Camp Dread (2014) (DVD)

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

Director Harrison Smith’s “Camp Dread” is a mixture of “My Little Eye” and “Friday the 13th.” In fact, go watch those movies instead. In all seriousness, “Camp Dread” has a pretty clever premise, it just has absolutely nothing to do with it. It’s a straight faced slasher film set in a summer camp and barely uses the opportunity to reference the “Friday the 13th” films, and yet it takes full advantage with Danielle Harris as the local sheriff. Her character’s brother is named Michael, and she hates horror movies. You see, it’s opposite. It’s clever because it’s opposite!

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Lesson of the Evil (Aku no kyôten) (2012)

Posted on April 11, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

It’s so gratifying to see Takashi Miike returning to his chaotic roots that helped make him such a beloved auteur. While I’m sure his court room movie “Ace Attorney,” and the “Ninja Kids” actioner were fine outputs, “Lesson of the Evil” is a return to form for a man who proves he hasn’t lost a bit of his step. “Lesson of the Evil” isn’t just shocking, but it’s gory, disturbing, and features some of the most surreal supernatural elements I’ve seen in years. Miike comes back with a bang, and I had a difficult time turning away from “Lesson of the Evil,” even when it was tough to sit through.

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The Witch (2013)

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

Director Jason Shurkey’s “The Witch” is light on story and narrative, but it’s a good student film, nevertheless. It garners some really tight editing and an atmosphere that make it a Gothic short horror film that’s very much worth experimenting with. Director Shurkey really knows how to develop a tone from the outset, and follows through with a surreal horror film.

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Afflicted (2014)

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

Clif Prowse and Derek Lee’s “Afflicted” is a mix of “Innocent Blood,” and Cronenberg’s “The Fly,” with a hefty injection of “Chronicle.” It’s rife with cliches, predictable plot twists, and is about ten minutes too long. But in spite of all of that, I’d definitely suggest “Afflicted” to horror fans. Because while it’s retreaded horror fodder, it’s well directed, tightly edited, and solidly performed horror fodder to say the least. I knew what was coming, but I was also very much invested in the characters. I also really enjoyed the special effects.

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George A. Romero’s Empire of the Dead

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

I’m just going to throw it out there without fearing a spoiler troll. So we find out in “Empire of the Dead” that doctor Penny Jones is indeed the little sister of Barbara and Johnny from “Night of the Living Dead.” So that would mean that they were named Barbara and Johnny Jones. And that the scenario that took place in 1968, really was present times. The world we gander upon in “Empire” is set in New York five years after the zombie apocalypse ensued, so, it’s 1973? Or is “Night” set in modern times? Which one is it? And what happened to Barbara after she survived Johnny dragging her away from the zombie horde? Do “Dawn of the Dead” and “Day of the Dead” just not count anymore? Does “Empire of the Dead” officially wipe them out of existence?

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Contracted (2013) (DVD)

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

You can definitely look at director Eric England’s horror drama in two plains. You can either watch it as a gory tale of a woman rotting gradually in to something beyond herself, or you can look at it as a metaphorical tale of a woman rotting in to the ugly being she’s probably always been her entire life. When you cut it down, the character Samantha is the protagonist, but never really is an empathetic individual. She’s this lecherous, vapid, and utterly narrow minded being who does nothing but ride on people’s good will and expects big returns. That’s not to say she deserves what is coming to her, but who’s to say her final transformation isn’t what she’s been her entire life?

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Scooby-Doo: Wrestlemania Mystery (2014) [DVD/Blu-ray/Digital]

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Felix Vasquez

The Scooby gang have come across almost every popular star since they were introduced on television. From the Harlem Globetrotters to Batman and Robin, no one was off limits to them. Surely enough with WWE ruling the sports world currently, their crossover with the Scooby gang was not only inevitable but it makes perfect sense, when you consider it. They met The Harlem Globetrotters. Mike Piazza. KISS. This was a long time coming.

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