Dedfest '11: Doing the Monster Bash ... or is it the Mash?: A Movie Review

Author/Ed Sum

Director/writer: Jesse T. Cook

Director Jesse T. Cook’s Monster Brawl does not try to be innovative. Instead, he blends a bit of the grindhouse tradition with comedy and horror. Repeated viewings of this film may not be as great, but this movie may work as one of those cult products to screen once every Halloween with new buddies from work, or with new converts to the horror scene. That way, at least this film can stay fresh for new crowds.

Although very formulaic, this movie at least offers a very simple structure before each slugfest begins. This pay-per-view style product combines three parts World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) style direction and storytelling with one part "MTV’s Celebrity Deathmatch" style commentary (Dave Foley and Art Hindle are the commentators, but they don’t quite hold the same kind of candle as the humourous antics from Nick Diamond and Johnny Gomez). Toss in one-quarter video-game ala Mortal Kombat (Lance Henriksen provides for some brilliant finishing move announcements) and that is this movie in a nutshell.

The laughs are genuinely good and the fights are ridiculously tame. If there was more claymation Deathmatch level gore, this film would stand out as spectacular. Instead, the only bloodshed is when hearts are being ripped out, or some poor creature’s head gets torn asunder. Close, but no cigar. There’s some carnage going on, but the ring is cleaned up between matches. To leave the corpses where they lay would be far more interesting than cutting to the next intro for the next match.

Other fights include a human sized Cyclops fighting the Witch Bitch, The Mummy combating the Lady Vampire, and Frankenstein going up against the Zombie. But wait, two zombies? Is there favoritism by the director already? Technically, the zombie and mummy are the same, and with the walking dead also rising from the grave to take sides, yes, who wins has been decided. But for the final match of the night, it is the battle of two giants. Kevin Nash, of WWE fame, is involved, but to tell all would ruin the best part.

Nash does a good job at playing a tough as guts Colonel Crookshank. He’s basically a bit player on a small stage, but when he gets offed, he certainly will come back in true WWE fashion and wreck vengeance upon all who crosses his path.

Too bad WWE’s The Undertaker was not contracted for this film. His appearance can make for a much more interesting and fun movie, but that is intellectual property that WWE may not be so easy to release across other mediums. Just look at the ratings dive that "Poltergeist, the Legacy" season four took when he was put in to save the show.

Production-wise, there are some good moments. They come from the other production units who were tasked in filming each monster’s introduction, and their lead-up to the fight of the century. The better segments come from the Richard Attenborough like introduction of Swamp Gut, their nod to the Swamp Thing, and even Doctor Frankenstein’s introduction to the Monster. Cook at least gets some facts right about this origin tale, but as for not including certain classic monsters from the roster—namely the Ghost of Christmas Future, the Alien from outer space and the Demon from the nether realms—well, this monster mash is not complete. Crookshank is more or less the psycho killer.The final shot in this film does have that “Qu'est-ce que c'est?” moment, but if that means a sequel, no word has been announced as for when or if that will ever happen.

In where this film goes, it easily fits in the cult film genre. As for how much of a smash it will make in the film festival and video market, this product is too new to tell. Give it ten years, and it might stick around. Someone has to add to the carnage.

Overall: 7 out of 10.

Follow the film on its fan page:

Monster Brawl on Facebook

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Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame and Hiring a Villain: A Movie Review

Author/Ed Sum

Director: Tsui Hark.

Writers: Kuo-fu Chen, Lin Qianyu (original story) and Jialu Zhang (screenplay).

When Chinese producer, director and writer Tsui Hark is heavily involved in a production, he often leaves a huge cinematic stamp on it and the international world pays attention. The last film he directly worked on was Seven Swords (2005), which borrowed on some ideas from Akira Kurosawa's Shichinin no Samurai (Seven Samurai). But these days, his most recent work that’s getting noticed is Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame.

Although Hark is not involved in the writing of this detective mystery thriller, his trademark for phantasmagorical storytelling and gorgeously framed visuals is certainly consistent throughout. The only shame is the larger dependence on CGI in modern Hong Kong Cinema to recreate the sprawling cityscape around Daming Palace, which is the backdrop for most of this film. Also, not all of the characters have that larger-than-life presence just yet.

That fact is especially true when Detective Dee (Andy Lau, House of Flying Daggers) has not achieved the recognition that he will later be recognized for. Di Renjie, the real life official to whom the Dee character is based from, was highly respected.

Dee, in the film, is introduced as a bit of a scoundrel. He is still respected by a few people, and they have asked that he released from prison. He is the only person capable enough to go find the persons responsible for attempting to end the life of Empress Wu (Carina Lau, no relation). As the first female ruler of China, plenty of people have a reason to end her life. To have a female ruler is unheard of.

To not include some spectacular Kung Fu action goes without saying. Sammo Hung does the choreography, and he shows that he is in better form behind the scenes. He had some modest success in North America with Martial Law, but he eventually returned to Hong Kong to continue making movies there.

With the unique culture of Hong Kong Films making its own mark throughout the years, and later getting wider international appeal, Detective Dee is almost as famous as Sherlock Holmes. Orientalist and writer Robert Hans van Gulik popularized this character with 17 novels that ran from the 50's to the 60's. Some of these tales contained supernatural themes and they depicted life in the Teng Dynasty.

In the film, the same themes get imagined again with some high quality matte work that blends seamlessly with the cinematography. The early Chinese dynasties always had a romantic flavour in its colourful decor and the production team went all out with this one. The costumes are recreated with a high attention to detail and the mystique of the Royal Court is as mysterious as the people who work in council there. But when one of them has a secret agenda, that's when the plot kicks into high gear.

Dee has to figure out how the victims, who are closely associated with the Empress, burst into dark smoke. There has to be a logical explanation to it. He does not believe in black magic even though he is gifted with a psychic like ability to read others and look past their lies. Like Holmes, he has to make logical deductions and also find the source of the mysterious fire turtle. Somehow they tie into this mystery. But with Empress Wu's most trusted right hand lady, Jing-Er (Li Bingbing), his investigation gets hindered. Also, there is a white-haired officer Pei Donglei (Deng Chao) who is tailing behind with his own investigation. Chao is this film's rising star, and to see him appear in a world stage is a must. Hair-colour notwithstanding, his acting ability shines with this production. He gives his role as an officer of the Supreme Court an air of authority, which is very convincing.

