Reviews
It's in the Blood (2012)
A Unique Psychological Horror Experience
This film is a breath of fresh air and among genre films I've seen this year, you won't find any better.
October and Russell are an estranged son and father (respectively), coming together (what seems like) for the first time in quite some time. A weekend out in the woods to repair bonds gets off on the wrong foot when Russell hastily puts down the family dog despite the efforts of October to save him. Clearly this a family at odds and something darker is lurking within their souls.
The weekend to reconnect carries on and October and Russell head out to the neighboring woods which surround Russell's home. But things quickly derail when Russell sees a strange figure in the woods and steps off a cliff and breaks his leg. October finds him and drags him to safety.
The remainder of our film involves father and son stranded in the woods, trying to reconnect, but with the ever present threat of something lurking, out there to get them should they try and escape the confines. Flashbacks clue us in as to what exactly happened to this family. And as the final denouement hits, our film ends in terrifying fashion as two worlds collide and our monsters make the men face their greatest fears.
With fantastic performances all around (both Sean Elliott and genre vet Lance Henriksen shine), you won't find a better genre feature this year. The film will wear on your psyche and stay with you for days. Highly recommended.
Kiss the Abyss (2012)
A Unique Mad Monster Flick
One part coming of age and one part Frankenstein's monster, Kiss the Abyss is a film that is more character study than pure horror. Well, at least until the end that is.
Our film starts off with a trio of men driving in a Rolls through the California desert. We aren't really given a 'why.' However, interspersed are a few scenes of one of the men, a young man back home lying in bed with his wife. Slowly, we start to piece things together. After all, she's the only one missing from the car's passenger seating. Along with a distraught look from the young man, you start to think that something terrible has happened.
We come to find out through a continued series of flashbacks that these two young love birds lived next to another couple. The boyfriend was terribly abusive and their daily ritual of shouting matches unnerved our other young pair. On one particular day, he takes things too far and starts beating his girlfriend outside. The love bird couple take it upon themselves to try. But it doesn't come without its consequences. Our enraged drunken neighbor comes over that night with bat in hand but instead of taking revenge with the young man, he accidentally kills his wife.
Flash forward to our 3 men driving out to the desert, they arrive at a small house and are eventually greeted by a crass, cowboy-ish man who holds the cure for what ails them. As you could probably guess, the dead girlfriend is in tow and she's taken out of the back trunk and taken to the man's shed which doubles as his mad laboratory. Our man, who acts the part like a cross between Billy Bob Thornton and Dr. Frankenstein, is given a bag of money by her father and brother (the other two travelers being revealed as such). They are given a strict direction by our mad doctor of 'no return policies.' All oblige and he shoots her up with some sort of serum. She comes to and the small group leave to continue on with their lives. But they soon learn that they're getting a lot more than they've bargained for.
I won't go to much into the rest of the details of the film as I don't want to play the spoil. But as you can imagine, our revived wife becomes too much to handle in her newly 'transformed' state. And our dedicated husband with his undying love is left with a choice to make.
A refreshing film that delicately balances the relationships of all of our on screen characters (without getting too cheesy) along with some really horrible happenings (one scene in particular is pretty brutal), Kiss the Abyss is continued proof positive that original film making and story telling isn't dead.
Phasma Ex Machina (2010)
An Original Ghost Story
Ghost From the Machine is an original and ultimately heartbreaking ghost story. Subtle and nuanced, the film tells the story of an afflicted young man who's bound and determined to reach and bring back his parents from 'the other side' at the expense of maintaining personal relationships. You hope he achieves his singular purpose because if not, he stands to lose a lot. After many trials and some success, he learns a difficult lesson in that no one is meant to ever come back.
The film itself is a more character based film than pure horror. Sure, it has its scares and genuinely creepy moments, but it's the focus on the characters which really drives the film. When I stated that it's subtle and nuanced, I meant it is in such away that it never really force feeds you the 'why' of Cody being so single minded. You just know that he is extremely grief stricken and in some way, feels responsible for what happened. The same with our widowed tech geek. You never really know the ins and outs of his relationship with his wife. You just know that she was the love of his life. The horror elements are balanced carefully with our character driven moments and the filmmaker pulled off this balancing act exceptionally well. Had he not done so, the ending would not have packed as much of an emotional of a punch as needed. Truly not a made for Hollywood ending.
