My Review Of "Cry Havoc"

"Cry Havoc" is a hybrid slasher/ action horror directed by Rene Perez and stars Robert Bronzi, Richard Tyson, Emily Sweet and JD Angstadt. The film is a high energy bloodbath, blending classic elements of action thriller gunfire and 80's inspired gore. 

An ambitious young reporter is granted an interview with one of the FBI’s most wanted. While entering his compound she finds one of his prized possessions, a serial killer who murders at call, called HAVOC. Her only hope is a rogue police man searching for his daughter.

Rene Perez packs a lot in this multilayered hybrid horror. There are elements of "not without my daughter" story points, dark web inspired "games madmen play" evilness and traditional slasher carnage. Where a lot of directors fail to maintain this level of storytelling, Perez manages to hold control and really bring the vision to life. The film isn't perfect, some aspects drag on the crescendoing energy, but so much more works wonderfully.

The elements of "Cry Havoc" that I didn't get into are few. The film starts off with a bloody bang that really sets the tone and let's you know what to expect. However the introduction of the story that deals with a sort of dark web investigative aspect seems a bit over dramatic and caricature. Honestly, I believe that was the only real problem I had with the film. The bulk of the film is a joyful reign of blood. 

The horror elements in "Cry Havoc" are a wonderful reminder of what has always made slasher movies so great. The kills are full on visceral moments filled with blood splatter all done using practical effects. The masked unstoppable killing machine is formidable, memorable and intimidating. A cross between Leatherface and Jason Voorhees. 

Overall "Cry Havoc" is a fun slasher that both entertains and excited. There is some slight drag in the storytelling were exposition and dialog is concerned. However it is minor considering how much of the film is filled with action and carnage. A few characters seem too contrived but for the most part this film has too many gory death scenes not to enjoy. Definitely check it out. (4/5)

My Review Of "Human Zoo"

"Human Zoo" is part psychological, and part voyeuristic reality nightmare. The film is directed by John E. Seymore and stars an extensive indie film cast. Among the cast members are Robert Carradine, Jessica Cameron, Jose Rosete, Rachel Amanda Bryant, Megan Le, John D. Crawford, Heather Dorff, Raw Leiba, Edward Hong and many more.

The internet watches live, as reality-show contestants struggle against time to see who will stay in solitary confinement the longest and take home the one million dollar prize.

"Human Zoo" has a pretty cool concept but somehow the film loses the ability to manifest Seymore's vision. The story starts out by really dragging on the runtime with pointless character introduction and "faux contestant intros" which could have been sped along to allow for more development of the actual reality show story. Plus choosing a solitary confinement theme where everything is dependent upon the actors ability to portray an authentic psychological conflict and deep emotional outburst on a level that will connect with audiences is a big risk. 

In this risky reality show concept a lot of the film becomes encumbered by clunky improvisational melodrama that very few in the cast seem capable to project convincingly. Still there are a few stand out actors who seem to have a grasp on what is being asked of them and really sell their characters. Those were the moments I really got into the story. Plus about 50 minutes in it becomes clear what the true goal of this social experiment really is meant to be. 

As far as horror elements, there is no real aspects of risk/reward that would allow for true suspense. There are deaths but they fall a bit flat because there is no build up and no real feeling of anxiety that holds you to the scenes of death to allow any sympathy for the characters. Mostly it all just plays out like actor sizzle reels. "Human Zoo" falls short of expectations but as always check it out for yourself. Just go in forwarned. (2/5)

My Review Of "A Nun's Curse"

"A  Nun's Curse" is a psychological horror that plays on themes of psychosis with hints of paranormal horror and urban legend. The film is directed by Tommy Faircloth, and starring scream queen Felissa Rose, Erika Edwards, Kristi Ray, Damian Maffei, and Gunnar Willis.

On a weekend trip, a group of friends are forced to seek shelter inside an abandoned prison where a nun named Sister Monday had once been assigned. During her time at the prison, Sister Monday was suspected of killing prisoners who were serving out their sentences but before she could be questioned, she disappeared. Once inside the prison, they will learn the terrifying truth.

I have to say, I am on the fence about this one. The film is a standard horror film that stays within traditional horror tropes. It is a little to familiar, with a lot of the material having been seen and done before. And yet, it the cinematography is good, it taps into that comfortable horror styled atmosphere, and it offers a somewhat memorable baddie in Sister Monday.

