“Pet” Review – By Zakk Thomas

 Pet 2016Everyone has had a crush, right? Someone that they admire from afar and think the world of.  Some would even go as far as to think that fate would someday bring them together. Quite a naïve thought, but you never know! With those tidbits in mind, I bring a review of the film “Pet”

Meet Seth. Seth works in an animal control center and feels that he does not matter much in life. Not much of a purpose or direction and even goes as far as to think that nobody would really care if he were to disappear forever. One afternoon, he runs into an old crush (Holly) on the bus he rides for work and decides to try and start a conversation. I think we all can relate to the awkward, “hey! It’s (insert name) from Mrs. Smith’s such and such class” conversation that most dread and that’s precisely what happens. Seth becomes obsessive and begins stalking her online profiles and notes “likes” and “dislikes”. Things progressively get more intense and Seth ends up kidnapping Holly using a sedative he takes from work. Being the gentleman that he is, he tests the sedative himself to make sure it is effective. Where does Seth put Holly after the kidnapping? In a human sized cage used from old parts that the control center had laying around which he fused together himself. Seth’s primary goal in all of this is to save Holly, thus giving him purpose in life once again. Let the mind games begin!

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This would have to be one of the more difficult movies to review as of late because it is hard to do so without adding any spoilers. Having said that, I really enjoyed the twists and turns this movie included and it really had me on the edge of my seat thinking about what was going to happen next. The character’s progression throughout the film was very well done and it had you feeling for each of them at any given point. I mean, who hasn’t felt worthless or betrayed at times? Director Carles Torrens does a great job of keeping the viewer involved with only minor changes in the film’s setting. I’d recommend Pet to anyone who is looking for a good thriller that really makes you think about how fragile the human psyche truly is and how little you can actually tell about someone just by looking at them. Hint: looks are deceiving and the mind is a VERY fragile thing.

 

Skull Rating: Skull for reviewsSkull for reviewsSkull for reviewsSkull for reviews/5

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Holy Terror – The Team Behind The Terror

HOLY TERROR

The Team Behind The Terror!

 

by: Stephen Ingves

 

Written & Directed: Rich Mallery

Executive Produced: Gregory Hatanaka

 

     Supernatural horror Holy Terror” which is set to premiere March 28th at the Laemmle NoHo 7 in North Hollywood was written and directed by Rich Mallery who is known for his work on “Table Top”, “Sociopathia” & “Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance”. The film is  executive-produced by legendary producer and filmmaker Gregory Hatanaka who has overseen or been affiliated with the distribution of over 200 films in his long and successful career.

     The film involves the parents of a deceased son who believe the strange disturbances in their home are actually their child’s attempts to reach out to them from the other side. The parents, Molly & Tom (Kelly Reiter and Jessie Hlubik) seek out help from Janice (Lisa London) who happens to be a medium, in an attempt to make contact with their son. However things go horribly wrong and instead of making contact with their child Molly & Tom, along with Janice, unknowingly invite a demon bent on vengeance to cross over! The vindictive demon violently possesses Molly’s younger sister Billie (Nicole Olsen), with no one able to help or stop it. With little hope and choices as to what to do, the couple look to disgraced priest, Father Jacob (Scott Butler) and his mentor, Sister Catherine (Kristine DeBell) to attempt a terribly dangerous exorcism.

Continue reading “Holy Terror – The Team Behind The Terror”

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Evil Dead Anthology Review – By Zakk Thomas

The Evil Dead: Anthology 

 Evil dead Ash

Alright you primitive screw-heads, Listen up! The Evil Dead films are a cornerstone for the horror movie genre and are a great addition to any collection. Ever since I viewed the very first film in the series, I was left wanting more from director Sam Raimi and budding star Bruce Campbell. So let’s take a dive into the “pit” and review the films in order!

The Evil Dead

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Written and directed by Sam Raimi, The Evil Dead made it’s debut in 1983 for US audiences. Primary protagonist Ashley (Bruce Campbell) and his 4 college student friends travel to a remote cabin in the middle of the woods for a good time. They end up stumbling upon some recording tapes found in the cabin’s cellar made by a professor that had previously occupied the cabin before their arrival. The tapes contain translations of the text found in the “Necronomicon Ex-Mortis” (roughly translated….. THE BOOK OF THE DEAD). When the translations are played on the recorder they awaken an ancient evil lurking in the woods that looks to possess anyone that gets in it’s path. Needless to say the fun outing for the group makes an unexpected turn towards pure evil. Given the budget that was allotted for the film and the time period that it was made, this film was genuinely groundbreaking as far as makeup work and gore. In the time period that we live in it is easy to turn a blind eye to this because of the abilities of computers with special effects (commonly referred to as CGI or computer generated image). There is a certain aura that films like this possess that give a very creepy feel right from the start which a lot of films in today’s era rarely emit. It is very fun to watch and succeeds in the end goal of giving the viewer chills in some areas and stomach turning feelings in others.

