Resident Evil (2002)

'Resident Evil' began as a 1996 video game for the Sony Playstation before becoming the blockbuster action film series that has since produced five sequels with the final arriving this month. The first film began life as a screenplay written by horror maestro George A. Romero with intentions to direct the film himself. However when those plans fell through due to conflicts with the various producers involved, director Paul W.S. Anderson was brought in. Anderson had just finished the recent box office bomb 'Soldier' with Kurt Russell and was a big fan of the video game series. His future wife, Milla Jovovich would star in all six films as the character of Alice, a mysterious woman who awakens in an underground facility owned by the Umbrella Corporation, a pharmaceutical company who has been secretly creating biological weaponry before a biohazard broke out within their own labs, resulting in grotesque creatures escaping and causing mayhem.

The first 'Resident Evil' also stars Michelle Rodriguez, who most will likely know from the popular 'Fast and the Furious' series of films. She plays the character Rain, a special ops soldier sent in with a team to interrogate Alice and investigate the reasoning behind the outbreak. She and Jovovich do fine in their respective roles given the little material they are given. The original draft by Romero would have not included these characters at all, and when you read the script it almost read like a shot for shot remake of the video game's storyline even down to the game's ridiculous dialogue and sillier moments. For those who do not really enjoy these films due to their lack of any real connection to the video games, I do suggest you look into the original script if you haven't already. I personally felt mixed opinions about it and really didn't feel that it would have been any better of an adaptation despite its stronger connections.

The film is a basic action film scenario, much like James Cameron's 'Aliens'. A group of soldiers and a few civilians head into certain doom and peril, not knowing of the full extent of the situation. In rewatching the film, it truly does feel much like the 1986 film, just done with a slightly larger budget and without the same level of skills and talent Cameron might bring to the table. This is nothing personal towards Anderson as I enjoy quite a few of his films, with 'Event Horizon' being one I consider to be very underrated in the horror genre along with his adaptation of 'Mortal Kombat'. I think even at the time that this film was put into production, Sony Pictures would have rather just made a film in name only to the games rather than a proper adaptation in order to secure a future franchise. They succeeded for sure, the films despite their negative reviews and outcries from the fans have made millions of dollars on both home video and theatrically.

I think the major flaws of this film are down to its characters and it's lack of any really memorable or strong action sequences, despite its attempts to make you constantly feel as if you just witness the most adrenaline pumping scene ever. It constantly deflates any tension and it really takes me out of the film quite often. The actors do their jobs well, even if they have to do the worst actions and spout off the weakest dialogue. On a technical level, 'Resident Evil' is fine but it's just a lack of action, a lack of plot coherency, and the film just slogs at a snail's pace. I really have mellowed out over the years with this series, much like the 'Alien vs. Predator' franchise. I believe that these films and the games are within their own universes and really don't ruin my experience with the games. They're popcorn flicks that are fun, but harmless and while I really don't think they needed to produce six films, I see the appeal they have and recommend them to action fans at the very least. You could really do much worse.

We will be discussing and reviewing the 'Resident Evil' franchise in depth this week in celebration of the newest entry in the game series and the final chapter of the film series. Be sure to check us out all this week.

The Bye Bye Man (2017)

'The Bye Bye Man' is not only a dumb title for a horror film, but also a dumb film as well. It's the age old boogeyman story about an ancient evil that is awakened once his name is spoken and along the way, every single cheap horror gag you can think of happens as if on a checklist. From loud noises in place of genuine horror to characters committing stupid acts that only get them killed faster, 'The Bye Bye Man' does it all. The film also looks cheap, with weak makeup effects and computer generated sequences that have a very unpolished and unrendered look to them.

The film rounds out it's list of C-grade actors with two notables in Carrie Ann-Moss and Faye Dunaway, who are both relegated to little more than cameos in a weak attempt to give the film credibility it doesn't earn. The film also seems to run too long despite it relatively average length for a horror film. You're just sitting there attempting to slog through what seems to be endless jump scares and bad acting and I literally got a migraine when I left the theater.

'The Bye Bye Man' takes from all and gives nothing back worthwhile. It takes from your wallet, the wallet of STX production company, and it takes the better aspects of other horror films and makes them work as poorly as possible. This is something you'd expect to come direct to DVD, and not almost 2000 theaters in 2017. The ironic aspect of the film is that if you don't think or say his name, he doesn't exist which won't be very difficult to achieve because once you leave the screening at your local cinema, you'll forget his name and this movie rather quickly.

