Fast & Furious 6 (2013)

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Felix Vasquez

Unlike “The Expendables,” which purports to bring all stars together and pit them against perilous circumstances, “Fast and the Furious” is the film accomplishing the concept. It’s rid itself of the pretenses of being a franchise, and has embraced the fact that each movie is just a two hour episode of an extended series, and has brought together all of the best stars from the previous movies of the “Fast and the Furious” movies. It even has its own opening credits. And what’s more is that the stakes are raised more and more with each movie right down to the potential for a child’s life being risked.

Continue reading →

I Am Thor (2015) [Fantasia Film Festival]

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Emilie Black

FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL

Are you familiar with the 80’s metal band THOR? Yes? No? Do you need some inspiration to never give up? Of course you do! Then you need to see the documentary about Jon Mickl Thor and his band called I Am Thor. It follows his attempt at a comeback over many years though the losses and the wins, the failures and the accomplishments the man was put through and got while keeping his dream of rocking alive. In this documentary, the history of Jon Mickl Thor and eventually of the band THOR is shown in clips and through retellings by the lead singer and those close to him. It’s at times uplifting, at times infuriating, touching and inspiring.

Continue reading →

Deathgasm (2015) [Fantasia Film Festival]

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Emilie Black

FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL

Horror and metal have gone hand in hand for as long as they both have been around. Many horror movies have metal soundtracks; many metal bands have horror videos. Deathgasm takes this and turns it to 11 as it follows Brodie’s new life after he moves to his aunt and uncle’s house. As Brodie tries to survive at his new school, he makes friends with 2 Dungeons & Dragons players who only get the bullying Brodie receives at the hands of his cousin to become worse. After a period of torment, Brodie finds a music store and there, in the metal section, meets Zakk and the two of them start a metal band and quickly become blood brothers. The duo wanting to have a successful band go looking for the most metal song ever and find it in an old man’s possession which leads to them stealing it and bringing it back to band so they can play it together. However, when they do play it badly with Dion and Giles, instead of getting power and fortune, they awaken a nasty evil and the whole town quickly becomes possessed, except for the quartet and the pretty girl Brodie has his eye on. As the last bastion of humanity, only they can save us all and restore peace in their town. The process is fun and bloody, the film knowing when to amp the comedy and got for full effect.

Continue reading →

Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (2015) [Blu-Ray]

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Felix Vasquez

With the glut of zombie entertainment choking pop culture right now, it’s rare you get to come across a zombie film that’s genuinely good. “Wyrmwood” wasn’t a win for me when I first sat through it, but watching it a second time I can safely say it really is worth a shot for open minded horror buffs. Not only is it a really damn good zombie movie, but it’s a new and fresh approach to the zombie sub-genre. It invents its own rules, it creates its own world, and it’s a lot of fun to boot. Of course I have a soft spot for post apocalyptic horror films of most kinds, but “Wyrmwood” really thrives on being an absurd and wonky take on the horror genre.

Continue reading →

Batman vs. Robin (2015) (Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital]

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Felix Vasquez

I, for one, really hated “Son of Batman,” not only for its ridiculously convoluted take on giving Batman a son, but for Damian Wayne. Wayne is the son of Batman, born from Batman’s worst enemy’s lineage, and he’s still a petulant little shit. Although, to its credit, Wayne isn’t as bad here as he was in “Son of Batman.” That’s mainly because rather than an egomaniacal petulant little brat, he’s now a confused little brat with an ego that’s used to cover up his identity crises. He is after all confused about who he is and is now taking up a new identity he has to adhere to. I didn’t want or care to see a sequel to “Son of Batman,” but thankfully, “Batman vs. Robin” was a convincing argument to give it a chance.

Continue reading →

Sharktopus vs. Whalewolf (2015)

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Felix Vasquez

I bet you’re wondering the same thing. In order for a whalewolf to come to life should a werewolf bite a whale, or would a whale bite a werewolf? If a whale bit a human would it become a werewhale? Hey, the logic I’m posing is just as silly as the logic in “Sharktopus vs. Whalewolf,” a movie that’s much more fun than it has any right to be. Right off the bat, the thing to remember is the movie doesn’t take itself seriously at all. This is about a movie where a sharktopus are murdering people left and right and our main heroes aren’t all that emotionally distraught after the fact.

Continue reading →

Harbinger Down (2015)

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Felix Vasquez

If John Carpenter’s “The Thing” were competently remade in 2011, “Harbinger Down” is what we’d have. I imagine Alec Gillis’ monster feature will be placed alongside Carpenter’s masterpiece as a double feature for many years, and why shouldn’t it? It’s a strong and very entertaining tribute that can also work as a companion piece. “Harbinger Down” owes a lot of its material to John Carpenter, posing much of the same scenarios from the aforementioned film. There’s a group of workers stuck in the middle of a desolate wasteland, a creature hunting everyone down and taking different forms, and an inevitable fight for survival.

Continue reading →