Movie Review - Afflicted

Afflicted

2013

The Cast

So far, there have been only three "worth-watching" Point-Of-View Movies:  Cloverfield,  The Possession of Michael King, and Chronicle; of which, Cloverfield is the best of the bunch... until now...

When Afflicted started my heart sank and I reached for the remote.  There are way too many awful P.O.V. Movies out in the Horror genre so I was already in conflict with myself... should I turn off or should I give it a chance...

I am most certainly glad I chose to give it a chance.  It's just a shame it took me five years to get to watch it... thank you The Horror Channel for adding another movie to my expanding list of favourites.

I also have to admit I was dubious since it's a vampyre tale.  In recent times, vampires have not been what they should be (with sarcastic thanks to Stephenie Meyer).  However, I have to give a real and heartfelt thanks to both Derek Lee and Clif Prowse, who wrote, directed, and acted in a True up-to-date vampyre tome.  For anybody thinking of doing a vampyre novel or film then check out the Afflicted as this is how it should be done.

What Afflicted does it tell the story of Derek Lee, who wakes up one day doubting his life choices so he chooses to make a big change.  With the help of his best friend Clif, they decide to go on a world tour they had planned in school.  Clif will document the entire journey and post it online.  They promise their followers to visit any place they recommend and to do any dare they challenge.  However, in their first stop, Paris, Clif dares Derek to get laid.  Except, for Derek's lover for the night isn't exactly normal...

From here on in, Clif begins to document Derek and the changes he and his body is going through.

What makes this such a good film is the change in perspectives as Derek transforms.  In the beginning, there's worry as he's sick, unable to keep food down, projectile vomiting, and in pain.  This alters to wonder and awe as he realises his strength has increased; he can run at speed and jump great distances.  There then comes fear and anxiety when he finally realises what he must do to stay alive.  In the end, there's anger and hate as he hunts down the woman responsible for his altered state, looking for a cure.

Another good thing is actually the camera work.  This is the thing I usually dislike the most in P.O.V. Movies.  But Lee and Prowse are masters in this style.  It really takes off in the action sequences, the police chase is spectacular as the viewer is taken on a parkour of the town.  Even the added gunshots are worked brilliantly; adding blood splatter not to just the camera lens but to the floors and walls.  Unlike most films created by this technique, Afflicted looks as though the directors actually worked out every shot to its maximum benefit.  This reminded me a little of Chronicle in the way some of the shots were orchestrated and of Cloverfield in the working of the atmosphere.

Then there's also the little details.  The scene where Derek subjects himself to sunlight is painful.  The bubbling, erupting, and burning skin made me wince.

So the story is good, the direction and pace are heading towards perfection, so what about the acting...  Well, surprisingly both Lee and Prowse are really quite good.  Not fantastic but definitely well above average... and no ham or wood in sight.  Which is a good thing as they are the two main roles and appear in every scene.

So If you like horror flicks you really should consider watching this, if you haven't already.  If you like action flicks then you too should enjoy this Vampyre film.

I give this a Terrific Bloody Bite of 7.75 out of 10.

The Trailer

Movie Review - Some Kind Of Hate

Some Kind Of Hate

2015

The Cast

"Relentless bullying has turned Lincoln's life into a nightmare. But he soon learns the true meaning of terror when he is sent to a remote school for troubled teens and the harassments start all over again. Only this time, someone is watching - a teenage girl named Moira who was driven to suicide by vicious bullying years ago. When Lincoln accidentally summons Moira from the grave, he unleashes a vengeful and unstoppable force on a mission of blood-soaked revenge."  Image Entertainment

At the start of the movie, I wasn't expecting to enjoy myself as it appeared to be another "loner" gets bullied and fights back scenario.  There's also a lot of washed-out colours in the opening sequence where we see Lincoln getting bullied.  I think this would have worked a lot better had Lincoln not been the stereotypical loner-come-nerd - your typical movie bully fodder.  They had a chance to address the whole bullying issue but missed a common truth, anybody can be bullied.  Also, the entire scene would have been more striking if you weren't expecting it; get rid of the diffused colours for normal light.  This would have also added a deeper and more prophetic character later in the film.  In fact, it's the stereotypes that let this film down the most, even though they are well acted by a decent cast.

As I stated above, the director likes to use colour effects to create atmosphere, which on the most part works well, though he doesn't stick to his own formula for the whole film, which gives it a jagged feel at times.  Also, some more imaginative camera shots wouldn't have gone amiss and would have helped in a couple of murder scenes, especially as the murders were carried out in a specific way.