(If I could find a way to make a zero stars out of a skull, I would)

Underworld: Blood Wars (2017)

'Underworld: Blood Wars' sees Kate Beckinsale's vampire Death Dealer Selene betrayed by her own kind and she's finally had enough of the ever continuing war between vampire and lycans and goes medieval on them all. The film is the fifth entry in the 'Underworld' franchise that began back in 2004, around the same time that director Paul W.S. Anderson's 'Resident Evil' films began to take off. The reason I bring this up is because the two series feel very similar, in both it's behind the scenes aspects of the director's wives being the star vehicle, and in that they're both rather dull, loud, and bloodless action films that add nothing to the far too crowded genre.

To be fair, I have only seen the first two films before settling in for 'Blood Wars', but even If I went though every Wikipedia article detailing every story detail of this universe, I think that I and many of the other uninitiated audience members would still be left feeling cold, frustrated, and confused. The main problem seems to stem from it's sloppy editing, in which we'll watch a two to three minute sequence involving usually two characters then, without warning we'll jump cut to another short scene. It's as if the film was pieced together from smaller vingettes into a 90 minute film and it seems as if the director and studio was more concerned with rushing through the story and character development as much as possible in order to show off another bland and generic action sequence, most of which are shot to stand out using the now common 3D gimmick.

'Underworld: Blood Wars' is harmless and fans of this long running series will probably enjoy it to some degree more than I did, but I speak as a critic and not as a fan that this film is very poorly put together. It's choppy editing, mindless action, and overdone plot points just weakens it severely. Despite what I think about the franchise as a whole, I will say that the previous films were nowhere near this rushed. They at least attempted to make a decent action film that you could spend a day wasting, but now the series has simply bled out.

'Child's Play 7' Now Titled 'Cult of Chucky' (Teaser Trailer Released)

Director Don Mancini revealed via Twitter that the seventh installment to the 'Child's Play' franchise has begun filming in Georgia for a Fall 2017 DVD/Blu-Ray Release. A teaser trailer has been released and although we have no footage from the new film within it, It really pumps you up if you're a big fan like I am. Check out the trailer at the bottom of the page.

From Universal Pictures:

Confined to an asylum for the criminally insane for the past four years, Nica Pierce (Fiona Dourif) is erroneously convinced that she, not Chucky, murdered her entire family. But when her psychiatrist introduces a new therapeutic “tool” to facilitate his patients’ group sessions — an all-too-familiar “Good Guy” doll with an innocently smiling face — a string of grisly deaths begins to plague the asylum, and Nica starts to wonder if maybe she isn’t crazy after all. Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent), Chucky’s now-grown-up nemesis from the original Child’s Play, races to Nica’s aid. But to save her he’ll have to get past Tiffany (Oscar®-nominee Jennifer Tilly), Chucky’s long-ago bride, who will do anything, no matter how deadly or depraved, to help her beloved devil doll. 

 

Black Christmas (1974) (Blu-Ray Review)

'Black Christmas' arrived in 1974 and was directed by Bob Clark (A Christmas Story, Porky's). The film stars Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, and John Saxon in a take on an old urban legend in which a mysterious stranger invades and hides in the attic of a Sorority house during the Christmas break, terrorizing the young girls with various obscene phone calls. At first amused by the eerie calls, things soon turn sinister and deadly. Bob Clark is a very diverse director to say the least, with films ranging from college comedies, to brutal horror, to charming family films. He is talented in many ways and while 'Black Christmas' isn't the best film he worked on, it is still a solid watch that provides a very eerie atmosphere and some scares.

For a film with a small budget, it's strong performances from some A-list actors really elevate it up there from your usual slasher fare. Olivia Hussey had just recently starred in 'Romeo & Juliet' and Keir Dullea in '2001: A Space Odyssey' so you have some pretty great picks in what most would consider a cheap and lowbrow genre. The killer in the film, known as 'Billy' is one of the most disturbing I've seen in a horror film. His obscene phone calls are some of the scariest things I've ever heard and it is not for the easily bothered. The film's downsides mostly consist of the film's low budget, which results in a lot of technical and sound issues (which we'll discuss in a minute). The film also adds comedic scenes that do lighten the intensity of the film, but they feel quite out of place and really serve no purpose other than a chuckle or two. One minor nitpick that may be a clincher for some is that 'Black Christmas' has some very vulgar and lazy dialogue written throughout, particularly from Margot Kidder's character. While this usually doesn't phase me in the least, it seems pointless here, as if they felt the phone calls weren't horrible enough that everyone has to curse or scream vulgarities every few moments or so. 'Black Christmas' is a classic horror film despite all its warts and scars and would go on to influence the genre heavily in the years to come. If you're a big fan of horror, you likely already have 'Black Christmas' in your collection, but I do recommend checking out this newest release.

