DVD Review: THE HOUSE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS

THE HOUSE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS
Directed by:  Arthur Leo Collins
Production Company:  RagNBone Productions

  I have to admit I had never heard of this film when it arrived in my mailbox for review.  I went into this film knowing nothing about it, and quite frankly, this really surprises me.  I can't believe I have not heard of this film in some manner.   To me, this has the making of a cult flick for sure.   Here is the basic plot of the film from the film's imdb page:

  The House on the Wrong Side of the Tracks is a Found Footage Film. Three low life punks commit a home invasion with plans to capture all the action on camera, but when the couples son comes home they soon discover they entered the wrong house.

  While I am getting a little tired of the "found footage" films, I am at least glad to see one done with a different story than most.  It seems as though most found footage films are "haunting" or "possession" type films, so a home invasion film done in the found footage style was a nice change of pace.   Maybe there are more films like this out there that I just don't know about.    The closest thing this film reminds me of is the AUGUST UNDERGROUND TRILOGY.  

  The film is very low budget, but that works perfectly since this is supposed to be footage these crazy guys filmed on their home video camera.  This film feels real and it's scary to think there are people out there who think and act this way.   These three sickos got off on bringing harm to others, and while that can be hard to watch,  it makes it very enjoyable when you see the tables turned and the victims suddenly become the perpetrators.

 THE HOUSE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS is a film I think more people in the horror community should be talking about!    Check it out if you get the chance, and if you have seen it, leave a comment to let me know what you thought of this film.


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

DVD Review: AMERIKAN HOLOKAUST

AMERIKAN HOLOKAUST
Directed by Chris Woods
Distributed by Icon Film Studios/The Sleaze Box

  I have seen some brutal movies before, but this one is among the most brutal film I have ever laid eyes on.   The film is called AMERIKAN HOLOKAUST and is about two of the worst serial killers in American history.   What we see is the videotape that the killers made as they documented all the women they kidnapped, tortured, and killed.  

  Obviously this is going to draw comparisons to the cult AUGUST UNDERGROUND series.   While they are very similar in nature, AMERIKAN HOLOKAUST steps it up a notch (or two) in terms of violence and perversion from the AU films. While we don't just see women kidnapped and tortured, AMERIKAN HOLOKAUST goes all out and adds cannibalism and some of the most grotesque gore I have seen in a film in quite some time.   The acting is extremely good by Bob Glazier and Jules Sceiro who play the parts of the serial killers.  They give very extreme performances and are very believable in their roles.  Most of the female actresses playing the victims do a great job as well, especially for the tough role they had to play.  A couple of them seemed a little too calm in nature considering their circumstances, but overall the acting was very good.

  Again I have to mention the gore.  At one point, a woman is murdered and then cut open while one of the killers begins to eat her intestines and then do naughty things with her spleen.  I'll leave that up to your imagination...until you actually watch the dvd, of course, then the exact image will be stuck in your head forever like mine! Ugh! 

  If you are looking for a scary horror movie with a great plot and scares, this is not the film for you.  If you are a fan of the AUGUST UNDERGROUND trilogy, SCRAPBOOK, SCHRAMM, or similar films, then this is the DVD for you.  AMERIKAN HOLOKAUST is truly shocking, something you don't see much these days with the normal, mainstream horror films.  Kudos to the filmmakers for such an incredibly realistic view on this subject matter.  Knowing that people like this actually exist in the world make this even more shocking and hard to believe.  

AMERIKAN HOLOKAUST and all their other DVD's (except newest releases) are on sale for only $5 (plus S&H) for the entire month of October!  Click the links below to watch the trailer and purchase the DVD!


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

Check out the trailer for the christian horror film, THE LOCK IN...