When the two investigators become a team, the answers they uncover ring true for any country. There are dark political agendas at work here, whether Dee likes it or not. Sadly, Dee will just have to become another crusader who can only work in the depths of a dark night to right certain injustices. The fire turtle's curse is a terrible one indeed, but at least he is not ready to turn superhero.

This film is making limited engagements in select cities, and is also available on DVD/Bluray.

Overall: 7 out of 10.

Another review at Time:

Detective Dee at Time

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"The Walking Dead" and Shambling Down a Side Trail: A Television Review ("Save the Last One")

Author/Michael Allen

Director: Phil Abraham.

Writers: Scott M. Gimple, Robert Kirkman, and Frank Darabont.

"Save the Last One" is a reference to a bullet and that last bullet might not be used how you would expect. This is Epis. 3 of Seas. 2 of "The Walking Dead," which aired on the AMC October 30th, just before Halloween! Overall, the aside, which began at the traffic jam, has turned into much of the early part of Seas. 2. There has been no forward progression in the show's central plot, getting to Fort Benning. Yet, director Phil Abraham ("The Killing") and the rest of the creative team balance out the dramatic dialogue with elements of action. Only the constant dialogue of existentialism and spirituality takes something away from the series. This show is based on a comic book not Phil. 101, correct?

For those just catching up, a group of survivors in a zombie apocalypse are holed up at a traffic jam on the highway just outside of Atlanga, GA. Events involving the shooting of one child (Carl) and the disappearance of another (Sofia) have split the survivors into plenty of little groups. This zombie television fan counted six separate groups in this showing at one point. That aside, the survivors seem to be regrouping at Herchel's (Scott Wilson) farm with Shane (Jon Bernthal), an ex-police officer, and Otis (Pruitt Taylor Prince) hunting for medical supplies. Carl will die without them.

For a short show of fourty-five minutes these storytellers are covering a lot of ground and a lot of situations. There is a diverse set of characters in "The Walking Dead," and they each get a little bit of screen time. While the show does not feel or seem to be unfocused, it does tend to cover characters in a shallow fashion. Each group of characters gets two to three minutes to shine here and there and usually the characters are talking of God, or religion in general. Not being familiar with the comic book, this is the only television show this zombie fan can think of with so much talk of existentialism. Spirituality's inherent circular nature should give a clue of why it is pointless to discuss, especially in a television series. Thankfully, Shane's scenes with Otis break the stranglehold of meaningless banter with some compelling and tense scenes.

This episode skips the cliffhanger ending seen in the previous episodes in favour of a surprise ending. That surprise should be enjoyed watching the show rather than reading it here. Suffice it to say that Shane's Taxi Driver like shaving of his head is a big signal that this character, like Robert De Niro's character Travis, has some deep psychological problems.

Also, this review would like to pause and go off the deep end to talk about a criticism regarding this episode or the season in general. Some commenters on message boards have critiqued the show's lack of character development; however, characters are changing on multiple levels. Otis is changing physically, into a zombie (oops, spoiler). Glenn (Steven Yeun) is turning into another philosopher like Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Andrea (Laurie Holden), while Shane is showing more and more mental instability every show. These characters are actually changing physically, emotionally and philosophically. Although each of these characters does not get much screen time they are not staying static. In fact, they are transforming (like the zombies into greyish horrors) and not always for the better.

"The Walking Dead" is definitely showing continued improvement. Gone mostly are the long dramatic rants of Seas. 1. As well, the first' seasons shambling zombies have been replaced by something much more thrilling and more mobile. The central plot seems to have been ignored, but the show is progressing (just sideways). However, the fun is not always in getting to the destination, but in the bloody journey to get there.

Overall: 7.5 out of 10 (please get rid of the spiritual).

Find out more about "The Walking Dead" Seas. 2 Epis. 3 ("Save the Last One") at the AMC:

Save the Last One at the AMC

Read a second, excellent review of this title at Paste Magazine (Josh Jackson):

Save the Last One at Paste Magazine


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2012: Zombie Apocalypse and Surprises: A Movie Review

Author/Michael Allen

Director: Nick Lyon.

Writers: Brooks Peck and Craig Engler.

2012: Zombie Apocalypse or the simpler Zombie Apocalypse is a The Asylum production. The Asylum generally knocks off bigger productions e.g. Battle Los Angeles. Occasionally, they will come up with something original and this is great for the SyFy Network and their "SyFy Original Movie" premieres. Zombie Apocalypse aired on television Saturday, October 30th and this is a tale of survivors trying to get to Catalina. Unfortunately, there are a million zombies in their way and strangely, it looks like the same zombies are being killed over and over again.

Julian (Johnny Pacar), Ramona (Taryn Manning), Henry (Ving Rhames), Cassie (Lesley Ann-Brandt), Billy (Eddie Steeples), Mack (Gary Weeks) Kevin (Gerald Webb) and a few others team up to battle the undead after the "VM2" is released across the globe. The VM2 is a virus that infects the host and makes them uber violent. As well, these survivors are trying to get to Catalina, a safe, human only zone. Along the way, they fight in high schools, in streets, in port-o-potties. You name it and there are zombies being bashed there.

The Asylum seems to have pulled off one of their best pictures to date, with Zombie Apocalypse because of some great casting choices and the writing helps move things along at a good clip; however, there are some problems here too. The Asylum is known, at least to this critic, for overusing CGI. If it can be done with CGI e.g. blood effects, monsters, or backdrops, then The Asylum will use it. The CGI breaks the realm of movie illusion sometimes though with this overuse of digital enhancements. Surely a makeup artist or two could have been used for some of the scenes. As well, certain zombie extras get killed again and again only to rise once more for another scene. One blonde woman with a purple shirt and black top seems to get killed a couple times only to be seen later in the film. This critic saw you, but a scene coordinator should have made sure this reviewer did not. Finally, one scene in an alley has cars in the background, which are not supposed to be a part of the film. These are some minor errors, but the proof is in the pudding, or is that the "Devil is in the details?"

These problems do not hamper the fun of the film, but the details can make a good film great. Some of the film elements that are very good include the acting, which is of a high caliber and interactions are believable. This makes the film appear realistic. There are a few subtle subplots in the text. This shows that the characters are not one dimensional. As well, the writers Brooks Peck (Rage of the Yeti) and Craig Engler (Rage of the Yeti) bring in a few unique elements into the tried and true zombie genre. There are giant monstrous zombies and the infection can be carried by animals including dogs and other more ferocious creatures. The undead become smarter and hunt in packs, so there is a lot of action in the film. There is also something new around every turn or blood splattered corner. Critic Scott Weinberg also notices Peck and Engler's writing: "the screenplay offers a few clever exchanges." And most of these exchanges are delivered with a mallet or a sword to bloody and exciting affect.