Video quality on this new SHOUT! Factory release is an improvement of the Critical Mass release a few years back, with sharper outlines and less of a blurry effect to the various lighting and brighter sequences. Unfortunately, the film has suffered for many years with a poor picture quality due to it's budget and lack of care since it's original release. Still, I commend and give SHOUT! praise for doing the best they possibly could and bringing a good-not-great picture for 2016's 'Black Christmas' Blu-Ray.

The controversial part of this release that has caused many fans issues is the sound quality. The film is presented with a new 5.1 digital remaster exclusive to this release that changes many sound effects and music cues and it sounds fine enough, however for those who have seen the film in its original format, the changes are quite noticeable and some are a little frustrating. The scene I personally have an issue with is the infamous 'Glass Unicorn' death scene that has many little changes to it, which I feel lessens it's impact somewhat. The main controversy here is the film's original Mono soundtrack is presented on the disc, which is plagued by strong hiss and various sound issues that SHOUT! has since repaired and sent out newly formatted discs to those who e-mail them with the issue. The sound is by far the worst aspect of this new release and hopefully the Mono track will be fixed when it arrives in the mail.

Special Features include 4 separate commentary tracks, including one from director Bob Clark and a commentary with the film's killer 'Billy' which is quite a fun listen. New features also include a couple new documentaries, new interviews with the various cast and crew, and promotional material including trailers and TV spots.

'Black Christmas' finally receives a decent Blu-Ray release in the US and through all of its issues, it's still a great SHOUT! Factory release and worth the empty space on your shelf.

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VIDEO:

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SPECIAL FEATURES:

10 Christmas Flicks For That Special Horror Fan (2016 Edition)

 Holiday Horror. It's more common now than it once was and it wasn't even that long ago that the genre faced a lot of controversy for combining the happiest time of the year with blood and guts. However, the Christmas horror sub-genre has become somewhat of a guilty pleasure for both die hard fans and newer generations and today, I'd like to make a little list of some of my 'alternate' Christmas movies to pop in every year.

 1). GREMLINS (1984)

Let's get the obvious choice out of the way here first, with the most commercially appealing film on this list. Joe Dante and Steven Spielberg created one of the best films of the 1980's with fun and likeable characters, a strong screenplay, and amazing special effects for the time. 'Gremlins II' is honestly my personal favorite of the two due to its wacky 'Looney Tunes' tone, but there's no denying the importance of the original that started it all and with talk of a new film coming one can only hope that they don't screw it up. (P.S. They probably will...)

2). A Christmas Horror Story (2015)

 A severely underrated gem when released just last year, 'Christmas Horror Story' has gone one to become one of my newest favs. This anthology film tells multiple short stories ending with an amazing battle between Krampus and Santa himself. The best part about this film, is that you can catch it on Netflix right now. What are you waiting for?

 3). KRAMPUS (2015)

A very divisive horror film, 'Krampus' is either thought of fondly or as a mass market overrated popcorn flick, and while it was flawed and does feel slightly toned down for a wider audience, I still love this film. There was nothing like this last year in theaters and after disappointment after disappointment last year in horror, 'Krampus' was a breath of fresh air from the director of the suburb 'Trick R' Treat', with dark humor and some surprising amount of heart and warmth in a film that feels and looks so so cold. Give Michael Dougherty every holiday themed horror flick from now on please.

4). Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

 Here's one that will definitely divide folks. If you hate subtitles, as much as I am disappointed to hear that but this movie won't be for you. For the rest of you all, 'Rare Exports' is a bizarre Swedish film about Santa being discovered in an ancient ruin only for those who discovered him to realize too late how bad of an idea that really was. The concept of Santa as an ancient evil entity instead of his usual 'Coca-Cola' self is really nothing new, however this film does it so well and with a few twists and turns of its own along the way. The film is well paced, well acted, and well produced and shot and is well worth at least a rental if not adding to your collection. Don't let the subtitles scare you away, let the movie itself do that.

5.) Black Christmas (1974)

We will be reviewing this one in more detail down the line, but let's just talk a little about it here. Bob Clark would ironically go on to direct the beloved classic 'A Christmas Story' only a few short years after 'Black Christmas' and with both holiday themed films, he is at his very best. Taking the concept of the old urban legend of 'The Man in the Attic' mixed in with some creepy visuals and one of the scariest movie killers of all time. Christmas never terrified me more than with 'Black Christmas'.

