The Other Side of Grace (First Look)

The Other Side of Grace (First Look)

A feature length documentary that charts the rise and decline of the most dangerous city in America-- East St Louis, IL.

A few disclaimers before I start here:

1. This is not a horror movie, however it is a subject I feel strongly about.
2. I am a dyed in blue Ronald Reagan conservative 
3. East St Louis, IL took the title of most dangerous city from the city of Highland Park, Mi where I worked as a paramedic for 15 years.
4. Goldie Taylor political views and mine do not match up on a lot of things this one however we are on the same page. 

While the documentary focuses on Goldie's hometown of East St. Louis it could in reality be any small urban enclave. Places like East St' Louis and other small cities don't get the press or help their bigger more powerful neighbors do. And in the end that just be America's greatest shame. When I was a paramedic the term hero was thrown out a lot towards the emergency services I use to tell people I'm no hero I'm just doing my job, the real heros are the people in places like ESL, the 8 year old girl that makes sure her 5 year old brother is ready to go to school because mom had to be to work at 7am, the 15 year old boy that walks home from school with his trumpet case though sidewalks littered with drug paraphernalia and not slipping into the pitfalls of easy money and flashy cars, or the 70 year old grandmother that still after all these years watching the world fall apart from her front porch isn't afraid to tell the thug she will have none of his nonsense on her block. Those are the real heros in America today. Urban areas today have already lost a generation if we let it continue we will lose the country. Remember the troubles of places like East St. Louis and Highland Park, MI are a microcosm of what is happening in every town and city in the US. Ok thanks for letting me rant now on to to the film.

Goldie Taylor is a veteran journalist and opinion writer. A former staff writer at the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Taylor has been a working journalist and political consultant for nearly 25 years, including her current roles as an MSNBC contributor and a columnist at MSNBC.com. Taylor is a former editor-at-large for theGrio.com, the leading news and opinion site for African Americans, where she continues as a writer focused on domestic policy and social issues. She was also born and raised in East St. Louis so she not only has the journalist chops to tell the story but a vested interest on her subject that will only transfer to passion on the screen. With projects like this it's really easy to fall into the across the aisle finger wagging that sabotages so many debates. We can't let this happen with this film. Working with veteran and  awarding winning news producer and photographer Mario Page. The experience to have a great story brought to life is there.

With a kickstarter only needing for $53,000 to make a reality, the ROI in shining a light on what is becoming the USA's albatross of shame will be priceless. Looking over the kickstarter page she has also incorporated some great perks in the campaign.

In closing I would like to challenge both sides of the political spectrum to come together and make Goldie Taylor's dream come to life.

Kickstart Campaign can be found here

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Red Right Hand First Look

Red Right Hand (First Look)

In a dark forest, on a lonely road, something is waiting...

Well if the teaser are any indication the new film in pre production by writer, director, and producer Stuart Lawson is sure to send chills up and down your spine. Rounding out the pre-production team are director of photography Kupa Warner and SFX makeup artist Kate Griffiths(Filmblood - Makeup Artist of the Year award in 2013.). While none would be considered "known names" on this side of the pond. This project just might change that. 

The story in itself is enough to make you think "maybe I should leave a light on tonight". Based on an urban legend from Lawson's childhood. Living in a village, as a child, Stuart heard about this terrifying story of a daughter visiting her parents and the horrific event that took place that night. After years go by, naturally it's assumed that it was just an urban legend, Until he found a newspaper clipping. The script came about after Lawson returned to his hometown for a visit and became enthralled with the story of what happen to  Catherine when she was driving down a deserted lonely road at night. 
With a kickstarter that is only asking for 6000 pounds(10000 USD) We're hoping to see the script come to life.

The Horror of an Urban Legend. In a dark forest, on a lonely road, something is waiting....

Find The Kickstarter Here

The Chair (2015) First Look

The Chair (2015)

Sanity is such an easy thing to lose.

A new kickstarter opened today The Chair, written by Peter Simeti with the screenplay by Erin Kohut. Director Chad

Ferrin rumored to be attached to the project. With a veteran cast including Eric Roberts, Naomi Grossman (American Horror), Noah Hathaway(Boxey on the original Battlestar Galactica), and Brian Thompson in the lead as Sullivan. 

Based on the graphic novel by Peter Simeti and Erin Kohut with illustrations by Kevin Christensen. It tells the story of Richard Sullivan is an innocent man struggling to escape his fate on death row. Witnessing the brutal torture and murder of his fellow inmates at the hand of the prison's sadistic and psychotic Warden, Sullivan decides that the only way to survive is to fight back. But as he matches the savagery and brutality occurring in the prison, Sullivan is forced to come face to face with his own sanity, will he find a way to survive or will the insane events of the prison finally consume him? A horror/thriller set on death row, THE CHAIR is a dark character study on the choices people make in life.

With cast and crew of this caliber and a proven story this film is destined for great things. And now is your chance to get in on the ground floor with some excellent perks planned. With the success of other graphic novels made into film, think Sin City, V for Vendetta, 30 Days Of Night, and a little TV show called The Walking Dead. The time for The Chair is now.

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V/H/S VIRAL (V/H/S 3) New Trailer

V/H/S VIRAL (V/H/S 3) New Trailer

Fans of the film franchise V/H/S get a morsel of the latest in the trilogy

(From Epic:)
Fame-obsessed teens hell-bent on capturing the next viral video discover they are the stars of the latest internet sensation. V/H/S VIRAL is the third and most intense installment in the groundbreaking horror franchise from the world's top genre filmmakers.

Directed by: MARCEL SARMIENTO (Dead Girl), GREGG BISHOP (Dance of the Dead), NACHO VIGALONDO (Timecrimes), JUSTIN BENSON & AARON MOORHEAD (Resolution), TODD LINCOLN (The Apparition)

Munger Road (2011)

Munger Road: Don't Leave Me Hanging Bro.......

6 Out Of 10

Let me get some things out of the way about this movie before I channel Dennis Miller and go off on a rant. I thought first time writer/director Nicholas Smith did a fine job, with good storytelling and well directed scenes. The film also boast above par acting for a low budget horror movie. Starring Randall Batinkoff and Bruce Davison who have over 70 years of talent between them and it came across on screen. The four leads played by Trevor Morgan, Brooke Peoples, Hallock Beals, and Lauren Storm all put in tight and believable performance's. Now the only really glaring plot hole was the age of the killer, the sheriff (Davison)was giving the background of the case to his deputy(Batinkoff) and the numbers would have put the killers age at about 70 give or take a few years. But that can be forgiving. The story borrows from the greats in the genre including The Blair Witch and Halloween to name a couple, and actually pulls it off.

****May Contain Spoilers****

The movie tells two separate intertwined stories till the final act when they merge. One being the hunt for an escaped serial killer and the other a supernatural tale of group of teens trying to find a urban legend. The thriller storyline is pretty straight forward killer breaks out, kills guards, carjacks a van to get home. with a nice little red herring thrown in to keep us guessing. The horror storyline is much the same cookie cutter supernatural killer fare we get all the time. Teens check out something scary,car breaks, cell phones lose signal, and one by one they go off alone. On a side note it was refreshing to see them not hate each other like you see in so many of these types of movies. What makes this movie special is the way they work the two storylines together. This is truly a case of the whole being greater than it's parts. Either part of the movie would have been mediocre at best but fit nicely together. Thought out the movie we are lead to believe that the serial killer is the one terrorizing the kids at his old killing ground. Not until the end of the movie do we find out that he was killed at 11:14 pm the night before the exact time the teens watches stopped working and the strange things started happen to them a disembodied hand leaving a print on the window. A flash in the camera of someone behind their car. Strange sounds all around them. Easy enough then right find what's keeping him here fix it and send him into the light. The End turn up the lights time to head out. Not so fast............