  I was browsing on the Rue-Morgue website when I came across a headline that really caught my attention.  The headline was "Christian horror film wants to scare the porn demons out of you".  What in the world?  Ha!  The film is called, THE LOCK IN.  Here is some info about the film from the official press release:


“Imagine your life being torn apart and the very wiring of your brain being changed by a seemingly innocent prank. This is what happens when three teenage boys are terrorized by demon activity after a ‘dirty magazine’ is snuck into an overnight church event called a lock in. During the lock in, members of the youth group are ‘locked in’ the church to have fun, play games, and get to know one another. In spite of the youth pastor’s attempt to intervene, the boys must come to terms with the pornographic images themselves in order to be truly freed from the demon. …
“The demon is a metaphor for the true damage pornography can have in the lives of youth. There are never graphic or pornographic images shown in the movie. The producers of the film felt that it was important to tell a Christian story about real issues but to keep the images family friendly so anyone could be entertained without fear of exposure to questionable pictures.”


  Sounds interesting. The trailer looks like your typical found footage, "Paranormal Activity" knock off.  I am not sure this film will keep teenage boys from looking at dirty magazines in the future, but it's worth a shot I guess!  What do you think about the trailer?  Does it look like this will be a good, scary movie?  Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website

DVD Review: THE ASYLUM TAPES (2012)

THE ASYLUM TAPES
Written & Directed by Sean Stone
Distributed by Revolver Group

I had never heard of THE ASYLUM TAPES  (original title, GREYSTONE PARK) until I found myself with a DVD for review.  The cover looked intriguing, but I was not sure what to think, as these "found footage" type films seem to have saturated the horror market right now.  That being said, I am huge fan of these type films, but even I have grown a little tired of them.  I'm glad I didn't just write this one off and I gave it a chance, because this was  very entertaining film that keeps my hope up in the found footage sub-genre of horror films.  Here is the basic plot of the film from the Revolver website:

When a group of young filmmakers decide to visit an abandoned psychiatric hospital to investigate the terrifying rumours that surround an institution that was infamous for its inhumane treatment of its patients, they have no idea of the horror they will uncover.
Ward after ward was used for a variety of invasive surgical procedures, some necessary, some less so. As their exploration takes them deeper into the bowels of the building, they find themselves trapped by supernatural forces that have no intention of letting them escape.
As the night unfolds, they soon find that there is a fate worse than death. This is their footage. Everything is real.

  THE ASYLUM TAPES is a very well made film, especially considering this is director Sean Stone's feature debut.  The acting in this film is very well done, with believable characters that keep you interested and entertained.   

  I love the subject of the film, an old abandoned mental hospital.  The place these kids visit is creepy enough with all the old medical devices they find (some of which look more like torture devices), but the fact that this old hospital is now haunted makes it even creepier!    We don't really see much throughout the film, mainly we hear noises and see some shadows.  It is not a gory film by any means, not your typical blood and guts horror film. This film is very atmospheric and keeps you in suspense not knowing what these kids will see or find around the next corner.   All the little things they see and hear can not prepare them for what they find at the end. 

  Also, I have to mention the very final scene which is a very well done effect involving  a person's shadow.  Check this out for sure!  Good job to Sean Stone and his cast and crew.  If this feature debut is any indication of the caliber of films Sean will make, then hopefully we are in for some great future projects from him.

THE ASYLUM TAPES was released this past Tuesday in Canada and can be purchased from the Revolver website by clicking the link below.

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

Blu-ray Review: SINISTER (2012)

SINISTER
Directed by  Scott Derrickson
Distributed by Lionsgate Home Entertainment

I remember seeing the previews for SINISTER when it was released to theaters last year, and thinking it looked really good.  Somehow though, I never got around to seeing it in the theater.  Now, after watching this film on the newly released Blu-ray, I am kicking myself for not experiencing it on the big screen.  This is one creepy film, and was honestly even better than I expected it to be!  For those unfamiliar with the film, here is the basic plot from the film's official website:

SINISTER is a frightening new thriller from the producer of the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY films and the writer-director of THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE. Ethan Hawke plays a true crime novelist (Ellison Oswalt) who discovers a box of mysterious, disturbing home movies that plunge his family into a nightmarish experience of supernatural horror.

I can't say enough about how good this movie is.  The acting is superb from all involved and the film is paced very well.  There are no dull or boring moments like you find in some films.  The film is entertaining the entire running time.  The scariest moments are when Ellison turns on one of the home videos that he has found.  Each consists of a family being filmed in everyday activities, followed by video of the families being slaughtered in a variety of graphic ways.   Some of these are actually very hard to watch, and in one crazy scene, I actually jumped and had to pause the film for a second to get settled before going on.  I felt like I had been punched in the stomach after seeing that scene.  I won't say what it involves, but you will probably know it when you see it.

