ANTIBIRTH REVIEW

In a desolate community full of drug-addled Marines and rumors of kidnapping, a wild-eyed stoner named Lou wakes up after a wild night of partying with symptoms of a strange illness and recurring visions as she struggles to get a grip on reality while stories of conspiracy spread.

Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Chloe Sevigny, and Meg Tilly

Directed and written by: Danny Perez

  The story in "Antibirth" centers around Lou (Natasha Lyonne), who's one hell of a party girl. If she can drink it, she’ll drink it. If she can smoke it, she’ll smoke it. She’s truly down for anything, and apparently that’s what she got. After a night of parting with her friend, Sadie (Chloe Savigny), she starts feeling sick, the kind of sick feeling a woman gets when she might be pregnant. 

  She’s absolutely sure she didn’t sleep with anyone, so she’s confused at why she’s pregnant. However, this doesn’t stop her from drinking and smoking. It probably makes her do it more. Her stomach is rapidly growing, and all kinds of weird things start happening to her body. She so happens to run into a woman named Lorna (Meg Tilly), who convinces her to look into the strange events around her pregnancy. It turns out that Sadie’s boyfriend, who’s gotten deep into the world of drugs, injected an experimental drug in her.

  As mentioned, the audience is subjected to watching Lou do a lot drinking and smoking. In some of the scenes, they inject a lot of colors, spin the camera, and take Lou to strange places in her hallucinations. They do a decent job of making the audience feel like they’re tripping out like Lou. If anyone in the audience is really drinking or on drugs, they might enjoy this as much as Lou!

  Really, the audience is just waiting to see what she gives birth to. Lets just say it’s not a boy, and not a girl! It’s probably one of the weirdest birth scenes around. Weird doesn’t mean good in this case because it makes little sense other than just to try to make a shocking ending. And end it does, as the movie doesn’t go any further displaying how pointless this all is.

  “Antibirth” is certainly one of those movies that’s made for a specific audience. On the surface, it seems like it’s for horror fans, but it’s really for an audience more specific than that. Maybe one that likes scenes that make them feel like they’re drinking, parting, and having a good old time. The only good thing about it is the performance by Natasha Lyonne. Other than that, it might make audiences wish they were on drugs while watching it. Sober as can be, I give it .5 pools of blood.

  HorrO

*“Antibirth” was shown at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival

DON'T BREATHE REVIEW

A group of friends break into the house of a wealthy blind man, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect heist. They’re wrong.

Starring: Stephen Lang, Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, and Daniel Zovatto

Directed by: Fede Alvarez

Written by: Fede Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues

  On the surface, the premiss for “Don’t Breathe” seems pretty simple. As simple as a three friends, Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex (Dylan Minnette), and Money (Daniel Zovatto), trying to rob a blind man (Stephen Lang) in his house. There’s some concern that this is going to turn out to be just another home invasion movie. However, there’s one hell of a twist that puts this movie on the map!

  This well constructed story begins with the friends robbing a house, and displaying that they have done this more than once. Soon after that, the audience gets a glimpse of each character away from the group. It’s here that they’re trying to get the audience to have some sympathy for them, even with knowing what they’re about to do. Rocky, in particular, has a young daughter, and wants some money to move somewhere more beneficial for them.

  It’s interesting how they also build some sympathy for the blind man. It turns out he lost his vision in the war, and more recently lost his daughter in a car accident. The friends have come to steal the money he got in a settlement over his daughter’s death. As the friends break in the house, it’s time to decide who to root for. The friends, who are just looking for a better life, or the blind man, who’s just minding his business in his own home?

  When the friends break in, the camera takes a journey around the house giving the audience a glimpse of what’s to come. It’s just the beginning of many great camera angles used throughout the movie. When the blind man figures out he’s not alone, it doesn’t take long for him to take out one of the thieves. The remaining two find themselves trapped in the house, as the tension quickly builds. The tension builds because of the dark and silent atmosphere of the house, and knowing the blind man isn’t messing around. If there are any doubts about where the sympathy falls, that’s erased once the twist is revealed. The twist for the characters only gets worse as the movie goes on!

