WOMAN IN BLACK…and Harry Potter ain’t coming back!

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Last weekend I suffered through a DVD viewing of PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 and realized how badly I was a craving a good old fashioned tale of the supernatural. Little did I know that a new ghost story was looming just around the corner and to be released this weekend ala’ THE WOMAN IN BLACK.  NOTE: As pointed out to me on Facebook by Ryan Clark, this is a Hammer remake and not “new” as in fresh idea. Thanks Ryan). So yesterday I eagerly headed over to the local theater for a mid-day matinee – entering an auditorium with only about seven other patrons. This wasn’t too surprising as most of the world was, no doubt, busy picking up last minute snacks and beer for the big Superbowl game today.

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A Supernatural ’80s Party with “Witchboard!”

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There is no shortage of guilty pleasures so far as 1980’s horror movies are concerned. Whether its one of the multitude of slasher films that helped define the decade or one of those goofy GREMLINS inspired rip-offs (CRITTERS, TROLL, GHOULIES, etc) you had plenty of “fun with fright” movies to choose from.

Today I’m going to call to your attention one of my favorite lesser known 80’s films, WITCHBOARD (1986). As soon as it came out on VHS (after a limited release in a paltry 15 theaters), I rented it from my local (and now all but obsolete) “mom and pop” video store. I didn’t have high hopes but, within the first few minutes of snappy dialogue involving a debate between party-goers regarding the existence of God and ghosts, this 16 year old horror fan was hooked!

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Redneck Redemption: “Tucker and Dale vs. Evil!”

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In these politically correct times, stereotypes regarding an individuals race, gender, and sexual orientation are no longer permissible in open, everyday conversation nor our general media. This trend began in the 1990’s and is now regarded as social Canon. Some argue that it has been taken a bit too far but, regardless, I’m sure most of us can agree that people should be treated respectfully and not have to deal with prejudices regarding who they are – so long as they aren’t committing crimes nor harming others.

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New Indie film RAGE pays homage to Spielberg’s “Duel!”

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Its a mixed blessing when we receive Independent films to review for this site. We are honored that so many talented people out there are willing to share their work with us and allow us the privilege of sharing our insights with readers.  At the same time, not all the movies we receive are necessarily something we are willing to place our fan stamp of approval on. When a big budget studio puts out a “turkey” we feel it is our duty to say so before fans go out and drop nearly $10 at the theater. You certainly don’t have to take our words for it, however, you were warned. Independent films made on a shoestring budget and lacking Hollywood’s publicity machine, will never be skewered here. We give artists who create films as a labor of love and dedication a much wider berth. Consequently, if we don’t care for it (and that is not to say that if “we” don’t like it someone else won’t) we won’t rip it apart – we just will leave it off our blog.

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Things to Hate about 2012’s The Thing

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This past weekend John Carpenter fans came out in droves to see the new prequel to his 1982 masterpiece THE THING. The Daves were no exception. And this would also mark the first horror film that we would  both see together at the theater. We did not have high expectations, though the film did promise to maintain the same cinematic quality as its predecessor. We worried that it would stray too far from the special effects that had made it so memorable. Also a concern, was how to make a film 30 years later that actually looked as if it had been made 3 years prior. In that regard, we were pleasantly surprised. From the film’s score to its recognizable opening credits, it did indeed look cohesive.

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Old School Monster FX Highlight Sid Haig’s CREATURE!

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Still reeling from the experience of sitting through SHARK NIGHT 3D, I felt it was time to immerse myself in something a little less CGI and more “old school.” I had read on article on the new film, CREATURE, in the latest FANGORIA while also enjoying a preview of it a few weeks back. This film has a limited release and played at only a few theaters in my native Chicagoland. Therefore, I was forced to forgo my favored big screen location in favor of a less savory one. In some ways, however, this added to the overall grindhouse feel of the film and I felt it actually enhanced the experience.

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