Blu-ray Review: ATTACK ON TITAN: PART 1 (2015)

ATTACK ON TITAN:  PART 1
Directed by  Shinji Higuchi
Distributed by Funimation

 I'll be honest, I don't know why this movie is not getting more accolades than it is.  I honestly haven't seen too many people discussing this one in the Facebook horror groups I am in, but they definitely should be!   The film is ATTACK ON TITAN and it is easily one of the best films I have seen this year.   Here is the basic plot synopsis courtesy of the Funimation website:

 When the Titans first attacked, life for mankind was forever changed. Fearing the massive man-eating humanoids, survivors constructed three enormous walls for protection. From that point on, humanity lived safely behind the walls for the time being. A century later, life is peaceful. Eren and his friends live inside the walls, yearning to explore beyond the borders they've always known. But the opportunity comes sooner than expected when a Colossal Titan appears above the wall. With a single kick the barricade is pierced, allowing a swarm of titans to pour in and devour their newly exposed prey. Witnessing the devastation, Eren and his friends vow to destroy the man-eating terrors. The future looks bleak, but there's more to Eren than meets the eye: he may be humanity's last hope against extinction.

 The first thing I wondered about this was if I'd enjoy it having not read any of the original manga that it is based on.  Well, the answer is a definite YES, so don't worry if you don't know anything about the ATTACK ON TITAN story.  I didn't know anything about it at all, and it did not keep me from liking this film one bit.  

  The film is shot beautifully, with some amazing cinematography and a wonderful blending of the practical and CGI effects. The Titan's are all CG, obviously, but they look great and are done extremely well.   The film is extremely entertaining with almost no slow parts at all.  It doesn't take long for the action to start with the arrival of the colossal Titan, and it never slows down from there.   The first part of the film feels like a GODZILLA type monster movie as the Titans destroy the village by stomping and pounding the buildings, and eating the townfolk.   Later the film turns into an all out bloodbath as a group of soldiers goes out to take on the Titans, who can only be killed by lopping off the skin at the base of their necks. 

 I honestly don't have anything negative to say about this film.  It was a fun film that has really made me want to go check out the original graphic novel and the animated series.   While more of an sci-fi action than a horror film, it still had tons of gore that even the biggest horror fan will appreciate and enjoy!  
 
  ATTACK ON TITAN:  PART 1 is available now on DVD and Blu-ray from Funimation.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray/DVD combo
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

DVD Review: THE HUMAN RACE

THE HUMAN RACE
Writtend & Directed by Paul Hough
Distributed by  XLrator Media

  I wasn't sure what to expect going into this film.  I knew nothing about it, had read no reviews, and had not watched the trailer.   While I was not expecting much, I was pleasantly surprised with this film.  This film was fun and exciting and kept my attention the entire running time.  The film is called THE HUMAN RACE which is an amazing title I realize after watching this film.  It plays not only only the physical race the people have, but also the entire population of humans.   You will realize how big of a part that plays after watching this film.  Here is the brief synopsis of the film from the XLrator Media website:

 Eighty strangers from all walks of life are ripped out of their daily lives and forced to participate in a brutal race to the death. The rules are simple; follow the arrows or you will die, step on the grass and you will die, get lapped twice and you will die. Only one participant will survive. Race or die. There can only be one winner, but who will survive and for what purpose?

 At first the film just seems very simple, but the further the movie goes, the deeper you find out this movie really is.   It can be confusing at times, but I think it all makes sense in the end.   The movie starts abruptly with all the participants starting the race, then we are given the back story on the film's main characters.   While the film is not really horror at all, there are some very gruesome kills, in fact, anyone that steps on the grass literally blows up! The film is more of an action/drama, but then towards the end quickly turns into a very cool science fiction film.  Like I said, it will all make sense in the end. 