  After watching “Don’t Breathe,” it’s clear this isn’t a standard home invasion horror movie. The story is set up well trying to get the audience to be sympathetic to both the friends and the blind man. Great camera work helps build the tension in this dark setting. Stephen Lang does a fantastic job acting as if he's blind, and really brings out the brutality of his character. Most of all, the crazy twist truly separates this movie from the rest. Director Fede Alvarez mentions this movie is like a different version of “Home Alone.” Well I like this version enough to give it 3.5 pools of blood.

  HorrO

Director Fede Alvarez & HorrO

I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER REVIEW

In a small Midwestern town, a troubled teen with homicidal tendencies must hunt down a killer whilst keeping his own inner demons at bay.*

Starring: Christopher Lloyd, Max Records, and Laura Fraser

Directed by: Billy O’Brien

Written by: Christopher Hyde, and Billy O’Brien

  Sometimes the beauty of a horror movie isn’t blood, and guts, but more about giving the audience the unexpected. “I Am Not A Serial Killer” does exactly that time after time. The audience is introduced to John (Max Records), who is fighting off the urges to kill someone. Immediately the show “Dexter” comes to mind, and a possible vision of where this story can go. Pleasantly, this doesn’t become “Dexter” the movie!

  Dexter is an interesting character, and so is John. He develops rules to help him fight the urge to kill, and studies famous serial killers. While he’s not a killer, he does get to work with dead bodies while assisting his mother in the town morgue. Business picks up when an apparent serial killer comes to town. Of course, this catches his attention, and he starts his own investigation.

  Max does a great job playing John, but the star of the movie is Christopher Lloyd in his role as Crowley. Don’t expect to see Christopher play a role similar to “Doc Brown” or even the crazy scientist in “Piranha 3D.” Crowley seems like the typical old man next door who’s extremely nice to people, and head over heels in love with his wife. However, he has an secret that completely changes the complexion of the story. It’s here that Christopher shines with everything his character makes him portray.

  As previously stated, this movie is all about the unexpected, so this review isn’t going into much more detail about what unfolds between John and Crowley. Just know that this story has a little something for everyone. It’s a horror story with blood and brutality. It’s a mystery with plenty of gamesmanship played by both characters. Most surprisingly there’s even a love story mixed in. All this ends in a wild and crazy final scene!

  “I Am Not A Serial Killer” is based on a novel by Dan Wells. Having not read the novel, I’m not sure how it compares, but the movie is a must see. It’s has two great characters who are at completely different points in their lives. Max and Christopher nail their roles as John and Crowley. The story is a great mix of genres, and most of all brings the unexpected from beginning to end. I unexpectedly give it 4.5 pools of blood.

  HorrO

*“I Am Not A Serial Killer” was shown at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival

*Slight change in the description to not give away the story

PIGSKIN REVIEW

  A high school cheerleader faces a grisly manifestation of her self-deprecating inner demons.

Starring: Isadora Leiva, Pablo Gonzalez, and Isabella Groff

Directed by: Jake Hammond

Written by: Jake Hammond and Nicola Newton

  In “Pigskin,” a high school cheerleader, Laurie (Isadora Leiva), appears to be battling an eating disorder because she throws up behind the bleachers before cheerleading practice. The team gets together with the football team, and one of the players has taken an interest in her. They do a little flirting, but it seems like her mind is also on something else. They agree to meet up after cleaning up in the locker room.

  Things get weird when she’s starts massaging her stomach in the shower, and then sees an ugly creature behind her. She doesn’t necessarily fear it, but is running from it figuratively and soon literally. She clearly is trying to hide these scars, which becomes hard when Glenn (Pablo Gonzalez) takes her to the pool for a swim. The creature appears again, causing her to freak out, and run out onto the football field. This is where her insecurities completely take over.