This is a fun late nite flick that will entertain many of the zombie film fans in the world. Clever in its writing, over-the-top in the special effects department and full of great actors, Zombie Apocalypse feeds that need for more film flesh. Check this one out on the SyFy Network with a re-broadcast November 15th at 7:00pm. Your zombie survival skills will improve, but only against digitally drawn zombie tigers!

Overall: 7.5 out of 10 (concise, exciting and mostly realistic).

Another review of this title at Fearnet (Scott Weinber):

Zombie Apocalypse at Fearnet


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Monocyte #1 and a Dark Journey Below: A Comic Book Review

Author/Ed Sum

Artist: Menton3.

Creator/Writers: Menton3 and Kasra Ghanbari.

IDW Publishing's "Monocyte" has some interesting material for any horror comic fan to appreciate. This four part series is about an uprising by Monocyte, a one-eyed demon hell bent at causing the destruction of the Conduit, a machine created by the Olignostics. They are a race of immortals borne through the convergence of politics and technology. They emerged from an experiment that a MIT scientist did on Earth, where he harnessed the power of "Absolute Zero." Exactly what that is is not defined in the two text heavy pages that explains who the Olignostics and Antedeluvians are.

The latter race is much more simpler to understand. They have walked the Earth since the dawn of time. They are a secret order bound by the thirst for knowledge passed on generation to generation. They have one type of governing philosophy, where only one man can ascend to the throne, the Green Man (Al-Khidr), whereas the Olignostics are something of a parasite.

In the comic book, Earth has undergone a radical change. Humanity are tools as far as these two supernatural races are concerned. They are also posed to rule. With the devastation wrought upon the Earth, that which humans once knew, it now looks like a tortured world straight out of Dante's Inferno.

The first issue is light in terms of the main story and character development. Hopefully issue #2, due Dec 2011, will remedy that. With the first issue, a few introductions are made but by the time the tale gets interesting, the story is cut short. The story does not progress when nearly one-third of the comic is dedicated to side-stories. The human slave back stories are written by Kasra Ghanbari with art by Riley Rossmo, and another is both written and drawn by David Stoupakis.

Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night), and newcomers Alan Hubbard, writer, and Chris Newman, artist, will provide additional stories in coming issues.

While these shorts are a visual treat, they are better off if the comic expanded its page count to an even 40 pages. Some readers are buying this comic because Menton J. Matthews III (Menton3) is one of the hippest artists to be on the scene. Some of his previous works include "The Hound," "Horror out of Arkham," and "Silent Hill Past Life," all published by IDW. His work in "Monocyte" mirrors a world that is reminiscent of Clive Barker's Hellraiser and H.R. Giger's dark surrealistic character designs, minus all the erotica. The beauty of his work is that he makes gracious use of white space (also known as negative space) to create a sense of isolation on the second and third page. The narrative is a bit flat but very prosaic. At least that makes for an easy read.

This artist tends to stick to sepia tones and tonal variations of black in his art for this comic book. A few of the panels look like he originally painted them on canvas. In other panels, Menton3 uses simple moiré patterns to highlight some action and to reflect a shifting style. This technique is used as though he's acknowledging that he is, after all, creating a comic. His style often involves hidden layers of meaning. He taps into the collective consciousness where there is symbolic meaning to nearly everything. This was a theory that Dr. Sigmund Freud made famous and the Surrealists of the early 20th century devotedly followed.

Where issue two will head story-wise will require a few month's wait. The series is worth collecting for the covers alone, which includes the variant one-offs. However for those who prefer a collected volume, a graphic novel, that may not arrive until well after the new year, after the final issue comes out.

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Dedfest '11: Monster Brawl and Picking a Winner: A Movie Review

Author/Michael Allen

Director/writer: Jesse T. Cook.

Day two of Dedfest Victoria hosted Jesse T. Cook's Monster Brawl followed by Fulci's Zombie. Organizer Ira Hunter continued to give out the schwag in generous fashion. The film festival ended with a few more zombies in day two, with Monster Brawl offering a wide collection of fighting creatures. The characters were diverse, but this film is much like watching an episode of WWE on which the film is loosely based. Even actors from wrestling entertainment lampoon in the film e.g. Kevin Nash. Overall, this is a fun film; however, Monster Brawl suffers from some pacing issues and maybe even some plot holes.

This is a fighting tournament that has brought eight of the deadliest creatures together for a series of Deathmatches. You can choose who to root for amongst: zombie man (Rico Montana), frankenstein (Robert Maillet), werewolf (RJ Skinner), swamp gut (Jason David Brown), witch bitch (Holly Letkeman), lady vampire (Kelly Couture), cyclops and the mummy. There are different weight classes and the announcers highlight each creature's special ability e.g. the cyclop's mesmerizing gaze. As well, each creature gets its own montage of clips, showing how the monster made its way to the ring. Swamp gut had no choice; his habitat dwindled away until there was nothing left for him to do except explode in the ring (oops, spoiler alert). There are no referees after UFC's Herb Dean expires and even managers get in on the action.

Monster Brawl is hard to put into a category like genre. The film uses horror film creatures, but the film is not really that scary. Is this film a comedy? There are a few laughs from actors Dave Foley, Art Hindle and Jimmy Hart from the booth or next to center stage; however, this movie does not feel like a comedy. Really, this is like watching a showing of World Wrestling Entertainment. Kevin Nash and Jimmy the Hart's appearance also makes the connection to professional wrestling. So, Monster Brawl does not really fit into any known genres in cinema. Has Jesse T. Cook created a new genre?

Perhaps this is a fighting feature or action film. Most of the interaction between characters does involve a lariat or an elbow drop and really this is a series of wrestling matches with monsters. The film does not really step far out of this formula and this strategy is not really a bad one. As well, the fighting sequences are gory with the witch bitch getting the worst of it. How anyone could survive several hammer blows to the head is beyond this critique. There are also some solid use of special effects as actor Lance Henriksen booms through the audio "spectacular," or "discombobulation." This viewer was reminded of the game "Mortal Kombat" with all the one word shouts from a very recognizable Henriksen. Finally, there could have been a few more scenes with the character's spouting their special powers, but this is a low budget enterprise and there are limits to what can be displayed on screen.

And this leads the review into the problem areas of the film. There are some early issues of pacing. The film takes awhile to find its legs and to get going. There are some pauses in the transition from creature to creatures that could have used another line of comedic dialogue. Also, this horror fan was expecting more matches between the creatures. Then, the movie abruptly ends, when another half hour was needed to truly crown the overall champion of monsters (the zombie).

Monster Brawl is a fun time and the film is best seen with a big crowd of people. Some of the situations are a little silly, but there are still a lot of laughs to be found here. Just go into this film with some low expectations so that you will not be disappointed if the monster you love does not win this gory competition.

Overall: 6.75 out of 10.

Join the fun on the Monster Brawl fan page:

Monster Brawl on Facebook

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NBC's "Grimm" and Investigating The Big Bad Wolf: A Television Review (Pilot)

Author/Ed Sum

Creators: Stephen Carpenter, David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf.

Cast: Russell Hornsby, David Giuntoli, Bitsie Tulloch, Silas Weir Mitchell, Sasha Roiz, and Reggie Lee.



The NBC television series "Grimm" is set to challenge other supernatural heavyweights on Friday night. In one corner is Fox's Fringe and in another is CW's "Supernatural." Just how well Grimm will fare will depend on how much audiences like the cop Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) as he combats the supernatural forces that have integrated into Portland society.

This television series is based off the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and it will put Burkhardt at odds with many creatures from both traditional legends and fictional lore. He's partnered with Hank Griffan (Russell Hornsby), who does not yet know that Burkhardt has the ability to see monsters posing as humans. Maybe he will learn about it in future episodes, but only time will tell.

The pilot episode very loosely uses ideas from the French fairy tale, Red Riding Hood. There's one big bad wolf targeting anyone wearing red. And when a young girl is involved, Burkhardt and Griffan are on the case. Burkhardt mistakes someone else as the culprit, but in what he is aware of, he knows someone is withholding information.

There is a great story slowly developing in explaining what the Grimms are—basically monster hunters—and that may be the story arc for the first set of episodes to be broadcast. Burkhardt is new to the scene, but sadly, his Aunt Marie (guest star, Kate Burton), may not live long enough to teach him everything he needs to know.

As for the rest of this film’s structure, it feels too familiar. Essentially, this series is going to follow the buddy cop format. But also, it sounds like a reinvention of an old television show from the 90's, "Forever Knight." This Canadian produced series follows the life of Nick Knight (Geraint Wyn Davies), a vampire cop trying to earn good karma so he can fight off his darker impulses, and eventually become human. His partner Donald Schanke (John Kapelos ) is just as clueless to Knight’s abilities, but Nick’s previous family, fellow vampires Lucien LaCroix (Nigel Bennett) and Janette (Deborah Duchêne) sometimes try to bring him back to the fold. While both products are not all that similar in storyline, the casting is almost exact. In Grimm, Burkhardt will eventually team up with a reformed werewolf, Eddie Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell), and this will complete the ensemble good guy cast.

In terms of what they will fight will require moving beyond the formula that’s established—something that CW’s "Supernatural" began with—and that is to fight a villain of the week. As long as the revelation of what the Grimms do, or how the hierarchy of monsters has amalgamated into Portland society, another crime fighting drama is not what audiences are looking for. Maybe the wicked witch of the west will make a cameo appearance.

"Grimm" on Facebook:

The Grimm Fan Page

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The Third Time is the Charm in Paranormal Activity 3: A Movie Review

Author/Ed Sum

*spoiler alert.

Directors: Henry Joost, and Ariel Schulman.

Writers: Christopher B. Landon, Oren Peli (characters).

Cast: Chloe Csengery, Jessica Tyler Brown and Christopher Nicholas Smith.

The movie Paranormal Activity 3 finally gets a chance to explain itself and provide for some interesting moments. After the events from the first two movies, there are a lot of questions asked which gets revealed with this new one.

The film begins with an adult Katie (Katie Featherston) going to see Kristi (Sprague Grayden). She is there to see how the happy couple is doing, and to drop off a box of old VHS tapes. She says that they are from Grandma Lois, presumably now deceased, and she has not had the time to look at them. Neither of them remembers those times, and instead of sitting down to watch them, they are being tossed into storage. However, one day later, Kristi's home gets broken into and the only thing that is missing is that box of tapes.

Whomever has stolen the tapes starts the movie off by viewing the footage of the girls’ childhood. The way this film offers up the what-ifs are good for those who love this series. Had the adult girls viewed the tapes, maybe the events from the previous films, Paranormal Activity 1 and 2, will not have happened. By itself, this product potentially sets the stage for a new set of films. As for how long this franchise will last will depend on how often the audiences want this product.

There is one detail that has to be noted: if the importance of having a male son is a hint of things to come, hopefully this series will finally get the new blood it deserves. Witches exist in the world of Paranormal Activity, and in the 1930's, they make pacts with the devil involving male-borns. This added narrative helps make this third film stand out.

Also, a few other specifics are fleshed out, like Katie and Kristi's strange affiliation to have boyfriends who are video camera-obsessed entrepreneurs. Their mother, Julie (Lauren Bittner), divorced some time ago, and is living with a new boyfriend, Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith). This pairing keeps to the tradition of the previous films of a happy couple being haunted.

All the action is being saved for the locked off cameras to capture. Interestingly, because of how the sets are lit, the shadows created give some fantastic looking illusions that play with the viewer’s imagination. With the living room camera, there are faces in the tapestry when there are none. In the bedroom, the camera is posed to make the footboards of the young girls' beds look like monks posed to watch over them. But these imaginary individuals will do nothing for what will ensue.

The young girls’ game of Bloody Mary elicits a few amusing chills, and these young actresses (Chloe Csengery and Jessica Tyler Brown) certainly do a good job. They come through as a believable pair of sisters. And the victimization of children is far scarier than giving life to the demon that will later own them.

However, to get to these scary moments is a slow process. There are a few innovative paranormal investigation techniques that can easily be ripped off for actual use when groups cannot afford a security setup like in what’s used here. The camera sweeping back and forth is a nice touch, but a question needs to be asked. Why is Dennis, a supposedly professional videographer, using a 6-hour format to record with? That usually results in banding and faster degradation of the recorded image over time.

But by the time the film hits its chilling climax, the only thing smoking is a differently styled ending. There is an evil at work and the best scare is in leaving the what-ifs in the film for the audience to figure out. This movie would be more chilling if it included one particular bit of lyric going on, "O'er the Hills and through the woods ....”

Overall: 7 out of 10.

The film's homepage:

Paranormal Activity 3's Official Website


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Dedfest '11: Chillerama and Laughing for All the Wrong Reasons: A Movie Review

Author/Michael Allen

Directors/writers: Adam Green, Joe Lynch, Adam Rifkin and Tim Sullivan.

Chillerama played at Dedfest Victoria 2011 to a modest crowd and a large prize giveaway. In the film, several horror icons came together for a comedy, horror anthology that included four stories: "Zom B Movie" began the film, with "Wadzilla," "I Was a Teenage Werebear," and "The Diary of Anne Frankenstein" to follow. The humour was juvenile, but this critic could not help laughing. A werewolf, gay musical, really? Much of the humour is sexually based and the crowd in the theatre seemed to light up through much of the showing. Dedfest's shift to a new, grander location was a good choice and so was Chillerama as part of the schedule.

"Zom B Movie" is your standard zombie b-movie with some sexual humour added in. Fornicating with the dead not only removes your penis, but causes others to turn into nymphomaniacs from a character's dispersal of bodily fluids. Semen in your popcorn? It is all here and so is a charming love story. "Wadzilla" is the first feature to be shown at this fictional drive-in. This story, from Adam Rifkin (Detroit Rock City), deals with a man with sexual dysfunction. His sperm count is low, so the local doctor recommends some experimental medication (not FDA approved). The result is a giant sperm that just gets bigger and bigger and messier and messier. The final sperm covered kiss is a little awkward. "I Was a Teenage Werebear" was a gay musical whose theme involves the coming out of a young man as gay and as a werebear. What is the difference between a werebear and a werewolf? They are both hairy, but the werebears have a habit of wearing chaps and killing the local bully with their penis. Yes, there is more enjoyable juvenile humour here. Adam Green's "The Diary of Anne Frankenstein" is shot in black and white. The setting is World War II and actor Joel David Moore plays Hitler. This despot raises a Jewish Frankenstein (Kane Hodder), who spouts: "oy vey," while dancing awkwardly.

It is hard to say which short was the best, but "Zom B Movie" and "Wadzilla" stood out to this film fan. The gross out humour in "Zom B Movie" was over the top and the film is great for reminding horror fans not to sleep with corpses. "Wadzilla" used more low brow humour to effect. This critic could not stop laughing at all the awkward situations e.g. a sperm humping the Statue of Liberty, a man becoming aroused on a date and needing to relieve his sexual desire solo in his date's bathroom. The laughs come often with the humour juvenile, sexually based and very politically incorrect!

"Zom B Movie" also uses lots of film references from Scarface to Terminator to Robocop and lots of other films. Actor Richard Riehle delivers most of these lines as his drive-in turns into an undead orgy. Apparently there still is a lot of life after death. Each of the reels is short enough that if you do not enjoy one of the films, then you will likely find yourself laughing at another. The faux film "Deadification" was a little disturbing and most people will squirm when seeing projectile feces thrown about. This film might not be for everyone.

Chillerama has already finished its run in Victoria. However, the film will show at several more film festivals before becoming available on home theatre formats in November. There is a lot of talent and a lot of cameos in this picture. There are also a lot of laughs and this reviewer would recommend you take a look at a film "that spits in the eye of Hollywood."

Overall: 7.75 (lots of great actors, funny dialogue and situations).

The fan page for Chillerama:

Chillerama on Facebook

Another review of this film at Movie Cynics (The Vocabularist):

Chillerama at Movie Cynics

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Lost Soul and Practicing the Occult: First Trailer and Poster

Author/Michael Allen

Lost Soul is a psychological thriller from Pathfinder Productions that will release domestically February 2012. Currently the film is at the American Film Market and starring are Nick Macuso (Deadtime Stories 2) and Dave Vescio (Virus X). The story follows a demented man as he practices with the occult and finds some success. Now , the first trailer is available for this picture, which shows some of the special effects from the feature. As well, enjoy the first graphic for the film that shows Vescio as Donald a man with a dark portal to the supernatural. More details are below.

Release Date: February 2012.

Director: Dana Schroeder.

Writers: Matt Dean and Jonathan Rosenberg.

The first trailer for Lost Soul is here:



Source:

Press Release. 28 October 2011.

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The Hagstone Demon's Cultish Debut: A Movie Review

Author/Ed Sum

Director: Jon Springer.

Writers: Harrison Matthews, and Jon Springer.

Cast: Mark Borchardt, Nadine Gross and Cyndi Kurtz.

DVD Release: Sept 27, 2011.

Cult classics don’t come easy and now that The Hagstone Demon is out on DVD, it is going to deliver its unique stamp in no time at all. The appeal of this noir-style product comes from the lead. Mark Borchardt (Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever) delivers a ridicously hackneyed performance that works for the type of character he plays. Douglas Elmore is hired to take care of a building that is destined to be torn down in a few months.

The few tenants still residing here may also echo his tired and miserable existence. That’s hard to tell, but until he can repair his own life, they appear to be nagging him about one thing or another, like: when is the toilet going to be fixed? For a good part of the movie, he spends most of his time repairing the old building instead of himself.

The tale is great in that regard since it looks at the vulgarities of human existence. The movie spaces itself out so that audiences are seeing bits of Elmore’s life reveal itself. He is also a bit obsessed with a comic book that he owns. It’s almost like a diary filled with semi-erotic images about an old man and a witch—but as for what that means, perhaps that’s one part of the movie best left unsaid.

But when people start to die off, he’s the main suspect when the police arrive to investigate.

When a new flame, Barbara Halloway (Cyndi Kurtz) starts to ignite his soul, he looks into what is going on within this old structure. After what he finds, he has to recruit his brother Fr. Carl Becker (Sasha Andreev), a priest to help. What he discovers is a darker mystery that involves cults, witchcraft, necromancy and a hairless cat. To have all of that filmed in glorious black and white only emphasizes the contrasts. But when it switches to colour, the product takes on a different kind of life. It breeds a strange kind of flash forward, perhaps of the shapes and things to come in a sequel, than to look back.

This film can easily expand if writer/director Jon Springer chooses to do so. As for where Elmore can go, maybe instead of Rosemary’s Baby, he can tackle the Omen.

The film's homepage:

The Hagstone Demon's Homepage

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The Levenger Tapes Promises More Ageist Horror: First Trailer and Poster

Author/Michael Allen

Why is it that only young college students get murdered in horror films? How come seniors are not attacked in their rocking chairs while they are in the middle of a game of Canasta or shuffle board? This reviewer would love to see a few senior citizens followed by serial killers while they try to drive away in their motorized wheel chair or while using their walker. Is horror becoming ageist? The Levenger Tapes, from New Films International, would say yes as this production continues the trend of murdering young folk as they travel out into the woods. This film is a "found footage" styled movie, where the killed film their own demise. Add in a tale of a missing girl and you have some suspense and maybe even some mystery. But this reviewer would still like to see a senior citizen chomping down on a villain or two with their dentures. That is true horror!

Until that happens enjoy the first trailer and poster for The Levenger Tapes. In the graphic seen left a victim reaches out for a bloodied video recorder. Maybe she should be more worried about that figure looming in the background. All the available info' on this latest thriller is below.

Director/writer: Mark Edwin Robinson.

Producers: David C. Robinson, and Danny Roth.

Cast: Johanna Braddy, Lili Mirojnick, Morgan Krantz, and Chris Mulkey.

The trailer for The Levenger Tapes is here:



*the film's narrative is combined through two seperate disappearances.

Source:

The Levenger Tapes at New Films International

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Stained and Too Much Time in the Spin Cycle : A Movie Review

Author/Michael Allen

*full disclosure: a screener of this film was provided by Gravitas Ventures.

**here be spoilers.

Director/writer: Karen Lam.

Stained is an indie picture developed from three different production companies (Angel Entertainment, Opiate Pictures, Goonworks Films). This is director Karen Lam's first feature. And while the first two thirds of the film is struggling to finds its legs, the final third makes up for some slow pacing earlier. There are a few surprises here as well. The only question is: will viewers be able to make it all the way to the end? Stained has just been released this month on video-on-demand and this reviewer would only give this film a tepid recommend.

The story focuses almost exclusively and to its own detriment on Isabelle (Tinsel Korey). Isabelle is a youngish woman who owns a small bookstore in what looks like Saskatoon, SK, based on this reviewer's travels there. Also, this was where the film was shot. Here things start to get strange as the main character must call her friend Jen (Sonja Bennett) nightly. What happens when she does not call? Viewers will find out the answer to this when Isabelle goes out on a date. Truly a preying mantis, Isabelle would rather eat her mates than let them go.

The police make their presence felt early in the film as they try to track down Isabelle, so you might figure out her dark side quicker than some e.g. this reviewer. However, this film is not all thrills and chills. Instead, the film starts off as a bit of a yawner and this critic was asking the questions: what is this film? where is it going? and how is it going to get there? This film never truly finds its identity, but Stained could definitely be seen as a psychological thriller. Where the film is going is only revealed near the end. In the meantime, you must use all of your effort to contain your impatience. The film's style is slightly didactic and dual in nature. The protagonist is both the villain and the hero. She is trying to get over some issues of abuse and trauma; however, she is going about her catharsis in all the wrong, bloody ways.

This reviewer had problems identifying with any of the characters as Lam puts almost all of the focus on the female characters. Male characters are an aside or a vehicle to an ending. Lam shows an inability to create a balance between the genders and male audiences might find themselves less interested in issues of cutting, becoming a cat lady, talking of dress, or nasty ex-boyfriends (generalizing here). All the issues in the film that are developed are of a feminine nature and this is another detriment to the film. Thus, Lam is cutting down her audience to half early. The development of strong male characters with their own challenges could have balanced the film out more fully. In the film's defence, there is one issue developed in regards to Dave (Stephen Lobo), who sees himself as second fiddle to Jen's best friend, Isabelle. This reviewer would have liked to see this subplot developed a little more or at least resolved.

Overall, this Canadian film will only satisfy fans of the psychological thriller. This is not really a horror film and not really a drama. Stained seems to get stuck in all of the genres while not focusing on any of them. As well, the film can come across as a bit of a confused mess at times. If you can make it through some of Lam's missteps, then you will be rewarded with a few surprises in the ending. Unfortunately, getting to the destination is not as enjoyable as it could be.

Writing/story/plot: 6.5 (there is really only one plot here and very few subplots, only one character is developed).
Action/interaction: 6.5 (some of the dialogue is believable, some is over-the-top, the expression on Jen's face is great though in the end when caught).

Overall: 6.5 out of 10.

The film's fan page:

Stained on Facebook

Visit Gravitas Ventures for a full list of video-on-demand platforms that Stained will be shown on:

VOD Platforms from Gravitas Ventures

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Battle of the Damned Invites You to a Zombie Battle Royal

Author/Michael Allen

Do you like zombies (rhetorical question)? Do you like robots? Do you like zombies and robots in the same sci-fi film? If you said yes to any of these questions then you might like Christopher Hatton's upcoming film, Battle of the Damned. This film will show at the American Film Market in Santa Monica with completion of this title expected in 2012. Still in the early stages, fans of horror and sci-fi can have a look at the first graphic of the film here. The chaos begins in just a week.

Director/writer: Christopher Hatton.

Producer: Leon Tong.

Cast: TBA.

*the film follows a viral facility at a "remote facility." Cue the bloodshed.

**this title is being shopped by Bleiberg Entertainment.

Source:

Battle of the Damned at the AFM

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Recreator Delivers Three Friends into the Arms of Killers: New Movie Clip

Author/Michael Allen

Recreator is the latest film from Gregory Orr, that deals with murderous clones. Craig (Alexander Nifong), Tracy (Stella Maeve) and Derek (Jamal Mallory-McCree) arrive at an isolated island for some camping good times. They find some fun, but they also find duplicates of themselves. In the clip below, these three friends try to adapt to the rugged conditions with Tracy a noob to the whole camping ritual. As well, find here the latest movie poster for the film which promises "you will be replaced!" If the replacement is better than the original, then this movie fan might try it. Have a look at the latest clip for Recreator below and expect release details for this film to be provided shortly.

Release Date: 2011.

Director/writer: Gregory Orr.

Producers: Gregory Orr and Lynn Appelle.

Cast: Stella Maeve, Alexander Nifong, Jamal Mallory-McCree & John de Lancie and Laura Moss.

The "Brewster Island" clip is here:



*coming to a film festival near you.

Join the film's fan page for future updates:

Recreator on Facebook

Source:

Recreator at The Film Catalogue

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Grey Skies and Falling Debris: A Movie Review

Author/Ed Sum

Director: Kai Blackwood.

Writers: Mark Reilly and Michael Cornacchia.

Grey Skies is certainly no Fire in the Sky, but that is too high a standard to aspire to. Instead, what this film does is to take some basic ideas, work with it and take a different direction that the television show "X-Files" tries to explore. Cinematographer Gavin Fisher certainly offers some beautiful visuals in the first act and keeps the imagery striking for the first half. But as for how well this flick will perform in a greater stage, that depends. This movie is at least off to a good start.

The mood is established right away with some music that conjures forth recollections of Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells." The tritonic soundscape is used sparingly. It establishes the fact that there will be a danger down the road.

Robert (Aaron McPherson; "24," Streetkings) and Jenny (Stacy Jorgensen; "Criminal Minds," Austin Powers 2) are at the heart of this film. Also in this rag-tag group is a couple Michael (Michael Cornacchia, "Hannah Montana Series") and Jeff (Jeff Schuetze, "Unsolved Mysteries"), who provide for a contrasting point of view of an effective relationship. Also present is Hayden (Jeff Lorch, "Young and the Restless"), a surfer dude who gets a lot more action than he deserves when the tale gets going.

This cast certainly makes for some good on-screen dynamics, but after a few days of family drama in a lonely luxury cabin in the woods, everyone's lives take a turn for the worse. There is trouble in Robert and Jenny’s romantic world. After witnessing a spectacular meteor shower where one meteorite crashes nearby, two members in this tightknit group insist on trying to go find it.

By the morning the visual metaphors kick in hard in true fairy tale fashion. By venturing into the woods, so does the mysterious world of UFO legends and lore start to widen. Hayden did not return last night and he’s discovered naked in the mud.

Watching this film is almost like watching Invaders from Mars. The visual cues are there, and in true B-movie style fashion, a few of the witnesses have to insist on looking at the crash site. The glow from the distance is too enticing, and the group starts showing a bit of strain as some closet skeletons come out of the door. They are not behaving like they should. That leads to some small moments of human drama, but that barely helps rescue the remainder of the movie. This film slowly degenerates to an atypical scenario of everyone freaking out, but where that goes bears some analysis.

Somebody has to save the day. That person has to become the mantle of where all sense of duty and honour is important. That also includes how important Robert and Jenny's bethrothment is to the narrative. When their lives are shattered, the alien visitation is mirrored with what the character of Jenny represents to the two main characters. Someone's life is going to fall apart. But in what happens next, this film is better off if it ended at a different point, than to build upon it.

These aliens are here for a reason after all. Too bad Mulder and Scully weren’t here to explain it.

Overall: 6.75 out of 10.

The film's official website is here:

The Grey Skies Homepage

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Lovely Molly Stares at You With the Eyes of the Possessed!

Author/Michael Allen

Lovely Molly is the latest film from director Eduardo Sanchez (The Blair Witch Project). This title was completed in 2011 and shown at the Toronto Film Festival where the film found further support. The film is ready for audiences and here is your first look at a graphic from the title, that shows a menacing Molly in a black background. This is a tale of haunted houses, possession and general terror! Expect to see this film released in 2012 with some help from acquisition house Content Film.

Director/writer: Eduardo Sanchez .

Producers: Robin Cowie, Gregg Hale, Jane Fleming, Mark Ordesky.

Cast: Johnny Lewis, Alexandra Holden , Ken Arnold, Tony Ellis, Gretchen Lodge, Daniel Ross, Lauren Lakis, Brandon Thane Wilson, and Katie Foster.

*there is word that Sanchez will be following up The Blair Witch Project with a sequel.

More on the film at the Lovely Molly fan page:

Lovely Molly on Facebook

Source:

Lovely Molly at the American Film Market

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Burke and Hare and Buddies to the End?: A Movie Review

Author/Ed Sum

Director: John Landis.

Writers: Piers Ashworth and Nick Moorcroft.

Movies based on real life events can be a tough sell‭, ‬but when the direction is right‭, ‬just what audiences can see can be a fun romp into history‭. ‬But Burke and Hare is hardly an accurate account of‭ ‬the West Port Murders‭.‬‭ ‬But with the teaming of director John Landis with two powerhouse stars in the likes‭ of ‬Simon Pegg‭ ‬as Burke and‭ ‬Andy Serkis‭ ‬as Hare‭, ‬there‭ ‬are‭ ‬only two words for this‭: ‬buddy film‭.‬

In what Burke and Hare does to earn money‭, ‬the‭ ‬results can be best‭ ‬‬described as cantankerous‭. ‬When they get caught stealing corpses to milk a cash cow‭, ‬all these unwieldy criminals‭ ‬can do is to‭ ‬avoid the kerfuffle that ensues‭. ‬Now try saying that in one breath‭. ‬Their antics‭ ‬lead to some hilarious results‭, ‬and this is‭ ‬a comedy pairing that isn't seen all that often‭. ‬Serkis proves he can play an‭ ‬impoverished‭ ‬role without motion-capture gizmos wrapped all around him‭. ‬This movie is‭ ‬very much needed to launch Serkis into the real life scene than virtual‭.‬ All this film and video release has to do is to arrive in North America‭, ‬so audiences can see Serkis play more than Caesar from‭ ‬Rise of the Planet of the Apes‭.‬

Pegg is in fine form too as the love-smitten Burke‭; ‬he falls for Ginny Hawkins‭ (‬Isla Fisher‭) ‬and everything he does is all in the name of love‭. ‬Sadly‭, ‬Edinburgh is not France and this film is not Moulin Rouge. There's another tale here, and it moves in a solid enough direction that, unless audiences are not familiar with the goings on of 19th century medical science, comes to an ironic end.

Landis does a great job in recreating the muddy conditions of the era, and he imbues this film with his trademark style. But this film is hardly vintage Landis at his best. He's better known for the Blues Brothers, where there's plenty of high rolling action, and An American Werewolf in London, where the comedy and supernatural themes are sublime. The laughs found in Burke and Hare are more like chuckles.

More than a decade has elapsed since he last sat in the director's chair. The ten years away from cinema was spent directing for television, which is a different beast altogether. At least Landis hasn't lost his touch. Burke and Hare make for a good light-hearted watch, and afterwards, when the tale is finally told, some may be inclined to look up what actually happened in the West Port Murders.

Overall: 7 out of 10.

The film's fan page:

Burke and Hare on Facebook

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The Time of Their Lives and Lifting the Curse: A Retro' Review (Abbott & Costello)

Author/Ed Sum

Director: Charles Barton.

Writers: Val Burton, Walter DeLeon and Bradford Ropes.

Cast: Marjorie Reynolds, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello

Abbott and Costello is a comedic team that brought about a resurrection for Universal Studios. Their films from 1948 to 1953 brought back the monsters from the Golden Age of Hollywood legend and it made for some very good laughs. For the most part, these films were a modest success. The most widely recognized is Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, but the list does not end there.

However, the least recognized of these films is a product that does not involve them meeting anyone other than themselves in a twist of a Buddhist tradition. Bad karma finally caught up on Cuthbert Greenway (Bud Abbott), and he has to right what his ancestor did wrong.

Perhaps that's one of the ironies of why The Time of Their Lives is still enduring today. The script created by the writing team of Val Burton, Walter DeLeon and Bradford Ropes is simple. It is a morality play that can be watched time and time again. Even as a light romantic tale, there will not be moments that can be as easily parodied like in Patrick Swayze’s Ghost. This film proves that time holds no meaning for true love. This particular subtext is easier to digest since the romantic ideals from the 40's is quite different from that of today, where it's sexually driven. The relationships that are forged in this film show how enduring companionship is. And there’s a great punch line to just how long anyone will wait to be with his or her true love.

And equally ironic is how the comedic duo behaved outside of the set. There was a short period of time where Abbott and Costello were not on speaking terms. The reason was allegedly over Abbott hiring a domestic servant who had been fired by Costello.

For them to still continue making films was a sign of professionalism by these two class acts. Costello must have been able to air some frustrations out on Abbott, and it led to some genuinely funny moments on screen. The two’s characters, Horatio Prim (Costello) and Cuthbert Greenway (Abbott) that were constantly at odds with each other. They were both attracted to the same girl, a maid Nora O'Leary (Ann Gillis). Their rivalry took place in the past, when the American Revolution is about to start.

Although Prim is awarded a letter of honour by George Washington for services rendered, both he and another female friend, Melody, were believed to be traitors by Patriots and shot in the back. Their bodies were tossed in a well, and a curse was placed upon their souls so that they would remain until the crack of doom. The proof that Prim had had became sealed by Greenway before cries of Revolution disrupted the night.

Centuries passed and eventually, the ghosts of Wilbur and Melody would pine their time away with little playful incidents, showing well-wishers that they are indeed still amongst the living. Eventually, the estate that they are connected with gets the restoration treatment. And when the two ghosts see people are moving back in, curiousity gets the better of them as they investigate what the living is up to. They have some fun with harpsichords, the lighting and doors, and fairly soon, the occupants believe the house is haunted.

The laughs could not be any better as the straight man, Abbott, plays it clueless. The roles that the pair is famous for are reversed. Quite often Lou is the butt of all the jokes, but in this film, Bud is getting the kicks, and he eventually gets tired of it.

A séance is performed to graciously move the plot along and reveal what must be done to free the ghosts from their curse. Without it, this film would just be another piece where the comedy skits of the duo are played out. As a film that gives life to what life may be like when dead, perhaps that is also what happens in some real life hauntings too. They are trying to make contact for a specific reason.

Although the special effects are dated, they still look good when compared to some budget effects found in some independent films of today. When considering that special effects is the last thing that producers and directors from the 40's are thinking of, this film proves that it can stand the test of time.

The Time of Their Lives is a guilty pleasure for old school film aficionados. It's an Abbott and Costello original that doesn't rely on them performing a routine to get the laughs. It's all built in.

Overall: 8 out of 10.



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Dream House and a Haunted Fire Sale: A Movie Review

Author/Michael Allen

*here be spoilers.

Director: Jim Sheridan.

Writer: David Loucka.

Morgan Creek Productions and Cliffjack Motion Pictures co-produced the recently released Dream House to small crowds in September. The film has yet to rake back half of its $55 million dollar budget and arguments between Morgan Creek and director Jim Sheridan seemed to derail this project. It is great when big egos get involved in the creative process, right? The result of this haranguing was the result of a "reveal-all-plotlines" trailer, which gave away Dream House's tension and mystery. The film was shown to audiences in a two minute real, so film fans did not turn out to see the actual film. And then Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz and Jim Sheridan chose not to promote the film because of the trailer. Thus, you have a marketing disaster. The film itself struggles to find its genre while trying many of them on for size (thriller, horror, drama). David Loucka's script creates for an ever changing central character, who is sometimes a hero and sometimes a villain. The end result is a pretty enjoyable feature whose tension has been removed due to some questionable choices in the area of film promotion.

Craig plays Will/Peter a man with a bloody past. But, did he create those bloody memories or was it someone else? The film begins with Will leaving his job for a a life of writing in a new home. This home was a crime scene five years previous with a whole family being murdered (minus the father). As the trailer reveals, Will was the murderer, or at least he is accused of the misdeed. Will's identity is revealed and the illusion he has created for himself is a convincing one to himself and likely to the viewer. Cue the intro' of the real killer and you have a satisfying finale.

Unfortunately, because of Morgan Creek's marketing choices much of the tension and mystery from the film is not there. Word of mouth would have likely revealed the main plotline, but for a studio to do this seems ridiculous. Instead of tension there is a waiting for the big reveal of Will's true identity. However, Will's unraveling is a treat to watch as newly painted walls are reduced to smoke stained remnants of their former selves. As well, Will looks a lot more lonely when it is revealed that his family is now composed of ghosts. The trailer reveals much of this.

However, there is another secret or two in Loucka's screenplay. Who is the real killer and what are his or her motivations? These questions are not answered until the final scenes when a minor character steps forward in murderous fashion. Here, the film takes a step into the romantic genre with a touch of the supernatural. The film also switches from psychological thriller to a ghost story and the film touches on horror with some strange nightly visits. Do you need a car on your font porch? The true killer performs such random madness while waiting for the perfect time to attack.

Despite all the controversy surrounding this film, Dream House is still a solid thriller with a few twists to delight fans. The trailer has revealed most of these surprises, but fans of the psychological approach to horror might still enjoy this latest film from Sheridan. Sometimes it is just a little disappointing to see how the suspense in thrillers can be ruined by someone who does not appreciate the suspense built through mystery in film. Final thought: do not watch the trailer for this picture if you intend to see it!

Writing/story: 7.5 (the film seems experimental, mostly psychological in genre).
Acting/believability: 7.5 (the acting is good, one character allowing an accused killer into her home seems a stretch).

Overall: 7.5 out of 10 (good overall, the real killer's motivations seems to be a little strange and the reason for the first attack is not fully explained in one person's opinion).

*not screened for critics before its premiere (not a good sign).

**other reviews have generally not been all that positive.

A second review of this film at the Seattle Times (Roger Moore):

Dream House Reviewed at the Seattle Times

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