For me, the best selling point of the film is the kills.  Just for the original way they are executed.  The fact that Moira has to cut herself for those slashes to appear on her victims is a magnificent idea... particularly when those cuts cause her pain.  This is a woman willing to suffer in death to give death.  The other good detail of the film is when Lincoln realises what's happening to his bullies and tries to stop Moira... believing she's acting on his wishes...  Though it's the story's climax where writer and director, Adam Egypt Mortimer, and writer, Brian DeLeeuw, make up for not addressing bullying correctly.  The scene where Moira meets her nemesis is well written and acted with feeling by Sierra McCormick.  You can feel Moira's anguish, fear, anger, and hate seeping out of her dead pores.

As for the rest of the cast, they are okay, though are restricted by the writing, in general.  This could have been a stronger and more relevant story had a few things been altered. 

I would have to warn people, though, that the scenes of self-harm are a little hard to watch at times.  So I have to give respect to the director for this.  It shouldn't be an easy thing to view.

If you like vengeful ghost stories this is the film for you... or if you've been bullied it's nice to see the bullies get their comeuppance, even if it's fictional.  For the gore-meisters out there it's worth a watch for the originality of the kills.

I give this a Revengeful Slash-tastic Death of 6.5 out of 10.

The Trailer

Movie Review - Children Of The Corn: Runaway

Children Of The Corn:  Runaway

2018

 The Cast

I've purposefully kept away from this franchise as I wasn't too keen on the original sequels, as they just reeked of profit making.  However, I found this to be a decent follow up on the original.  Though, after reading the reviews on IMDb, I find I may be the minority.  I also have to admit to having a sense of dread when I saw it was directed by Gulager and written by Soisson,  This is because I've recently put myself through the trial of watching the Hellraiser films again.  Though the first four are superior and are a vague continuation... the rest is just money making fodder... and Gulager acts in the latest, "Judgement"... and Soisson wrote "Hellworld".  Luckily my panic was unfounded. 

This is the story of Ruth (Millar) and her son, Aaron (Scott) who are trying to survive in an unfriendly and troubled rural America.  Years before, Ruth had been a member of the cult worshipping "He Who Walks Behind The Rows".  Then when she found herself pregnant she took drastic measures to save not only herself but her unborn son; so she burned the corn and the children living within it.  From then on, she kept to small towns and villages, sleeping in her truck and trying to make enough money to stay alive.  Though free from the horrors of the cult she is nonetheless scarred by them and her actions.  Suffering from a form of schizophrenia she suffers from visions of the murderous children.  These can be brought on at any time by a sight or a sound, especially the sound of locusts.  Then one day she turns up in the small town of Luther and ingratiates her way into a job working for a local mechanic, Carl (Andrews III).  Though there's something wrong in Luther...  There's a little girl skipping through the village leaving a deadly bloody trail behind her.

What I liked about this film was the slowness of the story.  A lot of the reviews on IMDb claim this film to be boring.  Though, I think that the Director Gulager uses this inactivity to build the atmosphere of the town.  This is a place where very little happens and where there's very little to do.  In this township, this has created a kind of quiet loathsomeness.  The customers in the diner like to whine and moan; most eat and sit by themselves.    Even the scenes at the school you notice that the kids don't run about or play happily.  This type of atmosphere can create hatred and bigotry, so it's not too much of a stretch to believe that the only coloured guy in town is despised and disliked.  Then when his true nature shines through you can understand a little about why he's unpopular.  This actually added a deeper underlying story that made the film for me.

The other nice thing is the dream sequences.  This adds a jaggedness and a slight confusion into the normality of things.  Knowing a little about schizophrenia, this is about as close as you're likely to get to some of the visions a sufferer may have, depending on their "phobia".  To be in the real world one second and then something triggers your mind to throw in a false vision the next... I wouldn't want this to happen to me.

These are handled superbly by Gulager.  I really did love the diner massacre, even this is done in ultra slow motion... it's nearly still photography, though not quite.  For a vicious and violent scene, it's beautifully constructed and shot.  Much respect to the Director and the Special Effects guys and gals.  There are also grainy shots of barren wastelands and barbed wire.  I initially hated these as they appeared pointless.  However, by the third one, I realised they were actually helping me to feel bleakness of the mood, as well as the bleakness enshrouding the village.

Then there's the acting which is well above par for a horror movie these days.  It was nice to have a cast who portrayed their characters well.  There are no minor roles in this film.  And I have to give credit to both the Director and the actress Sara Moore for making Pretty Girl a really eerie character... even though she's the most smiley and happiest person on screen.  Very nice transposition.  This, in turn, makes the second climax, which happens while the end credits play even more creepy.

