Tag Archives: Mystery

Raze (2014)

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Raze

It’s gratifying that “Raze” blew me out of seat from the first blood drenched bone crunching five minutes. Because once it starts with a bashed in blood soaked face, it never stops being an electrifying series of vicious fight scenes. “Raze” embraces its grindhouse exploitation tropes so unabashedly, I can imagine if this were made in 1975, it’d star folks like Pam Grier, Uschi Digard, and Lina Romay, with Joe Estevez playing Doug Jones’ part. That said, “Raze” is a mind blowing action thriller all on its own, that is so simple yet so damn entertaining.

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Static (2013)

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Todd Levin’s “Static” would work a lot better if it were shorter, better paced, and didn’t give away the surprise ending in the opening seconds. Seriously, if you’ve seen this type of film with this kind of set up before, you’ll catch on to where the entire premise is going. I figured it for a home invasion thriller like “Ils Them,” but then I eventually pinpointed where they were headed once Sara Paxton reared her gorgeous face.

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Don’t Go to the Reunion (2013)

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Steve Goltz is quickly becoming one of my favorite indie directors working today. One of the creators of Slasher Studios, he and his group know slasher movies and when they deliver their own original slashers, they have a ball with classic tropes of the sub-genre that feel new. After their pleasing revenge slasher “Teddy,” Goltz delivers one of the more unique and engrossing entries of the sub-genre I’ve seen in years. While it’s true Goltz and writer Kevin Sommerfield provide their nods and winks to classic eighties slasher films, “Don’t Go to the Reunion” works to the beat of its own drum, delivering kills aplenty, and a very interesting whodunit mystery.

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Mischief Night (2013) (DVD)

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Director Richard Shenkman’s “Mischief Night” isn’t exactly the most original horror films ever made. It garners elements of “Ils Them” and “The Strangers” with a dash of “Scream.” And let’s face it, we’ve seen a ton of movies about blind women being tormented by someone in their house, the best of which was “Wait Until Dark.” But what the director does with the film is entertaining and often times very compelling, and that’s mostly thanks to the very powerful performance by actress Noell Coet who lends the film’s heroine strength, wit, and a fierce independence that becomes her saving grace.

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Crave (2013)

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I really wanted to like Charles de Lauzirika’s “Crave,” because while it is painfully boring, it plants seeds for some chaos and havoc when it begins. The problem is that it never follows through on those seedlings of story potential. At least Charles de Lauzirika doesn’t seem to know how. What could be a demented look at a descent in to darkness turns in to a soapy, dripping melodrama with a hint of violence added all for a very lame pay off.

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Dario Argento’s Dracula 3D (2013)

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There’s a moment during “Dracula 3D” where I had to look away from the screen and cringe in utter embarrassment. It’s not the scene with the giant mantis, but where Dracula and Mina Harker are pitching woo on the castle balcony in the night. In between the pillars you can see a night sky and moon light so badly composited on to the screen, with atmosphere so poorly made up of blatant CGI, that it’s shocking in its sloppiness. Dario Argento is much better than this. Hell, Asia Argento is much better than this.

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Take It Back (2013)

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Director Josef Rodriguez’s short horror film “Take it Back” feels more experimental than a narrative when all is said and done. Given its short run time and atmosphere, it could use a ton of exposition and about five more minutes of back story. That said, in spite of its inherent faults, Rodriguez is definitely on to something in the horror realm, as “Take it Back” is interesting and definitely creepy.

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