  Horror films come from all sorts of ideas. Sometimes those ideas are born out of real life situations like in “Pigskin.” Credit the filmmakers for creating a simple horror film out of a young girl’s insecurities. The creature is certainly creepy, and film ends nice and bloody. I give it 2.5 pools of blood.

  HorrO 

*This short film was shown at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival

UNDER THE SHADOW REVIEW

As a mother and daughter struggle to cope with the terrors of the post-revolution, war-torn Tehran of the 1980s, a mysterious evil begins to haunt their home.

Starring: Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, and Bobby Naderi

Directed and written by: Babak Anvari

  There are so many things to like about “Under the Shadow” that it’s hard to know where to begin. Lets start with how well the story is set up. The events of the movie take place during the Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s. It’s an important backdrop to the story, and one that’s never forgotten. Every time the audience might forget that there’s a war going on, something happens to bring it right back into the picture.

  Dealing with the war is just one of the several obstacles Shideh (Narges Rashidi) and her family has to deal with. She’s trying to do better for her family by studying to become a doctor, but she has just been kicked out of school. That stresses her out, and she takes it out on her husband. Things aren’t great for them, and it doesn’t help that he gets sent off to fight in the war. This leaves Shideh to take care of their young daughter, Dorsa (Avin Manshadi), by herself in an apartment that’s under constant threat of being bombed.

  As real as this situation is, there is horror in the movie in the form of a supernatural presence. Dorsa has a favorite doll that mysteriously disappears. She continually bugs her mother about the doll, as the mother also has something of hers go missing. The two bump heads over the missing items while Dorsa starts to get sick. 

  It appears the stress of the situation is really getting to Shideh. She thinks she’s having nightmares, but they continue to seem too real. After talking with neighbors, she begins to believe they might be haunted by a Djinn. The scares start rolling, and they really well done. There’s several figures that continue to pop up, and the audience can never get a grasp of what it truly is. What’s most effective about the scare scenes are that there isn't much of the typical build up of sound giving away that a scare is coming. 

  As expected, all the scares lead to a dramatic showdown between Shideh and the Djinn over Dorsa. Like most of the movie, it’s very tense, and even leaves with a little twist. Even though the movie is in subtitles, it doesn’t take away from the terrific job Narges, and Avin do. They are great in handling the emotions in the regular family setting, and when the scares start happening.

  “Under the Shadow” comes on the scene at a perfect time for those horror fans looking for something different. They won’t find many horror movies set during a war, or in the same political and religious atmosphere. The story couldn’t be set up more perfectly, as it draws the audience right in on the struggles of these characters. Once it gets the audience caring, the well executed scares start coming. The acting is great, and the audience won’t be disappointed with the ending. I give it 4 pools of blood.

  HorrO

*Under the Shadows was shown at the PopcornFrights Film Festival

DE VIJVER (THE POND) REVIEW

Christiane and her ill mother live in a castle together with her strict aunt. On the premises, there's a big pond that hides a secret. Although she is not allowed to come near it, it has a big attraction on Christiane.

Starring: Xenia Borremans, Sara De Bosschere, and Kirsten Pieters

Directed by: Jeroen Dumoulin

Written by: Michel Sabbe

  A young girl named Christiane (Xenia Borremans) has a curiosity with the pond even though she’s not suppose to go near it. Like any child, she can’t help but make her way to the pond, where she feels like she’s being watched. It’s probably just her fears over her aunt (Sara De Bosschere) finding her there. Her aunt seems like the one in charge of the house, while Christiane’s mother (Kirten Pieters) is being heavily medicate by the aunt. 

  This is all the set up because “De Vijver” is all about misdirection. Things quickly change in this strange household, as events of the past come to light in shocking fashion. As expected, there’s a big revelation that centers around the pond, but it ties the story together nicely. This short film does a great job of giving the audience a creepy feel throughout, and moves at a nice pace. With that, I give it 3 pools of blood.