This is must have for any horror fan.  I highly recommend this one.  I don't remember enjoying a horror movie this much in a long time.  The Blu-ray and DVD are available now.  Special Features include the following:

*  Audio commentary with director Scott Derrickson
*  Audio commentary with writers Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill
*  "Living in a House of Death" featurette
*  "True Crime Authors" featurette
*  Deleted scenes with optional audio commentary with director Scott Derrickson


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

Check out the trailer for the film, AREA 407

  

  Take a moment and check out the trailer for the upcoming film, AREA407 courtesy of the website, Shocktillyoudrop.com.  This is another entry in the "found footage" sub-genre, which makes for some good scares, especially when viewed at the theater on the big screen!  Here is the plot synopsis from the official press release:

After taking off on a flight from New York to Los Angeles on New Years Eve, the passengers of Flight 37A are soon sent into shock and alarm as the plane experiences severe turbulence. The relentless weather attack causes panic and terror amongst the passengers until the plane ultimately crashes in a remote government-testing reserve, AREA 407. Through footage captured by two teenage sisters, the accident and crash lead to further events that should not be viewed by the faint of heart. As they continue to film, it becomes apparent that the remaining survivors of Flight 37A may not survive the night.

AREA 407 will be available nationwide on IFC Midnight Cable VOD and Digital Outlets (SundanceNOW, iTunes, Amazon Streaming, XBOX Zune, Playstation Unlimited) and select theaters on APRIL 27, 2012.
  
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

Check out the crazy new clip from the upcoming film, EVIDENCE

A few weeks ago I posted some info and a short clip from a new movie coming out called, EVIDENCE (see original post HERE).  Well, writer Ryan McCoy recently let me know that a new clip from the film has been posted online, and man is it a good one!   This is a very short clip, but shows you the intensity that this film should bring. 

The plot of the film is pretty vague from it's imdb page:

Ryan is making a documentary on his friend, Brett, about camping for the first time. However, once they begin camping, they discover that there is a mysterious figure that is hunting them.

I am super excited about this film...I love the "found footage" type films, and when done right, they can bring a sense of realism to a film that a normally shot film can not match.  When I watched the first short clip, I thought we were dealing with more of a "Bigfoot" or some other animal/creature type film, but this newest clip looks like the creature or creatures are more alien like.  I am not sure, but either way I can't wait to see this film!!   Check out the new clip by clicking below!

 

CLICK HERE to watch the latest clip from EVIDENCE

DVD Review: TROLLHUNTER (2010)

 
TROLLHUNTER
Written & Directed by:  André Øvredal
Distributed by:  Magnet Releasing/Magnolia Home Entertainment

 I have been dying to see this film. Ever since I first saw the trailer, I have been super excited for this one.  I have really built this one up and I was hoping I hadn't hyped it up too much and was leaving myself open for a let down.   Well, I am happy to say that after finally getting to see TROLLHUNTER, I was not let down in the least.  In fact, I would go as far as to say I was pleasantly surprised and that the film was actually better than I could have imagined. Before I go any further,
here is the basic plot synopsis from the film's official website:

The government says there’s nothing to worry about – it’s just a problem with bears making trouble in the mountains and forests of Norway. But local hunters don’t believe it – and neither do a trio of college students who want to find out the truth. Armed with a video camera, they trail a mysterious “poacher,” who wants nothing to do with them. However, their persistence lands them straight in the path of the objects of his pursuits: trolls. They soon find themselves documenting every move of this grizzled, unlikely hero – the trollhunter – risking their lives to uncover the secrets of creatures only thought to exist in fairy tales.

 This is another entry into the ever so popular "found footage" genre of film.  But...unlike most of these "found footage" films, this one does not deal with ghosts or witches....this one deals with trolls.  That's right, trolls.   You can't say this isn't an original film!  I like the mixture of the "found footage" and creature feature films....not something I have seen much of, but hope to see more of.