I would recommend this to all horror lovers, especially those with a penchant for quiet and slow boiled horror.  If you like action-packed films then stay away...

I give this Spooky Stroll Behind The Rows a Schizophrenic Delusion of 7 out of 10.

The Trailer

Movie Review - Hell's Kitty

Hell's Kitty

2018

The Cast

After watching the dreadful Hellraiser films (the sequels after the original four movies), this little B-Movie Horror Comedy was a real breath of fresh air... and much needed.

This story centres around one cat (Angel) and her all-encompassing love for her owner, Nick (Tana)...  Her affection knows no bounds so pitty any woman foolish enough to get close to him;  Cat scratches and severed arterial veins go hand in hand in the Tana house.  Then one night, Nick is awoken by loud metal music.  Stumbling through his apartment half asleep in search of the commotion he comes across a mirror with a pentagram drawn in blood and his kitty eating her treats... also in the shape of a pentagram...  Nick begins to question himself... Is Angel possessed?

This is a very witty comedy filled with well written comedic dialogue and situations.  However, the best thing by far is the homage to '80's horror films.  Nearly every actor in the film has been in a horror flick or two.  I particularly liked seeing Isaiah (Franklin) and Mordicia (Gains) once again.  For comedy writers, this is how you use the word "Pussy" in dialogue, in a humorous situation, and get the audience to laugh.  I even liked the fact that there was corn, for them to run through, in the apartment too - brilliant.  Was it also coincidence that I watched this film on the same night as the next chapter in the  Children of the Corn flicks... or could it be I'm following him behind the rows...

So this is definitely a film for '80's horror fans.  You should feel right at home, as I did (with a big stupid grin on my face), when Michael Berryman makes an appearance as Detective Pluto (yeah, Pluto).

However, it wasn't just the nod to the oldies but Tana is also quite a good director.  He used colours and lighting perfectly as well as throwing in some interesting camera angles to create mood and tension.  I was so into the film that I didn't notice he changed to black and white for the shower scene.  Once I did I knew what was coming... can you screech, "Ree, Ree, Ree,"  I have to give respect to Tana at this point because, until this moment he'd only used know actors for the comedy and to create a sense of nostalgia, now he was going to use the most iconic scene in movie history for a laugh... but he doesn't.  Sure there's comedy in the outcome of the scene but it actually adds relative elements to the story; it wasn't to get a cheap laugh.

As for the acting, it's hit and miss.  This could be down to the direction, though I think it's more down to honed skills.  The "Stella" cast is pretty much perfect whereas it's the newbies who seem a little off.  Though I do have to give a round of applause to Adam Rucho, who plays Adam, as there are some very good dramatic sections in his portrayal making his character realistic and believable.  And even though Lisa Young, comes across as a little hammy I have to say this lady really can stare... scary.

The thing which lets the film down the most is the special effects, especially the "Cat-Fights" which just look silly... especially the fight between Angel and the Killer Klown (...From Outer Space); but hey that film was silly so, what-the-hey!  That said, when Rosemary Carrie (Midkiff) gets dragged to hell they don't look too bad.

All in all, this isn't a brilliant movie but it is funny, interesting, and a great tribute to a lot of the films of my youth and for that alone, I'd recommend all horror fans to check it out.  I hope that Tana will keep on making movies and writing as this is what the horror genre needs at the moment.  I can see from this film that he'd probably make a horror flick worth watching or a horror story worth reading.

I give this Possessed Pussy (had to do it) a Killer Love Scratch of 7 out of 10.

The Trailer

Movie Review - Hellraiser: Judgement

Hellraiser:  Judgement

2018

The Cast

Oh, My God!  They just keep getting worse... and worse...

Can we please have a decent story writer and director give the fans a decent story, one that will do Barker's vision credit(?)  

This story has so many flaws it verges on the ridiculous.  Evidently, the humans have grown out of wooden puzzle boxes so the L'Merchant  Configuration is no longer a viable gateway to hell.  But as The Auditor  (Tunnicliffe) says to Pinhead (Taylor), "At least, we still have the house..."  Hey!  Who would have thunk it(?)  The Cenobites own property and real estate...  No matter how preposterous that sounds it actually gets worse...  How do they lure their intended victims through the door(?)  They drop them a line via good ol' pen and paper.  I wonder if it's the chatterer that runs down the stationers... I hear he loves to meet people and is a terrible gossip; gift of the gab he's got...  Why, couldn't they think of a new and imaginative way to contact their victims?  At the very least, Tunnicliffe (the writer) could have the message sent on a piece of human skin and tattooed in blood.

