Saw: The Final Chapter (2010) **
This is definitely the weakest of the bunch. It tied all the loose ends together and in a way comes around full circle to the beginning in a way you seeing coming from a long way off. Most of the acting is terrible. And my biggest beef is half of the climax takes place in a police station, where there's no police except the few that are easily killed off. The series has always held my interest because of the elaborate traps but I am glad it is over.
Damned by Dawn *1/2
The first third of this movie isn't bad. A great setting in this Irish countryside full of fog and creepy family secret concerning the legend of the banshee. Then they kill a banshee which causes the dead to rise and everything becomes silly.
The Last Exorcism (2010) ***
The "found footage" movie is starting to become a retread of sorts. However I enjoyed this one, even if never reaches it full potential. The story centers around a minister, Cotton, who performs exorcisms. He admits it's all an act and wants to get out the trade. A crew follows him on what is to be his last exorcism in rural Louisiana. What Cotton finds is a teenage girl who may be possessed by a demon or just mentally disturbed by an unwanted, possible incestuous, pregnancy. What follows is some general creepy scenes and an ending I never saw coming.
Wolfsbayne (2010) *1/2
A poor vampire vs werewolf movie. Not sure why I even watched it.
Slaughter Night (2006) **1/2
An interesting movie from Belgium that tries to do a little too much. Teenagers trapped in an abandoned mine stir up the ghost of a serial killer who possesses people and murders the remaining ones. Very gory, if nothing else.
# The History of Horror with Mark Gattis (2010) ***1/2
This three part BBC documentary has actor/writer Mark Gattis go through and define the three points of horror cinema which affected him the most. Covered are the Universal Horror era, The Hammer Studio era, and the explosion of original horror movies in the US during the 70's. Nothing all the new here but horror fans will enjoy it this personal exploration of the narrator.
Uncle Sam (1997) **
A soldier killed during Desert Storm returns from the grave to get revenge on the unpatriotic people during a Fourth of July celebration. A decent B movie is hampered by very, very poor acting.
Meatball Machine (2005) **
A gorefest love story which involves two co-workers who morph into different creatures thanks to an alien lifeform taking over their bodies. This is extremely bizarre and not that much fun.
The Torment aka The Possession of David O'Reilly (2010) **1/2
A friend crashes at another friends house. He claims demons are chasing him. The movie comes up a bit short. Builds a good atmosphere but to me, less showing of "the demons" would have helped greatly.
# Buffy, the Vampire Slayer: Season 3
The gang at Sunnydale are back as seniors and slayers of evil supernatural entities. Another fun season of slaying.
Mutants (2009) ***
A French film with a familiar plot. Mysterious virus starts reanimating the dead. The only things making this slightly better than average is the time the movie takes making us feel for the two main characters, a husband and wife paramedic team, and the gorgeous mountain scenery.
And Soon the Darkness Comes (2010) **1/2
A decent remake of the 70's movie but nothing great. A pair of Americans girls go on a cycling trip through Argentina. One gets kidnapped. The other searches to find her.
Prison (1988) ***
An early movie from director Renny Harlin, which I actually liked. A good cast which one can see Viggo Mortensen and Tiny Lister chew up scenery together. The plot revolves around an old prison getting reopened and a malevalent spirit of the last executed inmate wanting revenge.
Neighbor (2009) *
I had to fast forward through most of this stinker about a female serial killer. It was just horrible.
Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) **
I thought this was a weak entry in the series. I hate watching scenese obviously shot for 3D on a normal TV. The effect looks terrible. This had many of them. The story was alright, Alice finds a group of survivor trying to get to the safety place known as Arcadia, but the movie didn't work for me.
Growth (2009) **1/2
A genetically created pearl has a side effect of a parasite which causes people to mutate. Nothing new but fairly entertaining.
Mutant Girls Squad (2010) **1/2
I am usually fairly generous to Japanese splatter flicks as they get bonus points for not taking themselves too seriously, but I was disappointed with this one. Young girls with mutant powers including a chainsaw butt and breast swords battle the government who wants to eradicate them.
BOOKS
Koko by Peter Straub ****
Four Vietnam vets try to locate another surviving member of their squad they suspect of being a serial killer. Straub is in top form with very graphic writing with the combat scenes, deep characters, and a plot that keeps twisting and turning. This is the first novel in the loosely connected "Blue Rose Trilogy."
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