  The film is well acted, well written, and was thoroughly enjoyable for me. I would definitely recommend THE HUMAN RACE.  The film is available now on DVD and contains the following special features:

*  Director & Cast Commentary
*  Deleted Scenes
*  Trailer


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

The Sci-Fi classic TRANCERS now available on Blu-ray!

  I thought all you Sci-Fi fans might like to know that the classic Sci-Fi film, TRANCERS, is now available on Blu-ray!   For those not familiar with this film, here is the basic plot synopsis from the film's imdb.com page:

Jack Deth is a kind of cop/bounty hunter in the bleak Los Angeles of the future. He's become obssessed with chasing Whistler - an evil criminal who uses powerful hypnotic powers to convert people into zombie like creatures known as trancers. Whistler has managed to escape through time travel and is loose in 1980s L.A. but Deth is on his trail.

 TRANCERS is available on Blu-ray for the first time from fullmoondirect.com, and has been remastered with AMAZING Widescreen color correction, 5.1 surround sound, and an incredible amount of extras including the following special features:

* Audio Commentary by Tim Thomserson and Charles Band
* Daniel Griffith's Trancers Featurette
* Rare Interview with Tim Thomerson, Helen Hunt, and Megan Ward
* Complete Trancers: City of Lost Angels Segment from the Pulsepounders Trilogy
* Rare Stills Gallery
* Rare Full Moon Trailers

 Hopefully, I will have a full review of the film coming soon!!

CLICK HERE to order the Blu-ray!
CLICK HERE to watch an excerpt from the Trancers Featurette exclusively available on the Blu-ray

DVD Review: JOHN DIES AT THE END (2012)

JOHN DIES AT THE END
Writtend and Directed by Don Coscarelli
Adapted from the book by David Wong
Distributed by Magnet Releasing/Magnolia Home Entertainment

If you are a fan of horror, you by no doubt have heard of the latest film from Don Coscarelli, JOHN DIES AT THE END.  This film got a lot of hype.  The film is based on the book by the same name by author David Wong.  I have never read the book, but after seeing this film, I really want to now!   This movie is extremely hard to describe. It is more Sci-Fi than horror probably, but there is some horror to it...and some comedy.  Here is the brief plot synopsis from the Magnet Releasing website:

It's all about the Soy Sauce, a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. But some who come back are no longer human. Suddenly a silent otherworldly invasion is underway, and mankind needs a hero. What it gets instead is John and David, a pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs.

I liked this film a lot.  I have to admit it was a little confusing at times and it lives up to the term "mind-trip" that people have been using to describe this film.  This film will mess with your mind on many levels.  The acting in this film is amazing...not a bad performance in the entire cast.  The film looks really good, and looks like it costs more to make than it probably did.  There are some amazing effects in this film, including the highly touted "Meat-Monster" you have probably heard something about.

One great thing about this film is it starts off with a bang and never lets up.  There are no slow spots to speak of in this film.  It is fun and entertaining the entire time, which is very rare in most films. This film is hard to review, as there is so much going on, so pick up a copy and check it out for yourself.  I was entertained the entire running time, and I think you will be too.

JOHN DIES AT THE END is available now on DVD and Blu-ray and contains the following special features:

*  Deleted Scenes
*  Getting Sauced:  The Making of John Dies at the End
*  Creature Corps:  The Effects of Soy Sauce
*  Casting Sessions
*  Fangoria Interview with Paul Giamatti
*  Commentary with Writer/Director Don Coscarelli, Producer Brad Baruh, Chase Williamson and Rob Mayes
*  Trailers


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

Check out the trailer for another cool huge spider movie, BIG ASS SPIDER!