With "A Nun's Curse" I think my biggest complaint is just how long it takes before anything significant happens. For the first 40 or so minutes it is filled with too much dramatic dialog, exposition and melodrama that really eats into the runtime. But from there on things get somewhat interesting and the story transitions into a full on horror story. Again, the atmosphere is cool. I found myself really starting to get into.

The horror elements are pretty well done. There is some stereotypical paranormal styled moments that are your standard gimmicks used. The best part is that the kills are done with practical effects that look good. The down side that the time starts running out on the film so the kills seem rushed. 

Overall, as much as I wanted to really like "A Nun's Curse" there was just more that I didn't like. I enjoyed Felissa Rose as Sister Monday but it takes too long to get her on screen. There is a "surprise" twist to the ending that will become clear before it is intended to, but it is a cool one. Unfortunately instead of ending the film there the story goes for another, weaker ending that kinda ruins things. As always check it out but don't expect much. It has some moments that are interesting, but not everyone will enjoy this one. (2/5)

My Review Of "Evil Little Things"

Horror anthology "Evil Little Things" is a wicked little film that plays like 'Two Minute Horror Stories' but with a traditional feel of "Creepshow". It is directed by Matt Green and stars Zach Galligan, Hannah Fierman, Courtney Lakin and Jonathan Horne. 

A young boy finds a mystical toymaker with stories to tell. The first is of a leprechaun seeking revenge on a defenseless family. The second is of a doll who works evil on her fragile owner. The toymaker gives the boy a clown named Giggles. Clowns are supposed to be the guardians of happiness, right? These Evil Little Things will cause you many sleepless nights.

The story about the leprechaun is probably the longest of the two shorts that make up the body of the film. It is a cute story, it isn't really scary but it has a very creepy atmosphere that permeates the story. It does seem to take longer than necessary to tell, and the horror elements are kinda minimal. Still the killer leprechaun doll used is creepy as it gets and it ends with the classic twisted ending we all love about classic anthology series.

The second of the stories deals with an evil porcelain doll that has a jealous streak fed by the demonic. It is a pretty familiar tale, but still it is told nicely. It is a bit shorter than the first and there is a little bit more horror in this one. Mostly paranormal-esque gimmicks and occult themes toward the end. I was crazy about the choice of voice for the Patty doll but she looks evil. Plus the story had another wicked little ending. 

The wraparound is my favorite story. It is classic "Creepshow" style storytelling. The first half plays as your basic set up for the two middle stories, but it starts out with a hint of domestic violence. The second half is the fun part, and although it is short it has the most horror in the anthology. Plus a clown doll that goes all demony is always a treat. 

Overall "Evil Little Things" is a cute horror anthology. I do enjoy a bit more horror in the films, but I did appreciate the throwback feel of the stories. Plus I am a sucker for evil, creepy doll movies. "Evil Little Things" will find a fan base, it is pretty PG so hardcore splatter/gore fans may not get it, but check it out and decide for yourself. (2.5)

My Review Of "Among Them"

"Among Them" is a crime thriller with a slight "faux" paranormal twist. The film is directed by Kevin James Barry and stars Jonathan Thomson, Dan Liebman and Evalena Marie. Focusing on a heist "Among Them" spirals into a psychological nightmare that will test your sanity. 

After a botched heist, two bank robbers and their unwanted hostage retreat into a seedy coastal motel in the dead of winter. When their boss doesn't show up and their tickets to freedom go missing, the three of them must battle through their deteriorating mental state and find a way out before they turn on each other.

"Among Them" is layered with crime thriller bromide, faux paranormal teases, and character complexity that is as confusing as it is engaging. The story keeps you guessing from the moment the cast decide to hold up in a very disturbing locale. The film starts off almost benign, a bank robbery sends criminals on the run, but it doesn't take too long to realize that there is more going on. 

The acting is a bit stiff, the cast seems committed to the characters, but also feel slightly reserved in portraying them. That being said, I did find the characters fully fleshed out and relatable. "Among Them" does start out with a slow pace but midway things pick up and the film pulls you in. But like I said, the story is super complex and slightly confusing. It keeps you wondering what is really going on right until the end.

The action and horror elements are typical paranormal-esque gimmicks that may or may not be all in the characters' minds. It all is very entertaining and the overall concept is both familiar and yet somewhat original. The closest film I can compare this too is "Soul Survivor", but that may not really be accurate. Like I said, the film kept me guessing. 

Overall "Among Them" is a well acted, entertaining film. I am not 100% sold on the ending but kind of think I know what Barry was going for. It will be up to individual viewers to decide whether or not "Among Them" is a film to like. The faux paranormal moments are typical and the story does get a bit muddled toward the end. Still I found a lot about the film entertaining. (3/5)

My Review Of "Nightfire"

Black-ops action thriller "Nightfire" is directed by Brando Benetton and stars acclaimed actor Dylan Baker (“Hunters”, “The Good Wife”, Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” films), Bradley Stryker ("iZombie", "Cold Pursuit"), Francesco Pannofino and Becky Ann Baker ("Hunters", "Freaks and Geeks"). The extended short film is an action-packed quick watch that is surprisingly engaging.

Two American agents (Lorenzo Pisoni and Greg Hadley) are hired to retrieve military chips containing a large sum of government money. Their plan goes awry when an unexpected political prisoner (Dylan Baker) enters the picture.

In its short 42 minute runtime "Nightfire" offers a conplex geopolitical black-ops thriller with a lot of action. The characters are recognizable tropes most reminiscent of the characters in Cinemax's series 'Strike Back', minus the "buddy cop humor". The story is intriguing but suffers from the short runtime. A lot of the depth of story really needed to be fleshed out a bit more. Still I found it entertaining. 

The action effects and pyrotechnics used happen almost immediately and keep the film exciting. There is very little downtime. Except for some much needed exposition and justified dialog that mostly takes place in the middle of the film. Overall "Nightfire" is an entertaining short action film with a lot going on. It does suffer slightly as far as story is concerned. But even with it's limitations the film is action packed. (3/5)

My Review Of "For Jennifer"

"For Jennifer" is the follow up to James Cullen Bressack's indie horror "To Jennifer". Bressack takes on the producer role while Jody Barton directs. The film stars Tiffani Fest, Felissa Rose Dominique Swain, Lanett Tachel, Rich Finley and Nick Kekeris.

After a surprise horror themed birthday party, Jennifer gets a scare that leads to an accident. Jennifer is a horror blogger and huge horror movie fan. Her friends, to cheer her up after the accident, decide they could make a movie. They collect their gopro cameras and phones and begin to shoot. Soon, the discoveries of other low budget horror films similar to theirs begin to intersect with their own movie. This sends Jennifer on a journey to understand where these other "Jennifer" films came from. The journey leads to a discovery about the films she could never have imagined, and she realizes her participation has put her life, and the lives of her friends, in real danger. A danger they have to endure, whether by choice or not ... if they want to make a good horror movie.

"For Jennifer" technically is a sequel to the 2013 jaw-clinching intense horror "To Jennifer", but it is meta enough to stand independently- in case you haven't seen the aforementioned flick. Told in a mock documentary style the story keeps with the original concept of extreme obsession that leads to a deadly end. This time the obsession is making a horror movie based on a faux film about the original film that went horribly wrong.

No personally, even though I enjoyed this film, it didn't have that dark, nightmarish realism that "To Jennifer" had. This is a good sequel in the sense that the narrative moves the franchise forward, creates a new story line, and possibly sets things up for more sequels. There is more twisted humor in "For Jennifer" that reminds me of later 80's horror . 

The acting is pretty decent. The cast seem to know there characters and feel authentic. And like I said earlier, the story is fresh enough that it moves things in the franchise forward. That doesn't mean that the concept is totally original because a lot of the concept has been done before in found footage/mockumentary format. Still it is done well enough that it is entertaining.

The horror elements in "For Jennifer" comes later in the film but the body count rises in a bloody gory finally. The film's atmosphere is typical documentary style build up, creating an anticipation. Whether or not the playoff is worth it will depend on individual viewers. I personally thought it was worth the wait and since the practical effects were done with quality I enjoyed the last act a lot. "For Jennifer" is worth the watch, it isn't "To Jennifer" but it isn't really trying to be. (3/5)

My Review Of "Morbid Colors"

"Morbid Colors" is directed by Matthew Packman and stars Kara Gray, Lanae Hyneman, Cindy Maples, Angela Steele, Emily Durchholz and Sidney Shripka. The indie picture takes a new approach at vampirism.

A tale of two foster sisters forced to hunt down a wealthy socialite believed to have infected the elder sibling with vampirism.

Packman's film takes on vampirism but does so with a very strong focus on a very human story. Family relationships, sisterhood, addicted and exploitation present a greater horror in "Morbid Colors" than the one of vampirism. The story is blunt, dark and formidable. 

The film feels more guerilla, stripped down indie, creating an almost voyeuristic atmosphere. There isn't a massive amount of horror elements in the film as far as graphic gore, but there is more subtle elements of horror flowing through the film. Not to say that there isn't violence or blood, because there is. It just makes sense to the scenes instead of being bloody for the sake of blood.

Overall "Morbid Colors" is a great low budget indie film. It probably won't sustain the slasher crowd but it is definitely worth checking out. There is an almost arthouse vibe, and the human tragedy aspects of the characters are intense. (3.5/5)

My Review Of "Trespassing"

TRESPASSING centers around a young photographer who quickly finds herself eluding a trio of masked killers while trying to navigate an abandoned property with a dark history.

The film is directed by Ryan Stacy and stars Brittany Blanton, Shayna Jaliegh, Ryan Stacy, Jason Crowe, Char Stone, and Kaylee Williams. The story is a psycho killer free-for-all when interests collide at a shady locale. Bodies drop in this fast paced, bloody thriller.

"Trespassing" is an impressive, entertaining short film with plenty of story. The film is almost 40 minutes long, and for me personally, I felt as though I watched a feature length thriller. I have followed Stacy's work and can honestly say that this film shows markable improvement. "Trespassing" feels and looks elevated from the standard low-budget fare.

The acting is quality, and for the most part each actor brought these ill-fated characters to life effortlessly. The cinematography was great, there was an element of underground filmmaking style that helped to boost the indie aspect. Plus the story takes place in on creepy AF location. Throw in some epic kill scenes with quality practical effects and a wicked ending and "Trespassing"is one worth watching. (4/5)

My Review Of "Abominable"

"Abominable" is a sci-fi, creature feature directed by Jamaal Burden. The film stars Robert Berlin and Katrina Mattson. It is a ultra low budget movie that brings back the "man in a monster suit". 

A research team embarks on a journey to obtain a plant that can advance medical research by centuries. While stumbling upon clues of the previous expedition, they discover that a Yeti creature lurks within the Himalayan mountains and will do anything to protect its terrain.

"Abominable" is really low budget and a lot of the continuity seems muddled with poor production choices. I never like to come out and say a movie is bad, A lot of work and heart goes into movie making, even the low budget projects so I feel every film deserves a once over.

With this one, it was hard to get into the story, and the story isn't a bad one. A science team seeking to uncover the miracles of a special plant, reminiscent of the classic "Werewolf Of London". A yeti that is guarding the location and vicious enough to kill any and all who trespass. It is a cool story. Unfortunately there is just a lot that goes wrong.

Poor editing, the sound effects, and really bad shots of the creature that shows the suit is way to big for the actor wearing it. Now minus the "gamer" level CGI, I do give props to some decent practical effects moments. But there just isn't enough going on in "Abominable" that works out right. (2/5)

My Review Of "Getaway"

Kidnapping thriller "Getaway" is directed by Lane Tolan. The film stars Scout Taylor-Compton, Landry Allbright,  Lane Tolan, Jamil Walker Smith, Jaclyn Betham, Ben Deschaine, and Chrystopher Ryan Johnson.

Tamara Miller has planned a weekend lake getaway with her two best friends. When she gets kidnapped by a backwoods cult, eerie and unexplained occurrences arise. Will she make it out alive or become the treasure of these deranged lunatics?

"Getaway" blends traditional survival, backwoods horror and occult themes. The story starts innocent enough with almost clinched breadth. A lot of the premise hangs on pulling out those expected tropes and lulling you into believing you have seen this film before, sure with other characters and a different title. However "Getaway" offers a twist within a twist that really works well, and is wickedly delicious.

The characters are strong, female driven leads that look comfortable and entertaining on screen. The cast give up their craft to these women easily, which makes "Getaway" captivating. The pace of the film is a little too slow burn but so much of the story's suspense rests on a even, tense pace to let dark nature of the situation unfold. For the most part it works, I would have liked a bit more amplitude after the twist begins but the film doesn't really suffer.

The horror elements are mostly atmospheric and sound driven moments of chilling interaction between "predator and prey". There is some kill sequences but mostly the nightmare is a series of subjective situations where protagonists face off with the antagonists. Still the twist reveals all, I don't want to spoil the ending. It is a clever one. Indie horror fans will definitely enjoy this one. (3/5)

My Review Of "Cry For The Bad Man"

"Cry For The Bad Man" is directed by Sam Farmer, and stars Camille Keaton (I Spit on Your Grave, I Spit on Your Grave: Déjà vu), Karen Konzen, and Scott Peeler.

When a small-town widow is grieving in isolation, she receives a deadly ultimatum from the privileged sons of a local land developer to sell her beloved property. With 24 hours to decide and her pleas to the town's corrupt sheriff falling on deaf ears, she realizes she must take matters into her own hands. Her quest for justice turns into an all-out battle and grisly confrontation.

The story is a less than straightforward thriller that starts off with cool artistic shots of apparent tragedy. It really opens up to the more tension based thriller that it is soon there after. The concept isn't new, and "Cry For The Bad Man" clearly pays tribute to early 70's grindhouse. Most of what the film showcases is classic "woman versus bad man" suspense mixed with a lot of carnage. 

The acting isn't stellar, but it maintains a strong enough presence to create recognizable characters, if not cliche, so that the story flows. There isn't a lot of down time or clunkiness to "Cry For The Bad Man". Exposition is minimal, straightforward and substantive. The dialog is short and direct and the overall story arc is entertaining to watch unfold. 

The special effects are quality, practical effects and atmospheric suspenseful moments of tension. Shadowy scenes blend with gunfire and bloodshed. All of which is very reminiscent of classic grindhouse. Although "Cry For The Bad Man" isn't at the top of it's game, minor scenes where some characters lose momentum, it is a good, intense, and brutal genre piece worth checking out. (3.5/5)

My Review Of Horror Short "Dear Guest"

A couple checks into a vacation rental, only to find that the anonymous host likes to play games on its guests. 
 
The throwback short film stars Ashley Bell (The Last Exorcism) and Noureen DeWulf (Good Girls) as a couple who soon regrets renting this picturesque home for their long awaited vacation. The film is directed by Megan Freels Johnston.

"Dear Guest" is a recognizable trope that remains eerie and modern. As timeless as it is the notion of a unseen force manipulating your life is as chilling as ever. "Dear Guest"manages to capture that fear in a very short amount of time. The story is evenly paced, constant and entertaining. It is reminiscent of The Twilight Zone and Outer Limits stories. Plus "Dear Guest" left me wanting more. (3.5/5)

My Review Of "Dead By Dawn"

"Dead By Dawn" is directed by Sean Cain, and stars Jamie Bernadette,  Drew Lindsey Mitchell, Kelcey Watson, Bo Burroughs, Timothy Muskatell, Bobby Slaski, Detra Hicks, and Skylar Dominique. The film blends elements of abduction, psychological horror and cabin in the woods .It is a low budget, psycho babel of tension that manages to captivate.

A suicidal man in a remote cabin is suddenly faced with protecting a kidnapped woman from three killers and their sadistic games. Unable to contact the outside world and with night falling, he falls backs on creating traps to prevent the criminals from gaining entry. It’s a fight to the death where only the strongest will survive until dawn.

"Dead By Dawn" is a strong low budget thriller with plenty of suspense and thrills. The film starts off dark and with blunt force. It never really relinquishes. There is only a few moments where the story pauses for some character building, but soon the violence begins again.

The acting is better than I expected. The cast seem to understand the characters and feel fully committed. There are a few scenes that waver close to amateurish, but it never really dampens the film's flow. Plus there is a strong female lead that impressively embraces the final girl banner.

The horror is mostly built on dark circumstances, chilling atmosphere, and impending danger. There are some violent, bloody moments that sweeten the horror level. Still, "Dead By Dawn" manages to hold your attention purely on the relatable horrors of domestic violence, home invasion and some true psycho killers. I enjoyed this little indie film more than I thought I would. Check it out. (3/5)

My Review Of "HumanPersons"

Brazilian thriller "HumanPersons" comes from director Frank Spano. The film stars Pedro García Ríos, Mimi Lazo and Spano. The story takes on somewhat true crime tropes of organ harvesting in the seedy undertow of Brazil's human trafficking scene. 

James returns to his native Latin America after 30 years, with just one thing in mind-taking an organ from a human victim and smuggling it back to the United States. On this trip, relives memories of his own violent past, which makes him think twice about redeeming his future.

"HumanPersons" offers a dark, chilling tale that wraps both true crime and urban legend tropes. The film is well written and directed. The characters are portrayed evenly and with conviction. I enjoyed the almost stoic nature of the characters who only interact in reserved masculinity. 

That being said, I did find most of the film moved a bit sluggishly. The film started with a strong body horror, chilling opening. However, soon after everything seems to slow down and form into machismo melodrama. There is just too much dialog and exposition revolving around threats, puffed chest pounding and very little action.

Overall "HumanPersons" starts with a great thrilling concept. Unfortunately it gets drowned out by too much talking. The acting is good and even with the cliche archetypes most of the writing is well thought out. Still, for a thriller, this one offered very little thrills. If you want to then check it out - it works as a nice male-driven drama. (2.5/5)

My Review Of "Atomic Apocalypse"

"Atomic Apocalypse" is a post-apocalyptic thriller from Martin Gooch. The film stars Krista DeMille, Andrea Sweeney-Blanco, Jesús Lloveras, William Mark McCullough, Ron Roggé, Christina DeRosa, Neil Dickson, Domenica Cameron-Scorsese, Lex Anastasia, Andrea R. Baker, Cory Birkenbuel, Ryder Kole Emerson, Nicholas Fabrio, Ice Fox, Randy Granstrom. It falls along the lines of films like "The Road" and "The Day".

Welcome to the future - two years from now after the nuclear apocalypse that changed life as we know it. In this hellish landscape, one family fights for survival. Superhero Mother, Kate (Krista DeMille) loses her injured survivalist husband Sam (Ron Roggé) and lovestruck daughter Suzi (Andrea Sweeney Blanco) in a matter of days after they join handsome loner Joe (Jesus Lloveras) in search of a rumored hidden nuclear bunker full of food and medicine. Suddenly alone, lost in the chemical clouds and pursued by murderous scavengers, Kate fights to stay alive and reunite with her family. 

"Atomic Apocalypse" falls short of being a strong thriller with heavy drama. It often feels aimless with no clear agenda for the story's path forward. Some moments seem to tap into dark humor that doesn't look intentionally don't. Still, much like the films I mentioned above, "Atomic Apocalypse" has heart, deep emotional awareness and a singular focus, even if the plot isn't that original. 

The cast seem carefully chosen and I found the female leads strong and emotive. To me they were the most developed characters in the film. At times the acting did get shakey. Moments when high tension kicks in the acting seems forced. Other characters fail to deliver dialog convincingly at times. Still the story flowed forward due to enough quality moments stringing the plot along.

Special effects are a strong blend of low grade practical choices mixed mostly with "gamer" level CGI. Stuff commonly seen on the Syfy channel. There is a portion of the film dealing with cannibals but not nearly enough attention is to them. Overall "Atomic Apocalypse" will find a fan base and for indie sci-fi fans, but don't go into it with high expectations. (2.5/5)

My Review Of "Rootwood"

"Rootwood" is directed by Marcel Walz and stars Tyler Gallant, Elissa Dowling, Tiffani Fest, Felissa Rose, and Sarah French. The film uses mixed media to explore similar horror tropes made famous by "Blair Witch Project". Except "Rootwood" finishes with a cheeky twist ending.

Rootwood follows two students who host ‘The Spooky Hour’, a podcast about paranormal phenomena and urban legends. When they are hired by a Hollywood film producer to shoot a horror documentary about the curse of The Wooden Devil, they smell their chance to become famous. Together, with their friend, they enter Rootwood Forest and investigate the area to find out the truth about The Wooden Devil and his victims.

"Rootwood" offers a new crypto baddie in the form of an urban legend surrounding a wood devil. The story is more straightforward typical mockumentary, paranormal exploratory fare. It does break the monotony with some nice third person footage. The concept is intriguing, however the execution of the plot feels a bit messy. Far too much dialog and unnecessary exposition.

The acting has moments of quality, but there are some moments where the cast seem affectively removed from their characters. Still, "Rootwood" has some cool indie film royalty attached to it, which almost forgives the flubs found with the film. I did enjoy the twist, with a cheeky revelation in the final scenes.

The horror leans heavily on a creepy, atmospheric tone, with some cool locations. The night shots are sweet, chilling moments that become the major focal point. I wish more of the film was shot at night. There isn't much in the way of kill sequences, most happen off screen and we never get to enjoy the carnage of the situation. But, the creature concept for the wood devil is awesome and worthy of further exploration.

