Diabolique Magazine No. 18 (Nov/Dec 2013) [Magazine]

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Felix Vasquez

I think in a past life I was a doomsday survivalist, because you just have to say “apocalypse” and my ears perk up with interest. The November/December issue of “Diabolique” is all about the apocalypse, and how it’s been depicted through various forms of film, television, and literature. And it’s not a slapdash compilation of articles. As is the case with “Diabolique” the articles about the popularity of apocalyptic entertainment in today’s media are beautifully written and insightful. And you can’t really scoff at their dedication to “28 Days Later” and Richard Matheson.

Continue reading →

Exhumed (2011)

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Felix Vasquez

Director Richard Griffin’s horror thriller about a demented and warped family comprised of people that simply can not leave their home is an often enigmatic, perplexing, but excellent horror film. I often found “Exhumed” to be a brilliant spin on the “Spider Baby” with a Lynchian atmosphere that worked quite often. From the black and white palette, to the intricate play with shadows, “Exhumed” is constricted to one setting, but feels as if we’re in an entirely new and horrific world.

Continue reading →

Night Of The Comet: Collector’s Edition (1984) [BluRay/DVD]

Posted on November 16, 2013 by Felix Vasquez

Director Thom Eberhardt’s eighties apocalyptic classic is a great amalgam of zombie horror and coming of age drama. And while it does watch very much like an eighties film with brutally dated clothing and hairstyles, Eberhardt’s film has been incredibly influential since its initial release, nonetheless. Scream Factory provides a fitting and really sharp treatment (though maintaining the grit and grain) for what is still a stellar dose of post-apocalyptic fiction that entertains as well as frightens.

Continue reading →

Stalled (2013)

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Felix Vasquez

Director Christian James’ “Stalled” is a very creative, and often clever horror comedy that takes the zombie movie to a new direction. It tries, at least. “Stalled” really seems to have a grasp on its premise for the first forty minutes, and then scrambles to keep monotony from setting in the rest of the way. In spite of that, “Stalled” is a creepy, interesting, and very unique zombie horror comedy that takes a few notes from “Shaun of the Dead.” It’s a horror movie about a perpetual loser who gets his life together in the wake of a bona fide zombie apocalypse. But it tries to add its own twists to the conventions, which make for a good experience.

Continue reading →

American Mary (2012)

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Felix Vasquez

The crux of “American Mary” depends on the performance by Katharine Isabelle. While the film itself is a unique and very entertaining tale about revenge, madness, and masochism, the lead performance of Mary is most important. Almost any other actor probably would have played the character of Mary Mason completely over the top, but Katharine Isabelle’s turn as a slowly unraveling sadist with revenge on her mind is incredible. Even brilliant.

Continue reading →

Juan of the Dead (2011)

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Felix Vasquez

“Juan of the Dead” is a silly and occasionally creepy zombie movie, but one that also dares to have a brain and display some very volatile commentary about the state of Cuba, and the inherent poverty that runs rampant. Though Juan lives in poverty and is mostly considered a loser by most in his neighborhood, he’s managed to carve out a comfortable existence for himself, and is something of a saving grace for neighbors. After Juan and his friend Lazaro come across a rotted corpse while fishing that attempts to bite them, they kill it and then decide never to talk about it again. What’s funny is that most of the situations may seem like a warning sign to most, but director Brugués comments on the state of Cuba through it.

Continue reading →

Assault On Precinct 13 (1976): Collector’s Edition [Blu-ray]

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Felix Vasquez

Almost forty years later, director John Carpenter’s “Assault on Precinct 13” is still an excellent and mean contemporary western that never lets up on its audience. Director Carpenter has a knack for lensing the world to look like an alien habitat filled with despair and evil, and “Assault” is no exception. What begins as moving day for a local precinct descends in to violence, chaos, and murder with an enemy that will stop at nothing to quench its thirst for vengeance.

Continue reading →