  HorrO

*This short film was shown at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival

FEAR, INC REVIEW

A horror junkie and his friends sign up with a company that brings their customer's greatest fears to life.

Starring: Lucas Neff, Caitlin Stasey, Chris Marquette, Stephanie Drake, Patrick Renna, and Naomi Grossman

Directed by: Vincent Masciale

Written by: Luke Barnett

  Are you a horror fan that walks out of horror movies saying, “there was nothing scary about that movie?” Do you walk through haunted houses knowing where all the scares are coming from? Would you be willing to pay for someone to really scare the hell out of you? Well, maybe you should call “Fear, Inc”… or maybe not!

  The horror fan in this movie is Joe (Lucas Neff), and boy is he in for a treat. On the way out of a haunted house that fails to scare him, Joe and his girlfriend, Lindsay (Caitlin Stasey) are given a business card by a representative of Fear, Inc. Soon after a night of drinking with his friend Ben (Chris Marquette) and Ben’s girlfriend Ashleigh (Stephanie Drake), Joe decides to make a call to Fear, Inc. It appears to be a failed call until things suddenly go bad.

  Joe and his friends are now under siege by a group of cloaked guys in masks. His friends are scared to death, but Joe is convinced it’s all part of a game that Fear, Inc is putting on. From this point on there’s a constant back and forth between Joe and his friends over whether or not this whole situation is real or fake. When his friends believe it’s real, Joe believes it’s fake, and vice-versa. This also keeps the audience on its toes, as they don’t know for sure either.

  Real or fake, there are some decent death scenes, and particular references to popular horror movies. One that stands out is a very “Saw” like scene, where Joe is faced with having to mutilate Ben in order to save Lindsay. In typical “Saw” fashion, he has to cut off one of Ben’s body parts, and even retrieve a key from inside him. However, this is a horror comedy so the scene doesn’t play out quite as dramatic as a true “Saw” scene. 

  Speaking of comedy, most of it comes from Joe, and how awkwardly he handles each new crisis. Lucas Neff does a good of bringing out the silliness of Joe’s character, but is just as good when things get serious. Overall, the entire casts does a good job of not giving way whether each situation is real or fake, and the ultimate conclusion. The only real problem with “Fear, Inc” is that they probably stretch out the real vs fake thing a little longer than needed. Otherwise, this is a solid horror comedy worthy of 3 pools of blood!

  HorrO

*Fear, Inc was shown at the PopcornFrights Film Festival

PORTAL TO HELL!!! REVIEW

A crusty and recluse superintendent is thrown into the ultimate fight against evil when a couple of cultists open a portal to the ancient and mystical city of R’lyeh, awakening a slumbering god.

Starring: Roddy Piper, Laura Robinson, and Matt Watts

Directed by: Vivieno Caldinelli

Written by: Matt Watts

  The one and only “Hot Rod” himself, Roddy Piper, puts on a show in unfortunately one of his last performances in “Portal to Hell!!!.” This short starts of showing Jack (Roddy Piper), a superintendent, trying to read a book but constantly being called to fix things for the people in living in an apartment building. This quickly injects some humor into the short while introducing the audience to some of people about to meet their doom!

  The action picks up when Jack goes to the basement to fix the power to the building. To his surprise, he’s walked in on two crazy guys opening a portal to another world. Jack wants to avoid this situation, but the people in the building get right in the middle of it. The humor is really great, as everyone seems a step slow. However, there’s an absolutely clever twist at the very end that puts this short over the top. With that, I give “Hot Rod” and “Portal to Hell!!!” 3 pools of blood!

  HorrO

*This short was shown at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival

THE BLACKCOAT'S DAUGHTER REVIEW

Two terrified girls must battle a mysterious evil force when they get left behind at their boarding school over winter break in this chilling and suspenseful horror film.