 
    Last Thursday, I posted about a new movie called SPIDERS 3D.  It looks like a pretty cool creature feature film staring some pretty large spiders.  Upon seeing this post, my buddy Scott Baker mentioned that I should check out the film, BIG ASS SPIDER.  I had never heard of it, so immediately went and watched the trailer and I am hooked!  This movie looks amazing!   I love a good creature feature, and there just aren't that many of them these days, so I am super excited about all these huge spider movies coming out!  Here is the basic plot of BIG ASS SPIDER from the film's imdb page:

  A giant alien spider escapes from a military lab and rampage the city of Los Angeles. When a massive military strike fails, it is up to a team of scientists and one clever exterminator to kill the creature before the city is destroyed.

  This looks like a fun movie for sure!  Hopefully I can do a full review of this film soon! BIG ASS SPIDER will haves its world premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival this March.
Check out the trailer and let me know in the comments section below what you think!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

Space Nazis from the moon!! Check out the trailer for the epic sci-fi film, IRON SKY

 
WOW!!  That is all I can say after just watching the trailer for a new sci-fi film called, IRON SKY!  This film looks amazing to me.  Here is the plot from the film's official website:
 
  In the last moments of World War II, a secret Nazi space program evaded destruction by fleeing to the Dark Side of the Moon. During 70 years of utter secrecy, the Nazis construct a gigantic space fortress with a massive armada of flying saucers.
  When American astronaut James Washington (Christopher Kirby) puts down his Lunar Lander a bit too close to the secret Nazi base, the Moon Führer (Udo Kier) decides the glorious moment of retaking the Earth has arrived sooner than expected. Washington claims the mission is just a publicity stunt for the President of the United States (Stephanie Paul), but what else could the man be but a scout for the imminent attack by Earth forces? The Fourth Reich must act!
  Two Nazi officers, ruthless Klaus Adler (Götz Otto) and idealistic Renate Richter (Julia Dietze), travel to Earth to prepare the invasion. In the end when the Moon Nazi UFO armada darkens the skies, ready to strike at the unprepared Earth, every man, woman and nation alike, must re-evaluate their priorities.


Check out the trailer, and let me know what you think.  I think this will be a must see for sure!

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

DVD Review: RE-GENERATION (2004)

-------------Review by contributing writer Scott Baker------------------

 

 

RE-GENERATION

Directed by: Anais Granofsky

Distributed by Indican Pictures

RE-GENERATION is one of those films that's hard to categorize. Sure, it has a science-fiction premise, but it's also a drama and a thriller. Amazingly, though, the film pulls off all three genres pretty well.

If you're not familiar with RE-GENERATION, here is the plot, courtesy of the DVD cover:

In the not too distant future where earth is decimated by eco-catastrophe, the human population is declining and most of the world's resources are controlled by a select few. A new underground market emerges -- limb sales and regeneration. Disgraced Dr. Gabriel Goode is beckoned to the remote wilderness to regenerate a rich politician's daughter illegally, but soon he finds out dark family secrets and forbidden love with the politician's mutant daughter that leads to an X-file finale.

RE-GENERATION is an interesting foray into surrealism. It's almost hard to describe. The setting and props give it a vintage feel but the story and back story definitely lend to the futuristic vibe. The conflicting result almost confuses your brain as you watch the film. My mind kept trying to process the film as set in the past, but I kept having to remind myself that it's set in the future.

I enjoyed RE-GENERATION for the most part, but I feel that it could have been better. The primary negative for me is that the story is not that engaging. It's not that the plot isn't interesting...on the contrary, the synopsis makes it sound pretty good. But the execution comes across as a bit bland, almost drab in certain scenes. There are also several things in the film that are never explained, such as the doctor's 'visions' that he experiences when taking a specific drug. This isn't enough to take you out of the film, but it definitely left me with a frown as the credits rolled.

The acting however is quite good, although actress Ingrid Veninger looks very creepy as an albino, dread-locked young woman. She manages to bring to her character a certain sense of mystery, albeit a scary a one. And Peter Stebbings does a great job as well, along with the supporting cast.

I was expecting more in the special effects department for RE-GENERATION, however I was quite let down. There are not many scenes that contain them and they don't seem overly impressive when they're on-screen. You would think a film about a limb salesman would have lots of appendages flailing about. Still, I suppose I can see the production team focusing more on the story than the visual, which is fine for this type of film.