6.) Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)

A huge controversy when first released, people were so angry about the idea of a mall Santa wielding an axe, you'd think the movie killed their puppies. The hype surrounding the film did unfortunately harm it somewhat in the end as I and many others felt slightly let down when I first watched it but even if it didn't quite live up to all the protests it spawned, it's still a solid slasher film that does what few of them did: developed its story and its main killer Billy. You strangely enough feel more for young Billy than many of his victims, due to his extensive backstory in which he is constantly abused by the evil Mother Superior. It's more akin to dramas than your typical slasher fare, but that is the charm and what elevates it above your usual genre flick.

7). Christmas Evil (1980)

The ending to this movie is worth it alone. A troubled man day dreams and spies on his neighbors, seeing who is naughty or nice. I can't say much more, as it would spoil the surprise, but trust me when I say this one is totally insane.

8). Don't Open Till Christmas (1984)

If sleaze is more your thing, this 'Grindhouse-esque' slasher is your thing. Brutally violent and visuals that always make you feel dirty and unclean, 'Don't Open' is for you more hardcore out there if you can manage to track down a copy (or use YouTube). I wanted to mention it however, as it seems that many do not and it's a pretty good slasher film.

9). Black X-Mas (2006)

We'll keep this short as you've likely already read our recent review. A guilty pleasure and a not-so-terrible remake, 'Black X-Mas' chooses to take the basic concept of the original and rather than copying it word for word, it takes it into classic 80's slasher territory which gives it at the very least a fun popcorn factor much like 2005's 'House of Wax'.

10). Silent Night (2012)

Another remake 'in name only', 'Silent Night' is very much like 'My Bloody Valentine 3D' in many ways and that's not a bad thing. It's surprisingly brutal for a film from 2012 (a 13 year old girl is murdered on screen) and it's cheesy performance from Malcolm McDowell helps keep the film memorable. It's not serious and it doesn't pretend to be 'Silent Night' is good old fashioned slasher fun.

HONORABLE MENTION:

'And All Through The House' (Tales From The Crypt Episode 2)

I'm sure most of you have seen this classic. A woman murders her husband on Christmas Eve only to be stalked outside her home by a crazed killer in a Santa suit. Unable to call the police due to her own crime, she must attempt to survive and protect herself and her daughter. This is simply in the top ten of the best episodes of the series and for anyone who's missed out on 'Tales From The Crypt' due to their age or whatever reason, you need to start here.


Have a Merry Christmas folks, hope to post something soon.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (30th Anniversary Edition)

'Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer' is directed by John McNaughton and stars Michael Rooker as the titular killer and is loosely based upon the real events of Henry Lee Lucas, who admitted to over 200 murders but only convicted for 11. The film has had quite a long history, from censorship to production troubles that would take the 1987 film three years before a limited release and a cult following on home video. The film is shot in a documentary style, giving it a raw and realistic look that just adds to the overall dread and discomfort one feels when giving this one a watch.

Michael Rooker, who has gone on to big roles in films such as 'Guardians of the Galaxy' and even television with 'The Walking Dead' does his best even here in his first role. He really gives that creep vibe off well and his performance is stronger than that in many high end productions with similar themes, and I'm dead serious in saying that he deserved some kind of award for this role. Now, let's be real here this is not the type of film you sit through on a weekly or even a monthly basis. It's very gruesome, depressing, and overly downbeat but it's a required viewing at least once.

The new 4K video transfer on this new 30th anniversary edition is a drastic improvement from the previous Dark Sky release. The film isn't going to look like 'Avatar' but it's clearly been cleaned up while retaining that grainy documentary feeling and overall, there are very little inconsistencies in this transfer. With a spot or two occasionally looking overly soft or out of focus it isn't perfect, but this is definitely the best 'Henry' has looked yet.

The audio has been remixed in 5.1 from the previous Blu-Ray release, though no huge improvement is really noticeable here. Dialogue is more clear for sure, however overall we get a rather mediocre sound here, but it's hard to fault it when the film wasn't exactly going for a brilliant mix either. Overall, it's OK not great.

Special Features include 'Henry vs. The MPAA' a documentary about the various troubles with censorship in America when the film was released back in 1990. On the other side of the pond, we get 'Henry at the BFCC' about the film's troubles overseas due to its heavy content. The 'Making-Of' documentary has been carried over and is one of the big standouts of this disc. At about an hour or so, it goes into the film rather extensively given that short time and is worth a watch as much as the film itself. Other features include Deleted Scenes, Trailers, and an Audio Commentary from director John McNaughton. Nice package here folks.

'Henry' is not a film for everyone, and it's not strictly for horror fans either. It's an important film to the history of the medium and if you believe you can take it, then by all means you need to see this film. The new 30th anniversary edition is a loving restoration featuring some of the best looking picture and the best special features carried over to bring you a set worth placing on your shelf.


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