Starring: Emma Roberts, Kiernan Shipka, Lauren Holly, and Lucy Boynton

Directed and written by: Osgood Perkins

  “The Blackcoat’s Daughter” is the tale of two stories coming together. The movie starts off with the story of a young girl, Katherine (Kiernan Shipka), getting left behind at boarding school over winter break. She seems like a nice, shy girl, but maybe a little troubled. She’s not the only one left behind, as an older girl named Rose (Lucy Boynton) is tasked with watching her. Rose isn’t exactly thrilled with having to do this, as she’s got more important things to do.

  The audience is then introduced to another story, this one being about a girl named Joan (Emma Roberts). There’s definitely something wrong with her, but she’s pretty quiet and wants to keep to herself so it’s hard to tell what’s going. She does have some crazy flashbacks that eventually begin to add up to something bad. After traveling to a new town, she’s left with no ride until a couple, particularly the husband (James Remer), decides to help her out.

  The movie flips back and forth between these girl’s stories giving the audience a few pieces of the puzzle at a time. It continual builds an incredible tension, as the audience will soon enough figure that something bad is bound to happen. While it takes some time to get there, it’s well worth the wait to see exactly what these girls do. It’s much more brutal, and crazy than the audience might have thought when the girls are first introduced. 

  Even though Joan is a quiet character, Emma Roberts does a fantastic job of hiding just how disturbed her character is. Kiernan equally does a fabulous job of turning Katherine from a normal looking girl into just being flat out creepy. Both actresses do a great job when the brutality of their characters comes out. Not to be lost in the mix is Lucy’s great performance as Rose. While her character might not have the secrets the others have, she does leave a little mystery behind her. 

  Overall, there are a few simple words to describe “The Blackcoat’s Daughter.” One word is intense, as the intensity constantly builds as each girls’ stories progresses. Another word is brutal, as what each girl does is totally unexpected, but well worth the wait for horror fans. The final word is mystery, as there’s mystery behind all three of these girls the entire time. While some of that mystery might be easy to figure out, there’s always something more going on. With that, I give this must see movie 4 pools of blood.

HorrO

*The Blackcoat’s Daughter was shown at the PopcornFrights Film Festival

SCARRED REVIEW

Four models go on a photo shoot at an abandoned house previously belonging to the infamous Kandie family. Little do they know that Jonah Kandie still lurks there, seeking revenge on anyone that comes near after being scarred beyond recognition by his father as a young boy. One by one, the models soon become the victims of the vicious killer's merciless hatred for all things beautiful.

Starring: Robbie Barnes, Max Elinsky, Carl Ferrara, Justine Greenwald, Don Kilrain, Tina Grimm, Jessica Lauschin, and Ari Lehman

Directed and written by: Eddie Lengyel

  Sometimes it pays to be ugly! Well at least it does in “Scarred.” A group of models heads out into the middle of nowhere for a photo shoot. While they show off their good looks for the camera, they have no idea they’ve stumbled into the hunting ground of Jonah Kandie (Don Kilrain). He definitely doesn’t like the looks of the models as much as the camera does. 

  However, for the audience the models might be nice to look at, but aren’t that interesting. The interesting part of this film revolves around Jonah’s backstory. As the film progresses, the audience learns more and more about him. It turns out he’s the victim of his father’s abuse that has left him scarred in more ways than one. Now he’s taking out his aggression on the beautiful people of the world. 

  And boy does he have some aggression. He just doesn’t kill the models, but he mutilates and tortures them. The best one might be when he heats a stick, and decides a model doesn’t need one of her senses anymore. He also has a little Leatherface in him, as he makes a bloody mess with a chainsaw.

  Instead of dragging college kids out into the middle of nowhere, “Scarred” leads some models to their slaughter. The models will keep your attention until Jonah takes over. The audience should enjoy the mystery of his background, and how he makes quick work of the models. While the ending makes sense given his motives, it does end a little too suddenly. Regardless, the blood and beauties certainly entertain in Kandieland, so I give it 2.5 pools of blood.

*You can find the film at www.scarredthemovie.com or Amazon.

  HorrO