Now I don't want to get off on a rant here but the movie ends on a To Be Continued screen yep thats right nothing settled don't know who lived or died don't know why he came back. Nothing zip, zilch, not even a sorry. Now that premiss wouldn't be bad if and it's a big if. If Munger Road II was in the can....wait for it.....it's not and the latest news is it ain't coming. So instead of wrapping up the loose ends and if people like it then writing the sequel We'll just force a sequel and I can take it easy on the screenplay. The whole thing is ludicrous hell I sat through all the credits thinking it was a out of place joke. The movie was 86 minutes long even an extra 14 minutes you could have cleaned it up and a real good movie(I bet it could have been done in 10). But the audience was short changed and it was a bad move and you should feel bad for doing it. If you can't get it together for part II at least go shoot the end for the first one and call it an extended directors cut. All in all decent movie that you get short changed in the end.

ATM: I'm sorry you have insufficient funds for this transaction or this is a bad movie and they should feel bad for making it.

2 Out Of 10

WOW just WOW is all I can say about this little gem of a movie. While the concept would have been great for a short dragging it out to 90 minutes is just a bad idea. How could Chris Sparling follow up Buried (2010) with this monstrosity. This film had all the potential to be a bad movie that you could reveal and enjoy in it's badness but can't even pull that off. Truly the only redeeming quality is the acting of Alice Eve as Emily. But seems to be dragged down with plot holes. Rounding out the main cast are Brian Geraghty who was unbelievable as a wannabe stockbroker with a heart and Josh Peck who should really stick with voice work or see if he can get his job  at Nickelodeon back. The plot and I'm using the term loosely is Peck is the DB friend of Geraghty decides to do his best after to ruin the budding relationship between Geraghty and Eve. To start the movie we are treated to 20 minutes of Peck whining and setting up just how big of an idiot he is. Ok we get it we got it 7 minutes in the rest is just filler that adds nothing except sowing a burning desire to see the killer get him first. The meat of the movie uses so many horror cliches that it would make a B-Movie slasher flick proud but takes itself way too seriously to pull it off. I could go on and on about these but I would start to drone on like the movie did. In collusion even if we suspend belief on the glaring problems with this production were not left with enough to enjoy. 

The Good 

Alice Eve's performance is truly the only redeeming quality in a bad movie.

It has a haunting rendition of Silent Night over the closing credits (that lasted 5 min)

The Bad

Everything else

The Sacrament (2013) Review

The Sacrament: Ti West's coming of age as a director.

8 out of 10 stars

The latest from Ti West is not your father's horror movie or maybe it is. Instead of his trademark slow burn leading up to a shock and awe moment we are treated to a movie that slow burns to a rolling boil and stays there much like Hitchcock use to do. If you're under 35 you may not realize this is based on the Jonestown massacre in 1978 where 900 people committed "revolutionary suicide" at their compound in Guyana. I truly believe that this will be considered his "coming of age movie", as he lets the story unwind in front of you without the usual horror movie hooks. There has been a lot of things said about Ti being the next great horror maker with this movie he cements his place with the likes of Carpenter, Craven, and the lot. What he gets so right in this film is he keeps leaving just enough creepy hints along the way to make you pay attention waiting for the one hint that would lead to the monster. Until you realize the monster here isn't a demon or devil just a man with the gift of gab playing on people's emotional weaknesses and men's willingness to believe. The acting, story, and soundtrack all mesh to perfection making this a definitely must watch and adds to Ti's credential as a top filmmaker

****May Contain Spoilers****

The film is framed as a VICE documentary of the religious group living at "Eden Parish" The Vice crew(AJ Bowen,Kentucker Audley) accompanied by their friend(Joe Swanberg) looking for his sister(played by Amy Seimetz) lead by "The Father" played to perfection by Gene Jones. Almost immediately after arriving they start sensing that something isn't quite right but everything is easily explained away when they question the residents. The residents tell their stories on how they were lost until they found The Father and had sold everything for a chance at eutopia. While things appear perfect on the surface though the interviews we are supplied with hints that things may not be what it seems. Including child abuse, drug use, and adultery. During an interview at a party thrown in their honor The Father does what every subject of controversy does he ducks and changes the question to suit his needs. It is after the interview that we see how charismatic the leader is as the VICE interviewer Sam says he can't believe he let him get away with hijacking the interview. Feeling like something is terribly wrong they lie awake most of the night waiting to leave we are also privy to that not all is well and a group of people want to leave. The film makers split up with one going to find how many they can take on the helicopter and two staying behind trying to keep things calm. They are quickly taken hostage, when the cameraman makes it to the chopper shots ring out and the pilot is hit he escapes to the jungle being pursued by guards of the parish. After a short chase he loses his pursuers and makes his way back to Eden. For the next 15 minutes of so we are treated to the drink the kool-aid scene. We find one of them in the home of The Father handcuffed to a chair as The Father tries to justify the things he has done while sniffing cocaine he then removes gun and in a nice twist commits suicide instead of ending the movie. We also find out that Jake's sister had led him to the compound in hopes of getting him to stay with the group and get a much needed influx of money, they find him after his sister has killed him and is pouring gas on herself before going up in flames. As the two are trying to get back to the helicopter they are spotted by a guard that is walking around finish people off and just as he see's them and we think they are going to be shot a shot rings out from another guard killing him, he then yells at them to leave and make sure their story is told and he's going to "burn it all down". With a final scene of us flying over Eden is very reminiscent of the footage of Jonestown. 



The Good
The acting especially Gene Jones who nails the cult leader by channeling Jim Jones

As much as some want to say it, this is not a found footage film it's a mockumentary,they set out to make a documentary and thats what they did.

Using the premise that it's a VICE production so the shaky cam can be held to a minimum.

The soundtrack gives all the right build ups and clues without going over the top.

Explaining the fine line between news reporter and news maker

The Bad

The back story on some of the main characters were sketchy or non existent. (the mother and daughter to name a couple)

 I think Sam played by AJ Bowen lost a lot of credibility by not leaving with Audley's Patrick when he had a chance as one of the secondary stories was his child's birth within a month. So instead of leaving and sending back help he wants to save the world which I found unrealistic for the character.

Conclusion:
Ti West creates a very good suspenseful movie that doesn't involve supernatural beings and special effect hooks

A Note To Horror Movie Producers......

An Open Letter To Horror Movie Producers

To Whom It May Concern,

  Thank You so much for all the great things you all do to make us jump and leave a light on at night while we sleep. However for the love Bella Lugosi's ghost and Bud's decaying body, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop with the "making movies counting on a sequel" nonsense. One of the major complaints I hear about horror movies today is "good movie but the ending kinda sucked though". Let that sink in you had the audience right where you wanted them only to let them slip away in the final act. Don't misinterpret this as me hating on squeals there are plenty of movie series that the second or third movie is way better than the original. But let the quality of your craft dictate what gets remade. I do understand the draw of playing for a sequel has but in doing so you short change yourself and us. This especially true of inde movies we do understand the hardships you have went though to see your vision come to life. But letting the production team take the cheap and easy way out won't help anyone. For me as I'm watching a movie that starts to play for squeal I start to feel cheated by the movie I'm watching. And it is true that horror fans will watch any horror movie that is made but don't take our love for a gerne for weakness. There are plenty of movies that beg for more of the story to be told and those will rise up above the ones that are playing they're audience for a fool. I believe it also lets your writer's and director's an easy out, your job is to challenge them not just let them go through the motions in hopes of getting an easy paycheck in the II version. We as an audience especially in horror are probably the smartest of movie goer's. Don't sacrifice what you have worked so hard to get made by hoping that you can make another, if it's good you will. Again Thank You making our nightmares real, but don't turn our nightmares into movie nightmares.

Yours Truly,

Your Audience

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Kids And Horror

When was your first horror movie you remember watching. For me it was Night Of The Living Dead, I remember being with my parents at the Gratiot Drive-In when I was 4 and on that night an obsession was born.