Then when the victim gets inside, the audience is treated to a bit of unnecessary vileness.  After The Auditor takes down the quarry's life story, via a typewriter which uses the captives blood as print (finally a bit of imagination) we are introduced to The Assessor (Gulager).  He eats the transcripts then regurgitates the remains down a tube, which sprays over three naked women, The Jury.  This then leads to the subject being handed to The Surgeon, no matter what the verdict, who proceeds to do a hack and slash job.  Then once again, the naked women get splattered... this time with blood.  This gives a new perspective on hell's judging process; however there's no rhyme or reason to it, so it just feels like fill in.  Even though it's quite nasty to view, it's also quite boring.  Tunnicliffe (The Director) doesn't have the skill to create an atmosphere of horror or tension, which helps to make the scene even more tedious.

One decent thing about this film and story is the Thriller story woven throughout.  Two detectives, literally brothers in arms, Sean (Carney) and David Carter (Wayne), along with Detective Christine Egerton (Harris), are chasing a gruesome serial killer terrorising the city.   However, the inevitable twist is so obvious it weakens this "stronger" section of the film.

The best part of this whole mess is the acting.  Even Tunnicliffe isn't too bad.  I think it was a little too much to create a new Cenobite (loosely termed, as he's not really a Cenobite) who has more screen time than Pinhead himself and then give the part to yourself.  As for Pinhead, Taylor still doesn't have the presence of Bradley, but he is much better than the last instalment.  I will give this to Taylor though... he has sitting down-pat.  That's right, we get to see Pinhead relaxing... twice...  How Scary!

There's even an appearance by Heather Langenkamp as The Landlady.  Though, if you blink you'll miss her for she's on screen for about the same amount of time it takes you to read this paragraph.

Do yourself a favour and miss this mess of a film.  There are a lot better horror flicks out there... A Lot!  If you need your Pinhead fix then, as usual, I recommend cracking open the original flicks.

I give this An Audited Vomit Induced Regurgitation of 3.5 out of 10.

The Trailer

Movie Review - Hellraiser: Revelations

Hellraiser:  Revelations

2011

The Cast

Out of an original idea and story comes another unoriginal take on the Cenobite mythos...

It's spring break and teenage friends, Nico Bradley (Gillespie) and Stephen Craven (Eversman), are vacation-bound.  However, Nico has a different idea of their destination.  No longer will they be partying on the beach but will be having an adventure in Mexico.  Whilst enjoying themselves in a strip joint, they're approached by a vagrant who offers them visions and sensations beyond their wildest imaginings...  Upon accepting the L'Merchant Configuration, Nico starts his journey into hell.  Months pass and the boys are missing and feared dead.  Their parents are having a dinner party when things start to take a dark and nasty turn as the Craven's daughter Emma starts asking some awkward questions... then things get worse when Stephen returns... covered in blood.

This goes across ground covered in the first two films and Inferno and it wouldn't have been so bad had the Director, Garcia, brought across some of the imagination and style of the first two movies.  However, he doesn't.  What the audience gets instead is pretty standard direction with a much too slow pace, which only adds to the boredom factor.  If it weren't for the acting this would have been a dire affair.

None of the cast actually stand out except for Stephan Smith Collins.  Unfortunately, it's for all the wrong reasons.  Collins has to be the worst choice ever to replace Bradley as Pinhead.  Where Bradley had the presence and power to make Pinhead ominous and to ooze threat and force.  Collins has about as much presence as a wet lettuce.  His Pinhead couldn't scare a Scaredy-Cat or a Cowardly Custard.  It's this that has the worst effect on the film.  The audience suffers the direction and pace in the hopes of something interesting happening... then it doesn't.  At least with the previous movies, no matter how bad, you still had a powerful character in Pinhead.  What's even worse is that Collins couldn't carry off Pinhead's voice so they brought in the vocal actor Fred Tatasciore... who also couldn't do the voice justice...

Then to add insult to injury we're introduced to Mini-Pinhead... yeah, that's right... just to put the cherry on the cake.  They couldn't even come up with a new and different Cenobite.  This too could have been better had the writer, Tunnicliffe, decided to have Nico remind Pinhead of his human-self... this could have, at least, added a little more interest into the two characters.

There's not much going for this film so I'd not recommend it.  As usual, it's the original films that are worth your time and attention.

I give this a Boring Box of Unchained Monotony a 4 out of 10.

The Trailer

Oh, My God!  Even The Trailer Is Boring...