Check this one out if you like more emotionally engrossing films that are thought provoking but also terrifying. It sounds like an oxymoron but this is one horror film that is truly different.
In Memorium (2005)
Incredibly Original and Terrifying
Off the bat, comparisons to Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity will be made. And they are wholly unfair. Whereas the aforementioned films rely solely on the found footage schtick, In Memorium is a character driven film. You genuinely like all involved and empathize with their current situation. This makes things that much more gut punching and terrifying as you watch the horrific events unfold on screen.
Dennis has been diagnosed with a life ending terminal disease. Along with his girlfriend, they decide to rent out a house and record everything as it happens: his deteriorating condition and how he comes to terms with it. He plans to use the video captured as a living document of one man's coming to terms with his own mortality while also displaying the love that was shared with his girlfriend.
But as the days go by, bumps and thumps in the night are heard. And upon closer inspection to the footage that was caught on tape. Dennis realizes that they are not alone in the house.
And that's about all I'll say at this point. For to reveal anything else will really take about from the shocking and riveting nature of the film.
In Memorium is one of the most original and thought provoking horror films I've ever seen. It challenges conventions and its by far, better than any mainstream horror film I've seen this year.
Blood on the Highway (2008)
For Fans of The Evil Dead and Potty Mouthed Humor
Blood on The Highway is a completely original, high-spirited, horror-action, comedy romp. Don't mind the review below. This movie is just balls to the wall good fun.
When a group of friends get into trouble on a road trip, they find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place. Namely, they're surrounded by scores of vampires in the small town of Fate, TX. They have a few advantages: their resourceful and reckless friend Bone and the fact that these vampires are completely inept. Not too mention they are powered by some of the most amazing one liners ever committed to film.
Featuring hilarious performances, including that of the legendary Tom Towles (Henry:Portrait of a Serial Killer, Night of The Living Dead '90), Blood on The Highway is a guaranteed good time. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
The Commune (2009)
The Wicker Man Meets Rosemary's Baby
The Commune is a film with a vast array of themes: sexual discovery, what it means to be a woman and, subsequently, come of age. But the film also deals with the loss of innocence and how those in power, namely your parental figures, can abuse it for their own self-serving needs. Overall, the film delivers in a way that recalls the slow burn of films like The Wicker Man and Rosemary's Baby. And along with it, comes a stellar building of tension and atmosphere.
Our story starts with a young girl named Jennifer. Fresh out of school for the summer break, she's forced to spend time with her fairly non-existent father. You see, her parents divorced when she was little and her dad left and started a new age-y type of commune with a group of followers.
From the time she first arrives, an eerie sense of foreboding permeates. As the film evolves and the creepy on screen antics of the characters escalate, Jennifer discovers that her father has been hiding a lot more than she thought. This coupled with a scene in which the father subtly makes a pass, your are led to believe that he has less than favorable intentions for his daughter. After a few childhood flashbacks and a revelation that the daughter is not as pure as originally thought, we are brought to a shocking and brutal climax to our film.
The Commune is a fine first effort from filmmaker Elisabeth Fies. The film truly lives up to its tag line: 'Every Girl's Worst Fear.'
Dawning (2009)
A completely and wholly original horror film
A family decides to go away for a weekend to a house in the woods to reconnect. Still bothered from a divorce and history of ills committed, their weekend away is derailed when a stranger enters their home and holds them hostage. After his introduction,we learn that something is lurking in the woods and presumably, its coming after the inhabitants of the home.
A slow burn type of approach, Dawning is a truly remarkable achievement in low budget indie horror. Not only from a production value perspective (it's better than a lot of mainstream released fare) but also in the way that it challenges the viewer and doesn't spoon feed them any answers. The film will stay with you long after the credits roll. It's a modern psychological horror masterpiece.