Reviews

I had the opportunity to view Inheriting The Earth earlier this summer during a break from shooting on another picture. I was very impressed with it. And a bit unsettled by the "reveal". OK, I admit it.....I jumped. I think my reaction got a rise out of the people viewing it with me, but even they admitted that it was a powerful scene. Props to Vanelle on delivering a solid short film. Exceptional work for a first time director!

I am very much looking forward to seeing what else Vanelle has planned for her future directing gigs. She's an incredible actress but showed that she has the talent to do something phenomenal behind the camera too.

Chad Ferrin shocked me with Unspeakable, blew me away with The Ghouls, and rocks the house with Easter Bunny Kill Kill. Muskatell impresses yet again, this time playing one twisted puppy named Remington, a criminal lowlife who sweet talks his way into the home of Mindy, a nurse with a special needs son. After a shocking opening and initial introduction of the main characters it doesn't take long for the fun stuff (the murders) to begin.

What is interesting to note about this picture is the disturbing performance by David Stamp as Ray, a pedophile who has a thing for special needs children. Creepy is the word that best describes his performance.

Ferrin continues to impress and I can't wait to see what he has for us in the future.

This was one awesome event that I wished I could've been there to see in person. The Drive-By Truckers sold out the 40 Watts for a two night special event/party to celebrate their upcoming CD, The Dirty South. Filled with some of the hottest tracks from the album, as well as a few old favorites, this DVD is a must have for any southern rock fan.

Along with the aforementioned live performances, there are brief behind-the-scenes interviews with the members of the band that tell the story of how they came to be. Also interesting to note is their choice of music to listen to while traveling from one show to the next (Jay Z, Outkast, etc.). An awesome insight to my favorite band.

Some have complained that the recording is too dark, and it is in some parts, but that's part of the performance. It's a concert! The lighting changes with the song, or the excitement of the crowd. It's as much of a part of the show as the performance itself. Personally, I enjoyed the heck out of this DVD, and it gets constant replay.

For other Truckers music, I found that the soundtrack to the Billy Bob Thornton starring CHRYSTAL is filled with classic DBT.

This is without a doubt (in my humble opinion) the best take on a comic book hero ever put on film. An incredible cast, a director with a fresh take on the mythology of the Dark Knight, and a strong and almost-realistic storyline makes this one a definite 10 out of 10.

Christian Bale owns as Bruce Wayne/Batman. I had my doubts about him taking on this role, but they were quickly laid to rest when he first dons the Batsuit. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine are excellent in their supporting roles, and although screen time is limited for both of them, the both have time to shine. Gary Oldman, well, this is one of his most subdued roles and yet he still does his thing, memorably taking the character of Gordon from secondary character to a pivotal figure in the storyline. And, oh my God, Cillian Murphy....steals the show. Who would've guessed that the guy from 28 Days Later could play such a menacing character? Fantastic performance, and I hope we see more of the Scarecrow in future films.

The direction is tight, giving the movie a darker feel than even Burton's version of the tale. Kudos to Nolan for delivering every fanboy's wet dream. I hope Warner Brothers signed him to a sequel contract, as his directorial style meshes beautifully with Batman lore.

Overall, I can't find anything that I did not like about this movie. It was the best time I've had at the theatre so far this year. 10 out of 10.

What a twisted little flick!

Suburban Nightmare tells the story of The Rosenblad's, a husband/wife serial killer team who have a marital spat after one kills some dinner guests out of turn. Call it The War of The Rosenblads.

Trent Haaga gives his best performance to date as Charles, patriarch of the family. His demented turn delivers the movies best scenes, and further cements his place as indie film's go to guy for scene stealing prowess.

Brandy Little really shows her chops as Deborah, the insanely overzealous, blood lusting "better half" of the relationship. She really struts her stuff near the climax of the flick, keeping toe to toe with Haaga's performance, thus delivering the best on screen psychopathic duo since Natural Born Killers.

Jon Keeyes has really delivered with Suburban Nightmare. I look forward to seeing what all involved with this gem has in store next.