 TROLLHUNTER is basically like a bigfoot movie on crack.  The hunter is searching for the creature that he knows exists, but no one else believes is real.  Except instead of a more human sized Bigfoot, these trolls are humongous.  Like hundreds of feet tall enormous!   Now this leads to some puzzling questions for me, such as if there is a creature this big that towers above the trees, how is his presence not known?    Also, apparently trolls just come out at night.....so where does a monster this huge hide out all day?  Plot holes for sure, but don't get me wrong.  This will not effect the enjoyment of this film, it sure didn't for me anyways.

 The acting in the film is excellent.  The man they got to play the Troll Hunter was especially good and very believable as a sort of back woods, loner type.  The cinematography is amazing and the scenes of the Norwegian countryside are truly beautiful.   Now, about the trolls....obviously the use of CG effects are a necessity here, no way to get around that.  Luckily they CG effects are done flawlessly and blend in perfect to the surroundings.    It was also fun to learn about trolls, as I really don't know anything about them.  But did you know sunlight, or more specifically, UV rays, can make a troll either explode, or turn to stone, depending on the age of the troll (don't worry, this is explained in the film and actually makes sense upon hearing the explanation).  Both types of troll deaths are witnessed here, and I found the troll turning to stone scene especially cool! 

I can honestly say this is one of the best horror films I have seen in a long time, and it has found a spot on my list of favorite horror films.  I will be watching this one again soon!

The DVD and Blu-ray is out now and contains the following special features:

* Deleted Scenes
* Improv and Bloopers
* Extended Scenes
* Visual Effects
* Behind the Scenes
* Photo Galleries
* HDNet:  A Look at Trollhunter



CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website and watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD or Blu-ray

 

DVD Review: EXHIBIT A (2007)

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

 

EXHIBIT A

Written and Directed by:  Dom Rotheroe

Distributed by:  Indiepix Films

 

EXHIBIT A  is one of THE BEST “found footage” thrillers I’ve ever seen. A bold statement to make, but certainly one that can be backed up. This film lures you in from the beginning with the promise of happy scenes and sunny days, then brutally slays those promises in one swift stroke at the end.

 

If you’re not familiar with EXHIBIT A, here is the basic plot from the Indiepix Films website:

Receiving a video camera for her birthday, Judith (Brittany Ashworth) is excited to document her normal teenage life: her crush on the girl next door, her annoying brother and the installation of a swimming pool in their backyard. When her father Andy (Bradley Cole) gets a brand new promotion, the family puts in a bid on their dream house. However, through her camera, Judith soon discovers her father is living a lie: the family is essentially bankrupt. As secrets are revealed and the family disintegrates under financial pressure, Andy is eventually driven to the unimaginable. Simmering with the tension of the best Hitchcock thrillers, EXHIBIT A will "trap you in a situation of unimaginable hideousness that resonates long aft er the end titles."

       

This film won Best UK Feature at the Raindance Film Festival and I can definitely see why: it is extremely well done and will keep you enthralled the whole time you are watching it.

 

The acting is superb, with Bradley Cole giving the performance of a lifetime as the father of the family, Andy King. The emotional range that Cole provides to his character is outstanding. You sympathize with his plight, while at the same time feel put off by his odd behavior. The rest of the cast is stellar as well, a talented ensemble that accents Cole’s portrayal.

 

The are no real special effects (gore, carnage, etc.) per se, but we do get to see the aftermath of a severe beating which is pretty impressive. Otherwise the effects are pretty sparse. This does nothing to detract from the film however.  EXHIBIT A has enough suspense and shock value without the use of a lot of visuals.

What is truly captivating about this film is the events that unfold before your eyes. I debated on whether or not to reveal the horrific events that occur at the end, and ultimately decided that I would remain silent about them. But I can almost guarantee you won’t be the same after you watch this movie.

I can still feel the sense of dread that overcame me as the credits rolled.  EXHIBIT A keeps you thinking long after you’ve finished the film and walked away. As suspected, the thoughts I’ve been having are not rosy, either.

 

But I am very impressed with the film and am glad I got to watch it.  EXHIBIT A is one you will want to give a look for certain.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to but a one time On Demand viewing, a full download, or the DVD
CLICK HERE to view the film's official website



CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Indiepix Films