To summarize, I'm a little torn on this one. Although I enjoyed it overall, I don't see myself revisiting it. I am pretty sure this is one of those films you have to see for yourself to decide whether or not you'll like it. So, I guess my bottom line for RE-GENERATION is check it out, but be prepared for possible disappointment

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

DVD Review: ALIEN FROM THE DEEP (1989)

---------Review by contributing writer Scott Baker---------

 

ALIEN FROM THE DEEP

Directed by Antonio Margheriti

Distributed by CAV Distribution Corp.

I have to start this review by describing how disappointed I am with this film. I had very high expectations going in, but after watching about an hour of the movie, I was ready to turn it off. I pressed on however, but was even more disappointed by the time the credits rolled.

If you’ve never heard of ALIEN FROM THE DEEP, it is a 1989 Italian ‘horror’ film. Here is the synopsis courtesy of the DVD case cover:

Somewhere deep in the jungle a chemical corporation dumps tons of toxic waste in a still active volcano. Two environmentalists try to expose these illegal ways of getting rid of hugely dangerous waste, but they get caught by the vigilantes working for the company. One of them, the super-hot Maria Giulia Cavalli, manages to escape and she is saved by a snake farmer who lives alone in the jungle. Together they try to bring down the company, but it’s too late. Years of chemical poisoning have spawned a deadly monster that is set out to exact revenge on humans that have unknowingly brought him to life. Directed by legendary Antonio Margheriti, the unholy master of Italian B movies, Alien from the Deep is one of the most beloved Italian rip-offs. A wildly entertaining ride, the movie is an inventive crossover where lots of different genres and styles are mixed. Loads of gore and action, plenty of bloody shoot-outs, a hugely entertaining monster (the infamous “Big Claw”), and some very titillating moments courtesy of the stunning Mrs. Cavalli. What more can you ask for?

What more can I ask for? Well…how about a good movie for starters.

ALIEN FROM THE DEEP has a decent premise to start off with, but the execution is horrendous and the writing is beyond terrible. I cringed several times during the film, not because of what I was seeing on-screen, but because of the horrible dialogue between the characters. At times, I felt like I was listening to something a four year-old child had written.

The acting is mediocre (and that’s being polite), with non-memorable characters and some hokey acting. Actress Maria Giulia Cavalli’s character comes across as a dim-witted, non-feminist throwback to the 50s, rather than the strong-willed eco-conscious activist that she is supposed to be portraying. The only faintly shining light is Charles Napier’s performance as the evil head of the EChem security forces. He is at least believable as a hard-assed jerk.

The special effects in ALIEN FROM THE DEEP, while decent for the time period, are nothing to write home about. The creature design is interesting but not really practical or functional, so I found myself dwelling more on how or why the creature would look like that instead of what it was actually doing on the screen. And as for the ‘loads of gore’ and ‘bloody shoot-outs’ promised on the cover, that’s not quite accurate. I think there are two semi-gory scenes in the whole film and the shoot-outs are nothing more than bang-bang-argh-I-got-shot type of action. Yawn.

Probably my biggest complaint about the film is how the first 60 minutes is spent on nothing really related to the creature or horror in any form…it’s just build-up. Since the film is only 90 minutes long, you can see where this is a big let-down. And again, the DVD cover is inaccurate on its description of the plot: from what little we hear about the creation of the creature in the movie’s dialogue, it is NOT something man-made…it is something that came out of a fireball that fell in the lake. That’s all we get.

While ALIEN FROM THE DEEP is not the worst film I’ve seen in 2011, this is still one that I wish I could un-watch. I do understand that this is a B-movie, but even those have to have standards. I would avoid this one unless Jonah Hex is all checked out…and even then, I’d be hard-pressed to have to decide between the two.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD