NEW BLOOD: THE PACK

THE PACK
Lightning
2015 Color
90 Mins.
Horror/Thriller
Anna Lise Phillips, Jack Campbell and Katie Moore star.
Written by Evan Randall Green
Directed by Nick Robertson
N/R contains language, violence and gore.

poor man's Cujo. Using Jaws techniques of shadows and lighting to buid suspense. neer established suspenseful atmosphere. Characters are hard to root for because they are so dumb. moronic ending generic film

The Pack arrived quietly this weekend with a limited theatrical/VOD release. It's another in a long line of bland remakes that embarrass their source material. This poor man's Cujo centers on a struggling family on a desolate farm who find themselves in trouble when they are attacked by a pack of wild dogs. Mostly everything in this film plays out accordingly hitting every cliche possible. It's only in some directorial choices that the film feels a little inventive. Like Jaws it uses some of the same techniques when the deadly animals are approaching. The use of shadows and light is quite inspired. Unfortunately although the intention is too build suspense it never solidifies a suspenseful atmosphere and instead the scenes don't have the impact they should. The performances are pretty standard across the board but the amateur writing makes the characters hard to root for because of how stupid they are. It's insulting in this day and age to create such characters in a genre film that are this ridiculous making every wrong decision possible. Making you wonder if the people involved have seen any recent horror films. I mean it is so frustrating to watch these events unfold and how nonsensical they are. Ultimately The Pack is not a terrible film but it's weak execution guarantees that it's instantly forgettable. **/5

NEW BLOOD: REGRESSION

REGRESSION
FilmNation
2016 Color
108 Mins.
Horror/Thriller
Ethan Hawke, Emma Watson, David Thewlis and Aaron Ashmore star.
Written and Directed by by Alejandro Amneabar
Rated R for language, violence, sexuality and nudity.

I'm not sure what I can say so I won't ruin this movie for people reading this.So I'm not going to give any clues to any plot twists in the film. I only wanna say that I was kinda blown away by it. The film centers around a young woman who accuses her father or molestation. When confronted by the police he admits to it and the case begins to open up further discovering possible satanic ritual ties.The movie stars Ethan Hawke as the lead detective reminding us why he's still acting and Emma Watson is equally impressive as her complex character. This is the type of movie they don't make any more like Rosemary's Baby. It's more than just a slow burn it has a tense paranoia running through out it. The proceedings are very immersive. Courtesy of Amnebar's solid execution and the darkly gorgeous cinematography. The movie establishes a sense of foreboding dread as soon as it begins and even when nothing is happening it never lets up. Amneabar is smart in the way that he toys with the audience playing with perceptions as well as suggesting things to send you in certain directions. The culmination of events is less impressive and may feel a little familiar but the road getting there is solid. Regression joins a long line of deserved films denied a wide theatrical release. Even more shocking is the fact that the film has only garnered 8% positive on rotten tomatoes. Just goes to show you, you can't always trust a high score (hello Goodnight Mommy) Solidly performed, and stylishly executed Regression is a paranoia inducing cinematic creepfest! ****/5

NEW BLOOD (NETFLIX): CURVE

CURVE
Universal
2016 Color
86 Mins.
Horror/Thriller
Julianne Hough, Teddy Sears and Penelope Mitchell star.
Written by Kimberly Lofstrom Johnson
Directed by Iain Softley
Rated R for language, violence, gore and nudity.

Why Universal decided to bury this fun little thriller is beyond me. Starring Julianne Hough in the strongest performance of her career. She plays a young woman named Mallory whose driving her fiancées truck to Denver to meet him and get married. Along the way she has some car trouble and is helped out by a sexy stranger. Soon after she picks him up and his flirty attitude quickly changes into something more sinister. In a moment of panic she unhooks his seatbelt and drives the truck off a cliff. when she awakes she discovers her leg is pinned in between the door and her seat by a large wooden branch and the psycho has been thrown from the car, what ensues is a cat and mouse game of psychological terror as he taunts her and a battle to survive the elements from desert rats to starvation and flash flooding. I won't say anymore but it culminates to a satisfying finale. Hough is so raw here and really brings her character's desperation life. sears is so sexy and effective as the villain. the direction by iain Softley of the skeleton key makes the proceedings feel fresh and edge of your seat and with a little fine tuning in spots it could have easily been released theatrically. Here is another in a long line of recent examples of films unfairly denied theatrical release when so much garbage populates cinemas nationwide. ***.5/5

NEW BLOOD: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Screen Gems
2016 Color
108 Mins.
Horror/Romance/Comedy
Lily James, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith, Jack Huston, Charles Dance Lena Headey and Sam Riley star
Written and Directed by Burr Steers
Based on the noel by Seth Grahme-Smith
Rated PG13 violence and gore

It's been a long journey to the big screen for PPZ. Smith's inspired take on the material is served well here in this bombastic, creative and overly entertaining Period romantic horror comedy. The film of course centers on the Bennett sisters as they search for husbands out of love and to secure their father's estate. It just so happens to be set in an alternative world where a zombie plague has ripped through the country and is threatening world domination. And in addition to being trained in the fine arts young ladies are sent to Japan and China to master martial arts so they may defend their families and their loved ones. The film delicately plays with social classes and sexual politics as the original novel but as they are performing the dialogue they are mostly locked in hand to hand combat. The film is filled with such glorious moments where it's execution fully lives up to it's premise. The film begins questionably with a seemingly sloppy selection of half based sequences but the moment the sisters arrive on the dance floor armed for battle there is no question that this is awesome. The  performances are solid all around with Lily James, Sam Riley and Matt Smith as the standouts. Sam Riley is perfectly grumpy as our Mr. Darcy and has perfect chemistry with Lily James who was so demure in last year's Cinderella and is feisty and believable as the lead. But the standout performance goes to Matt Smith doing a spin on his Doctor character of sorts. He's charming, whackey and hilarious and he steals all of his scenes. Only Huston is mediocre not giving much depth to his character and Headey is severely under used. The execution by Burr Steers leaving behind a slate of generic teen fodder such as Charlie St. Cloud and 17 again feels more confident here and his approach is always almost successful. Also impressive are the gory, creatie practical effects like the zombie mother and baby. The one thing severely lacking in the film is the cinematography there are some solid moments here and there but most of the time it feels a little messy and expected.  There are moments when the film feels a little amateur and looses it's flair momentarily. That being said PPZ is a fun, clever, sexy, surprisingly creepy, bad ass zombie flick which delivers on it's promise. The film is truly an inspired genre mashup which is equal parts romantic, funny and scary. ****.25/5

WEEKEND WARNING: 2/05/16: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES AND MORE...

Not every weekend has a fresh batch of genre entries but when it does this column will be available with some info about the releases. Here's a special look at this weekend's bloody offerings plus alternatives to keep you busy in case none of the following appeals to you.


1. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES
Screen gems
2016 Color
108 Mins.
Horror/Romance/Action
Lily James, Lena Headey, Matt Smith, Douglas Booth, Jack Huston and Sam Riley star.
Written and Directed by Burr Steers
Based on the novel by Seth Grahme Greene
Rated PG-13 for violence and adult themes.

THE DEAL: Jane Austen's beloved classic gets the undead treatment in this cinematic adaptation of the best selling novel by Seth Grahme Greene. The classic tale of Elizabeth Bennett and her sisters in search of love takes place in a world overrun by the zombie virus. And besides looking for a husband the young women are trained to defend their families and loved ones.

RELEASE: Wide Theatrical


THE BUZZ: Reviews have been middling so far but even the worst of them don't seem to condemn the film.


Positive:


Jimmy O of Jo Blo says "Even with the overuse of CG PPZ is still a bloody good blast of zombie fun!"


Terri Schwartz of IGN says " PPZ is a funny good looking feature film that delivers exactly what it promises!"


Negative:


Andrew Barker of Variety says " It's awkward and unsatisfying."


Tom Huddleston of Time Out says " The film flatlines the moment anyone draws a blade."


PROS:


1. The trailers are kick ass.
2. The guys are smoking hot.

3. The genre mash-up is inspired . The treatment worked well for Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter and seems to work even better here. Combining the time period's lush romance and straining female independence with zombie mayhem seems to yield explosive results.


CONS:


1. The PG-13 rating doesn't bode well for the material. Meaning there will a major exclusion of gory fun.
2. This is Writer/ Director Burr Steer's first genre feature coming off of generic teen fodder like 17 Again and Charlie St. Cloud.
3. Screen Gems doesn't have the best track record period.


CONCLUSION: I myself can't wait to see this film! Genre movies like this almost never have the best reviews but I still tend to enjoy them. Sitting at 50% positive out of 8 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes is decent for a film of this type. Most of the time critics can't grasp genre films and what the audience is really showing up for. That being said I'm 85% sure this will be a solid flick! Look below for the link to a bad ass TV Spot!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYvOWvBsBOw


ALTERNATIVES:


1. ABRAHAM LINCOLN VAMPIRE HUNTER- If you want a sexy male lead and vampire action instead of zombies.

2. DEAD ALIVE: If you want your zombie mayhem gory as hell!

3. WARM BODIES: If you're good with the whole zombie romance thing and don't mind it being PG-13 but want it set in modern times.

2. SOUTHBOUND
Dark Sky/orchard
89 Mins.
Horror/Anthology
Kate Behan, Matt Bettenelli-Olpin and Larry Feseenden star.
Written by Roxanne Benjamin, Matt Bettenelli-Olpin, David Bruckner, Susan Burke, Dallas Richard hallam and Patrick Horvath
Directed by Radio Silence, Susan Burke, Patrick Horvath and Roxanne Benjamin
N/R

THE DEAL: Five interlocking tales of terror follow the fates of a group of weary travelers who confront their worst nightmares and dark secrets on a lonely stretch of highway.

RELEASE: Friday select theaters Limited
2/09/16- VOD


THE BUZZ: With 78 % positive reviews the buzz is on the solid side. Critics are saying that the film is the best horror anthology in quite some time.


Positive:


Frank Scheck of The Hollywood reporter says " the Horror anthology genre gets a shot in the arm, An uncommonly cohesive and intelligent example of the form!"


Nicholas Rapold of film comment magazine says " It's the rare group effort without a dud as it cruises through variations on the genre with style and confidence."


Negative:


Michael Nordine of The Village Voice says " Just as most of the characters can't outrun their pasts neither can they escape familiar plot contrivances."


Chuck Bowen of Slant Magazine says " SB is yet another contemporary horror film that seemingly belongs to every era but it's own."


PROS:


1. The film is sitting at 78% positive reviews  out of 12 reviews on rotten tomatoes which is really high for a genre feature.
2. The trailer looks refreshing and inspired.
3. The combination of indie horror directors and writers is impressive.


CONS:


1. The film has 78% positive reviews on rotten tomatoes. Sometimes when horror movies are rated really high by critics they don't really appeal to the general horror community.
2. The buzz has been limited I just heard about this film two weeks ago when the trailer premiered.
3. The wealth of talent behind this has been responsible for some great stuff but some of them are also responsible for the wildly uneven V/H/S series and The Pact 2.


CONCLUSION: The trailer looks powerful and looks to breathe new life into the Anthology subgenre. Yes there is a chance that it just may be too artsy for it's own good but from what I've read it seems that Southbound could be a new horror classic. I am 70% positive this will be a good film. Check out a link for the awesome trailer below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skNeUjtjD6Y


ALTERNATIVES:


1. Creepshow 2: If you want an inspired, retro severely underrated creep fest.

2. Body Bags: You can also check out Carpenter's little seen anthology.

3. Fear itself: For some truly solid horror shorts check out the little seen but hella scary terror series.

3. REGRESSION
Filmnation
2015 Color
106 Mins.
Horror/thriller
Ethan Hawke, David Thewlis, Emma Watson and Aaron Ashmore star.
Written and Directed by Alejandro Amenabar
Rated R for language, violence and sexuality.

THE DEAL:1990 in Minnesota a young woman accuses her father of a horrible crime and he admits to it which unlocks a horrifying nation wide mystery about Satanism. 

RELEASE: Limited theatrical on Friday
VOD release next Friday 2/12/16


THE BUZZ: The Buzz is overwhelmingly negative with only 5% positive reviews. Critics and audience are saying that the film is performed well but is ultimately overly mediocre.


Positive:


Mark Kermode of Observer UK says " It straddles the line between psychological suspense and supernatural horror."


Negative:


Henry Fitzherbert of Daily Express says " It is well performed but lacks tension and surprise."


Stefan Pape of HeyUGuys says " it's the cinematic equivalent of a dog chasing it's tail."


PROS:


1. Emma Watson stars in her first genre feature. She's proven herself a solid actress and regardless of how the film is . It should be worth checking out just for this reason.
2. Alejandro Amenabar wrote and directed one of my favorite films of all time The Others.
3. The trailers look interesting and creeptastic.


CONS:
1. That 5% positive reviews on rotten tomatoes really makes you put the brakes on.
2. Alejandro Amnebar was also responsible for the awful Vanilla Sky.
3. Although the trailers look creepy they do seem to possess an almost lifetime movie of the week quality to them.


