suspenseful moments as the plot unfolds. Nothing is as it appears.
Dread (2009) ***1/2
There's plenty of gore, violence, and sex in this very good adaptation of the Clive Barker story. The tale about a group of college students trying to discover the nature of fear simmers nicely until it explodes into all out chaos at the end.
Society (1989) **1/2
An suburban teen is introduced to an underground society. Some great imagery in an average tale.
The Eclipse (2009) ****
While not all out horror, there are a few scares in the drama about a man who seems ghosts and befriends an author of ghost novels.
The Fourth Kind (2009) **1/2
If I want to watch a documentary, I watch one. What I dont want to see is actual footage either spliced in or side by side with actors portraying the same scene with audio tracks overlapped onto each other. It's annoying and hurts what could have been a good movie about alien contact.
Blackout (2007) **
People are stuck in an elevator. They have secrets.
The Final (2009) *1/2
High school outcasts get revenge on the popular kids. Nothing original or all that interesting.
City of the Living Dead (1980) **1/2
A ton of gore from the master Lucio Fulchi but a thin, thin story. Worth watching.
The Collector (2009) **1/2
I loved the premise, a guy attempts to rob a house which just happens to be already occupied by a deranged serial killer. There's some cool gore and it's stylish, but ultimately too many plot holes for me.
Next Door (2005) ***1/2
Another disturbing mind bender from Scandinavia about a odd neighbors who hold secrets. A little predictable, but the movie has style.
Cabin Fever 2 (2009) **
A lot of good gore but nothing else all that interesting in this one. Huge disappointment from Ti West, who apparently disowns it as the producers made drastic changes.
# Monster Quest, Season 4 (2010) ***1/2
The show tries to find scientific facts on if cryptids exist or why animals are being scene and living in parts of the US that they shouldn't be in. A solid season as usual, but the seem to be focusing less and less on cryptids.
# Destination Truth, Season 3 (2009-2010) ***1/2
More of the same from Josh and the gang. They try to find creatures of lore or occasional ghost and normally come up empty. I still find it more entertaining than most of these type of shows.
Smash Cut (2009) **1/2
This flick is a dedication to master of low budget gore, Hershel Gordon Lewis. It hits the mark fairly well as a movie director adds authenticity to his horror movies.
Paranormal Activities (2009) ****
I'm all about the slow burn in horror and subtleties. This one doesn't disappoint and is very effective.
BOOKS
Horns by Joe Hill ***1/2
An fun little story about a man who wakes up one day to discover horns growing out of his head.
Best of Fantasy & Horror, Fifth Edition ***1/2
I didn't read all the short stories, but enjoyed the ones I did.
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