Minutes after watching Chad Ferrin's newest classic, I was hit with the thought that this film, The Ghouls, could well be the best horror film of the past couple of years. It left me with a strange taste in my mouth. It begs to question "WHO really are the ghouls? Are they the monsters, hiding away in the dark, waiting to tear you limb from limb? Or rather, are the ghouls the men who feed you this mythology, the men who will go to any means to give you what they want you to see, to believe?" Chad Ferrin has created a true vision of horror, one that you will not soon forget. The story follows Eric, played with perfection by Timothy Muskatell, a "stringer" who videotapes crimes and sells them to the media for the publics consumption. One night, in a drunken haze, he witnesses what he thinks to be a rape taking place. He runs in with his camera, only to see that the woman is not being raped-no, she is being torn apart by "The Ghouls", people that live underneath the city who eat human flesh. Realizing that he missed his opportunity to film the act that would make him rich, he enlists the help of Cliff, another stringer, to hunt down and film the ghouls. Cliff is portrayed by Trent Haaga, probably the finest actor working the B-movie industry today. Trent brings along his quick wit, and ability to steal a scene, to make the character of Cliff a fun guy to watch. What happens over the next few hours will test Eric's faith, and make him question who he is-WHAT he is. Chad Ferrin decision to shoot the film on DV, giving the film an authentic, scary look, was genius- it's almost as if you are right there, watching as the horror unfolds. Ferrin's take on the demorilizing aspects of the media and the depths to which some men will go to capture the truth is a true testament to his ability as a writer/director. Scary, thought provoking, and utterly unforgettable, THE GHOULS should be required viewing for those about to venture into the world of low budget filmmaking. This is how it should be done. I love this movie. And the ending-well, the ending is one for the books. Who are The Ghouls? See this movie, and decide for yourself.

I found out about THE COLLINGSWOOD STORY online, and decided to drop the $20 bones to see what all the fuss was about. And I am thrilled that I did. Sometimes those chances blow up in your face, and sometimes you get lucky, come across a hidden gem. Like this one. I was blown away, I kid you not. Oh yeah, sure, it will inevitably get comparisons made to The Blair Witch Project or The Last Broadcast. And as much as I initially enjoyed Blair Witch, after subsequent viewings of The Collingswood Story, I absentmindedly scratch my head and ask, "Blair WHO??".

The story is told completely through the lenses of webcams. Its very voyeuristic, almost intrusive, the way the story plays out. It gets going early, introducing the viewer to the lead actor and actress (great job of casting, and excellently acted!) who use webcams to communicate with one another while she attends college. After an online consultation with a psycic, strange coincidences unfold between our protaganists, and suddenly the viewer is caught up in a supernatural storyline that, if filmed any other way, would not have been quite as effective.

BRAVO, Mr. Costanza, bravo! The director, Mike Costanza, really shows and proves that a big budget and big name stars is NOT necessary to tell a good story. This micro-budgeted effort is above and beyond anything the major studios have released in the past seven, eight years. It truly defies its low budget origin, thanks to Mr. Costanza's writing, and the abilities of the films stars to convincingly play out their parts. Put this one on late at night, turn off the lights, and prepare to be shocked, surprised, and scared! A solid 9 out of 10.

I have watched Unspeakable numerous times, as every opportunity I get I try to share it with those that have not been introduced to the sick, twisted world the film presents. Strangely enough, though, this is a world we all live in everyday. The film just presents it on a darker level. It is effective, creepy, and downright disturbing. Director Chad Ferrin has created a dark and sinister story revolving around a man whose life is turned upside down after an accident claims the life of his daughter and permanently disables his wife. As he sinks deeper into his depression, he begins a descent into madness that eventually drives him to murder. Sure, its been done to death, several times over. BUT NEVER LIKE THIS! Kudos to Troma for putting this out to the unsuspecting world. And BRAVO, Mr. Ferrin. I cannot wait to see what you have on tap for your follow up to this incredibly affecting film.

Steven Seagal is the man! Thankfully, he's beginning to crawl back out of the hole he has put himself in these past few movies. I really thought this film was much better than his previous 3 efforts, and sooner or later, he's gonna be back on top of his game. This movie proved to his loyal fans that Seagal still has what it takes to be The Everyman Action Hero. It gave him ample opportunity to throw out his witty one liners (You ain't nothing but a trailer park B*****, I liked you better when you were a b*****), and showcased his skills as the one TRUE martial artists in the film industry. Steven is STILL the man. Belly of The Beast is one of his better films.

After a second viewing of this film, I truly appreciate what the writers and director did with what they had to work with. This is one of the best indie horror flicks I've ever seen. This is how to do it, folks! Ok, the acting was mediocre at best, but the story (obviously an homage to TCM and The Hills Have Eyes) redeems any shortcomings in the acting department, and the gore is nicely done. Overall, I give this an 8. Nice.

Oh, Good God, people! This movie is NOT that bad. I've seen several films this past year that fell into the "truly awful" catagory, and THIS IS NOT ONE of them. Too many people are just keen on giving this film a low rating just because of what their personal opinions of the two stars' relationship might be. LET's JUST ALL JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON, SHALL WE?? Come on people, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE has seen worse efforts than this one, and yet still want to tear this particular film down for a few (very few) bogged down scenes. Ben Affleck does a fairly credible job, and J-Lo is just fine in her role. The movie made me laugh (which means it did its job of entertaining), and has a few memorable scenes and lines. Better than most other posts on this thread would lead you to believe. I enjoyed this movie, and personally believe it is FAR BETTER than the low rating it has (undeservedly so). Get off the bandwagon, all you haters. It is what it is, and it is an entertaining film.