Cup of My Blood

I was lucky enough to attend the Chicago premiere of this spooky epic and it really delivered the goods. Director/Writer Lance Catania has rewoven the elements of the horror genre into a commentary on modern society and the power/creepiness of religion. Plus it has some saucy gore and sex!

Pornographer Jack Fender (Daniel Patrick Sullivan) has accidentally(?) come into possession of a religious icon. Within his wacky, underground world he must come to understand why he must, by any means, protect the icon. Looking to separate him from his holy possession are a strange group of brutally surreal characters. Jack, while trying to figure out why he was chosen, also is in the unenviable position of not being able to trust anyone.

Catania has a way with an intriguing story, plus he displays a love for the "money shots" of the blood, guts and flesh. Playing like a tragi-comic opera, the broad scope of Fender's predicament also allows for the occasional (and sometimes nervous) laughter. As a director/writer of this original story (shot on location in Chicago), Catania displays a passion for the subject in every frame. But even through the exploration of his interesting and complex themes, he never forgets the reason why horror films have their wild appeal (wink-wink, nudge-nudge).

Satan, may I have the next dance?

Rating ***1/2 stars

The story is not believable.

The acting is not believable.

The horror techniques have long since grown old and boring.

The result is that it's not scary. That is the primary problem. I never felt surprised or shocked. I didn't care about the characters. In fact, it was more like watching a poor zombie film where you simply can't wait for the next body to get ripped apart simply to keep you amused.

Lucky for everyone, this has been a good year for zombie and gore films, so you can check out Land of the Dead instead. Or even a better than average ghost film like Dark Water. Or a spookier, more brutal than average super-hero film like Batman Begins.

I saw this on a dvd which I own. The title on my dvd is The Da Vinci Virus. I am willing to trade my dvd with any 80s horror film. Even the bad 80s horror film is better than this lousy film.

Aft the death of his wife, an artist loses his inspiration and his faith but he takes adult pictures for a mobster against his wishes. A wounded man from a car accident gives the artist a box asking him to protect and never open it. Wow man, jus wow. It has very annoying photography, the plot is awful, the film looked more like a bad softcore n ther is nothing scary or horror about it.

The lonely artist Jack Fender (Daniel Patrick Sullivan) still grieves the death of his beloved lover Tina (Allie Smith) three years ago. He lost his inspiration and his faith on God and presently he is taking pornographic pictures for the mobster Sparky (Roger Anderson) and his partner Limpy (Laurence Skorniak) for a pornographic site managed by Nibbles (Circus-Szalewski) and Scooter (Quiana Whittler) under the protest of his agent and friend Alex (Lance Mulvaney). When Jack witnesses a car accident in his neighborhood, the wounded passenger gives a box to Jack, asking him to protect and never open it, and he discovers that he is protecting the Holy Graal. From this moment on, weird things happen to Jack, having visions, nightmares and the permanent sensation that strangers are watching him. While swimming late night in a club, Jack meets the sexy Iona (Janina Gavankar) and his inspiration returns but he finds also the hidden reality.

"Cup of My Blood" is a weird and atmospheric horror movie, developed in low pace and building mystery and tension with great potential wasted with an illogical and frustrating ending, where no one and nothing are like seem to be. The Protector, who defines himself as a pornographer, murderer and saint, is completely incoherent for his holy mission. The truth about the characters does not make clear which side each one is (good or evil?), and the last scene seventy-seven years later is unnecessary and quite non-sense. Anyway this movie has an original story disclosed in an intriguing screenplay and deserves to be watched at least once. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Taça de Sangue" ("Glass of Blood")

Wow, this was a waste of my life. I wish I could take the 1 hours and 48 minutes of my life back. The story was brutal, and very unbelievable. This movies is just garbage. I warn you, if you watch this, you too will wish for the almost 2 hours of time that this movie wasted back. The acting in this movie is also very brutal. Sometimes it sounds like they are reading their lines from cue cards. I am in shock, and awe, that movies like this are actually made. Sure it had a small budget, but so did Napoleon Dynamite, and look how successful that movie was :). I give this a 2 out of 10, because it wasn't the absolute worst movie I have ever seen, but it is sure close. Anyways, you have been warned...