CONCLUSION: Honestly it could really go either way but I have a feeling the movie may be better than what people are making it out to be. This will definitely be a film that divides audiences in whether you become immersed into the atmosphere or don't buy into it. Either way the true crime angle is always an interesting one. I am 60% sure this might be a decent film. Check out the atmospheric trailer below and make your own decision.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pBwIsVGaL4


ALTERNATIVES:


1. The Others: With a standout lead performance from Nicole Kidman this slow burn supernatural horror film is sure to give you goosebumps.

2. Spellbinder: if you're in the mood for a retro, fun satanic cult feature check out this underseen gem.

3. Borderland: After Dark released this disturbing little movie based on a true story about a trio of college students who discover a human sacrificing cult in Mexico.

4. THE PACK
Lightning
2015 Color
90 Mins.
Horror/Thriller
Anna Lise Phillips and Jack Campbell star.
Written by Evan Randall Green
Directed by Nick Robertson
N/R

THE DEAL: A Family in the Australian Out back is attacked by a pack of wild dogs.

RELEASE: limited Theatrical and VOD this Friday


THE BUZZ: There is absolutely no buzz on this film.


PROS:
1. It's been a while since we've seen a killer dog flick executed the right way.
2. The trailers look pretty fun.


CONS:
1. Arriving on no buzz and being buried upon release doesn't bode well for the film.
2. Is there going to be anything new with this concept?


CONCLUSION: Look I'm a sucker for killer animal flicks. I find even the worst of them to be sort of entertaining. Plus the trailer looks pretty fun. ultimately it can go either way. just because it's arriving quietly doesn't mean it's terrible, it may just be too familiar of a concept to merit a marketing push. I am 50% sure this could go either way but I'm hoping it's cool. check out the tense trailer below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp6nUcshWzM


ALTERNATIVES:


1. Man's Best friend: With a fun, retro sci-fi edge check out this awesome little flick.

2. CUJO: Hello the ultimate killer dog movie!

3. Into the Grizzly Maze: For some killer animal fun check out this under seen but overly entertaining flick that arrived quietly last year.

RETRO REVIEW: SPELLBINDER

SPELLBINDER
MGM
1988 Color
99 Mins.
Horror/Thriller
Tim Daly, Kelly Preston and Rick Rossovich star.
Written by Tracy Torme
Directed by Janet Greek
Rated R for language, violence, gore sexuality and nudity.

Most people don't now about this little seen supernatural thriller. I remember seeing it as a kid and it didn't leave a tremendous impression on me but had some moments that stuck with me. Now so many years later I found it streaming on Amazon Prime and decided to revisit it.The film centers around a studly lawyer played by sexy Tim Daly who with his equally sexy friend played by gorgeous Rick Rossovich sees a young woman being abused in the parking lot and decides to intervene. After saving her he ends up taking her home and she does some naked witchcraft on him. It all starts off perfectly enough until her devilish cult comes looking for her. A sort of supernatural stalking stalking occurs culminating to a surprisingly involved finale. Spellbinder is by no means a classic but it is an intriguing watch that deserves more attention than it's gotten. It's stylishly made with some unique practical effects and has some really creepy moments one of which is an attack where the cult seem to bend the windows with magic. It's an interesting effect that holds up rather well. All in all it's a mixed watch but does have enough goods to merit a recommendation. Pus a young, gorgeous Kelly Lebrock stars as the seductive female lead. ***.25/5

EMERGENCY BROADCAST! (MOVIES TO AVOID): DEAD RISING WATCHTOWER

DEAD RISING WATCHTOWER
2015 color
Horror/Comedy
118 Mins.
Jesse Metcalfe, Virginia Madsen and Rob Riggle star.
Written by Tim Carter
Directed by Zach Lipovsky
N/R contains language, violence and gore.

Based on the popular video game a group of people band together to try and survive a zombie apocalypse. This film is the reason why video game adaptations and horror films in general have such a bad rap. It's a cheap looking, crass, atrocious trash fest that is predictable and isn't entertaining on any level even the so bad it's good. It's hard to understand why so many people signed up for this thing like Oscar Nominee Virginia Madsen or sexy Jesse Metcalfe. As in any generic zombie movie there is an outbreak, people band together and we get half assed stories about lost family members and friends. Some where in this mess is a statement about how journalism is censored but it never remotely connects and everything just ends up unintentionally funny. It all culminates with a forced big boss fight that comes off so tacky and charmless it's hard to believe any of this even worked on paper and visually it just look a low grade high school play. And about these performances, they should all be embarrassed. Watching this overlong crapfest it is admirable how everyone involved got absolutely nothing right. This is one hell of a dismal cinematic experience. .5/5