Overall "Rootwood" misses a lot of momentum as it gets started. To much time is spent building characters that are weighed down by too much dialog and exposition. It takes 55 minutes for anything exciting to happen but what we do get is a spooky urban legend, creepy creature concept, and Felissa Rose. Horror fans of indie, low budget filmmaking should check it out. It has some cool stuff worth watching. (2.5/5)

My Review Of "Alien Outbreak"

"Alien Outbreak" is a indie sci-fi film directed by Neil Rowe. The film stars Katherine Drake, Ritchie Crane, Michael Terry, Philip Alexander Baker.

A small rural community is quarantined by an alien presence. Local police officers Zoe and Patrick battle through the night to take control as they become cut off from the outside world. Residents begin to behave strangely and mass panic spreads throughout. With the help of others, Zoe and Patrick begin unraveling the mystery and soon discover it is not all as it seems. Can they save their community before it’s too late?

The story is a blend of traditional alien sci-fi with elements of pandemic/ viral based horror. The writing follows typical roads of suspense, drama and major character development. The film moves slow with most of the story focusing on dialog and exposition. Still, it all does take place under a veil of tension for what appears as an alien encounter. 

The acting is elevated, often the cast create little moments that make you sense the tension in the scenes. However there are significant moments when the acting should have been greater in order to really convey the situation at hand. I mean, seeing a head blown open during a act of suicide should warrant more than a subdued gasp. 

Special effects are mixed. A lot of CGI, which is expected in sci-fi films, and low budget practical effects. The CGI is done with some care, reminiscent of series such as 'Falling Skies' and 'Haven'. The concept used to create the aliens and infected humans is creative and appealing. Overall "Alien Outback" is a neat indie alien watch. It will have an audience, but for action packed bangs and booms some fans will wanna skip it. (2.5/5)

My Review Of "Cupid"

"Cupid" is a supernatural creature horror that turns Valentine's Day into a revenge nightmare. The film is directed by directed by Scott Jeffrey with a cast that includes Georgina Jane, Bao Tieu, Sarah T. Cohen and Michael Owusu.

After being horrendously embarrassed by the mean girls at school, Faye, a practicing witch, summons the evil Cupid to take revenge on all those who wronged her.

"Cupid" is a fun, light-hearted horror story that turns out some revenge on Valentine's Day. The story is a standard trope, pitting young love against an angry curse. The characters are expected constructs. Mean girls, naive victims and a lot of snarky attitude. 

The acting is decent. Some of the dialog does seem to mesh quite as smoothly with the situation at hand, but for the most part "Cupid" manages to be a cutely entertaining slice of junk food cinema. Much like the stuff you can catch on Syfy network. 

The special effects are a blend of cheap CGI (again- much like the Syfy affair). The effects team has done well to blend mostly practical effects when it comes to the blood and gore side of the horror elements. It is done, in low budget fashion, but done good enough to make the scenes fun. Overall " Cupid" is a fun, light, entertaining holiday horror watch. (3/5)

My Review Of "Agramon's Gate"

"Agramon's Gate" is a paranormal movie with heavy occult psychological themes. The film is directed by Harley Wallen. It stars  Laurene Landon, Kris Reilly, Kaiti Wallen and Yan Birch. 

A psychic reader and medium is invited to a party. Something goes very wrong and an entity comes over from the other side to haunt the people from the party. They must solve the mystery before it’s too late. Agramon will not be easy to stop…

The story is a standard premises with an occult practice leading to so pretty ghosty stuff which terrorizes the cast. It isn't too mundane but it really doesn't raise any stakes, or offer anything new. The dialog is heavy and somewhat long-winded moments of mostly low-pulse drama. Still, the writing is more mature than most of the material found in such films.

The cast give good performances. Some stand out more than others, and there are times that over-stating the moment becomes a thing. That being said, their is some cool scenes as far dramatic, dialog delivery. Unfortunately though this never really leads to any real suspense or thrilling crescendo. The movie misses any opportunity to heighten the excitement level.

The special effects are your standard spook elements. Noises, things moving, and eerie music. There is never really a true since of horror, and even the jump-scare components seem too tame. Overall "Agramon's Gate" never really reaches the horror movie status that the plot suggests. Still as far as movie value, it does well as a psychological melodrama. Check it out if you want but don't go in expecting a scary movie. (2.5/5)