Truthfully I don't remember to much of that night. But I do remember being there. And that brings us to what I wanted to talk about today. How old is to young to introduce your child to horror movies. For me I think at about 5 or 6 is old enough to start watching some of the scarier films now I'm not talking about letting them watch Saw or Hostel but some of the milder movies. Because let's be honest most of the Xbox generation won't find the classic movie monsters appealing. Each parent needs to make this decision on their own. I base my decision on swearing and nudity/sex, a little swearing is fine my 9 year old knows what "bad words" are and a few GD's and hells aren't going to turn him into Jason I do draw the line at the the big one the "F" word one or two maybe fine but really do we need to hear it every other sentence don't get me wrong I can cuss like a drunken sailor mated with a outlaw biker. As for nudity I just don't feel comfortable watch softcore snuff with my kids even the adult ones. While nudity is always a deal breaker, There are a few exceptions to the swearing rule if I feel the movie is important to the genre or subgenre. A case in point would be Shaun of the Dead I felt it was such a defining moment in Zombie movies that the positives outweighed the negatives . What's your opinion on this I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

Nightbreed #1 Arrives May 28th

Horrors Dead....Long Live Horror

An Op-Ed to the Doomsayers 

There has been a lot of talk on the interwebs lately about the health of horror. With the most recent cries being "Can The Quiet Ones Save Horror". I would like to know who declared horror sick to begin with. I mean come on really can't we say that Horror has been "dying" since Universal stopped churning out the classic monster movies in the 40's and 50's. But let's get back to today for a bit. If we want to strictly go by box office then yeah put a fork in it, it's way over done. But so is most other genres. In 2013 three of the top ten grossing movies were geared toward kids(4 if you count hunger games). So I guess dramas and comedies are dead too. You'll find the same trend looking at 2012's top performers. So looking at this I would say yes getting a horror film made by a mainstream studio is a hard sell With the success of horror related tv shows such as Salem and of course The Walking Dead and money making movies like World War Z we may see big studios more willing to back horror movies in the future. Now after saying all that I believe we have the ace in the hole, the barbarians at the gate sort of speak. The independent film makers there is where our past and future lie. If you're of the school that George Romero's original Night Of The Living Dead is our Bethlehem star. Guess what we are going to be ok, it shows filmmakers of today that if you have passion people will come out to see it and it's contagious. Lets look at 2012's The Battery shot in two weeks for a whopping budget of 6,000 but in my opinion it's a good film with a fresh take.  Compare that with The Happening with a budget of 48,000,000. and The Blair witch with it's 60,000 budget. What I'm trying to get across to the doomsday sayers is that it's not about how much you CGI budget is, it's the filmmakers vision that going to prove where we are headed. And take this for what it's worth from someone that tries to watch two horror movies a day there is a whole lot more good than bad. We as the public just hear about the extremes on both ends. In today's entertainment industry gone are the days of just counting on a mainstream company to bring you what you want. With VOD and the internet I really believe we are just heading into our "Golden Age" And just look around at all the sub-genres we have the horror family. Horror doesn't even have the sniffles, don't believe me do yourself a favor and Google "independent horror films" and look around I have a feeling we are going to be ok.

The Hills Run Red 2009

A good little movie that lost it's way

5 out of 10 Stars

If I would have watched just the first 50 or 60 minutes of this film I think it would be rated in the 8,9 star range. They had me hook,line, and sinker. Then something more terrible then the creepy monster Babyface happened. They forgot WTH they were doing. The filmmakers were doing everything right and then it seems they said "well then, lets wrap this up fast I got a thing to get to"

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The Hills Run Red is a solid example of the trouble with slasher films today. We have decent special effects, solid production values, and some nudity, but it's ultimately squandered on a slasher/torture plot that loses it's novelty two thirds of the way in. We've seen this all before (particularly the "film within a film" plot). 

The movie begins promisingly, with a craftily edited (and BRUTAL) prologue in which someone cuts off their face and replaces it with the face of a babydoll. We then shift gears into the main story, involving a young filmmakers search for a lost film that purportedly is the most violent film ever made. Showing only once before being banned/hidden from the public. This would've been the basis for a brilliant exploration into society's fascination with violence. Instead, you can pretty much check off a list of concepts/conventions that you find on Netflix or Amazon Prime: Snuff movies? check. Torture? check. Hillbillies? double check. Attractive young people in peril? check again. And so on.

Still, to be perfectly honest, if you're looking for a mindless gore flick to pass the time, it delivers the goods. It's nicely paced and graphic, and the always entertaining William Sadler gets to chew up the scenery in a few scenes. It's an acceptable outing, but you come away feeling disappointed that so little thought goes into these types of movies nowadays