 

Evil Dead II

 evil dead 2

Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell return for the sequel that released in March of 1987. We join Ashley once again returning to the infamous cabin with his girlfriend Linda. Bear in mind that this is not a direct sequel. It is never explained if this is the same “Ash” depicted in the first film but, In my opinion, Sam Raimi wanted to almost redo the first film the way he saw fit with a larger budget. All of that aside, Ash finds the same type of recorder with a Professor Raymond Knowby’s findings located on the tapes. The tapes when played (you guessed it!) awaken the ancient evil of spirits in the woods. This film definitely differs as more characters are introduced later on in the story seeking the Necronomicon. The daughter of the professor in the recordings possesses missing pages of the book and seeks out the cabin to visit her father and mother. Needless to say, she does not find them. I definitely think that this film is superior to the original. Having only Ash to watch in the first segments of the film gives the viewer more intense feelings of sympathy and “if I were in that situation” thoughts. Comedy is implemented slightly as well even though it’s difficult to explain why certain events are oddly hilarious. The makeup and WTF moments (to be technical) are still top notch and the ending is an excellent set up for…..

 

Army of Darkness

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Ash just can’t seem to catch a break! Army of Darkness debuted in early 1992 and became a massive cult classic. Sam Raimi once again takes the reins with Bruce Campbell as Ash is accidentally transported through time to the 1300’s where sides are battling over the ownership of the Necronomicon. Ash simply wants to get back to his own time and resume a normal life. This film continues right after the ending of Evil Dead II and shows more of the acting talents of Bruce Campbell and his surrounding cast. Focusing more on the comedy aspect action sequences more than typical horror. With one-liners aplenty, AOD exceeds all expectations with moments of absolute hilarity and great battle scenes! Just remember to shop smart! Shop… S mart! You got that?!

 

Evil Dead (2013)

evil dead meme 2

This is the most difficult film to review as it is not a part of the series but new director Fede Alvarez, along with the original producers of the Evil Dead, attempts to give new life to the cult classic trilogy. David makes his way to a cabin with his girlfriend to meet his sister Mia and two friends to help Mia with her drug addiction. The idea is to go cold turkey and stop her drug abuse once and for all. The Book of the Dead is found in the cellar and is read aloud by Eric (one of the friends joining Mia and David) after deciphering some of the pages skillfully. This film does not take the reputation of the original film lightly as it focuses solely on horror and disturbing imagery. The makeup and location of the film is spot on and it even does a very great job of giving little head nods to the original with quotes and various props that are used. Those looking for the tiny laughs that are possible with the first three films should look elsewhere, but for an actual original horror film that has plenty of scares; it gets the job done well!

 

Bottom Line: 

These films give the best of both worlds for horror and comedy. I would recommend all 4 to anyone who has not previously seen them, but I’d also say to take them with a grain of salt. Each one has values that they bring to the table and with the release dates so different, each one has a different feel. Sam Raimi did a great service to the horror industry with these films and every true horror fan should find them quite….. Groovy! Stay scared everyone!!

 

Skull Rating:      Skull for reviewsSkull for reviewsSkull for reviewsSkull for reviewsSkull for reviews/5

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The Cast of Hybristophilia pt 2 of 2

The Cast of Hybristophilia pt 2/2

 

by: Stephen Ingves

 

Directed by: Romane Simon

Written by: Rhonnie Fordham

Lucky Strike Films Studio LLC

http://luckystrikefilmsstudio.com/

     Thank you all so much for returning to the second portion of this article and helping us celebrate the team behind Hybristophilia and all their hard work. We will continue to showcase the spectacular cast Romane Simon has brought together as we did in part one where we featured Quinton Aaron, Lilian Lev and Massi Furlan. As mentioned Romane is a man of quality and he did not hold back as he assembled this fabulous cast which he knew would perfectly fulfill and bring to fruition his vision for this film.

     As we know the film involves an ambitious news team seeking their big break. This manifests itself by the team agreeing to interview a serial killer known as The Sleepy Stalker for the individuals propensity for attacking small towns. Their willingness to interview the serial killer in an old barn makes it fairly obvious that they are willing to achieve this fame by virtually any means necessary. The team discovers that the farmhouse was not only the site of a grisly murder-suicide some 30 years prior, but that it’s also believed the spirits there continue to make their presence knownIs our team in over their heads?…possibly, but they are not about to miss out on their chance for an exclusive with an at large serial killer! 

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     To pick up where we left off, it’s my pleasure to introduce the immensely talented Sadie Katz! She plays the role of Celeste, who is the team’s guest psychologist. Due to her expertise and knowledge in her field, she is there to study the serial killer’s behavior and if possible what drives this individual to carry out such heinous crimes.

     Sadie is a triple threat as an actress, a member of the Writers Guild of America and a director in Los Angeles. She has practically done it all in the industry with 38 credits as an actress, 2 as a writer, 2 more as a producer and 1 as a director. As evident Sadie has remained extremely busy and she can be found in 2012’s cult classic “Nipples and Palm Trees” as the complex character Harmony. Some of Sadie’s other work she is known for includes her starring role as Sirah in the thriller House of Badwhich received rave reviews from Fangoria, Dread Central & Shock til you Drop. Later in 2013 Sadie displayed her versatility by playing the sweet and sensitive leading lady Gia in Chavez: Cage of Glory alongside Danny Trejo and Steven Bauer. 

     2014 was a big year for Sadie. She penned the screenplay for Scornedstarring AnnaLynne McCord & Billy Zane. Then in Oct Sadie starred in the 6th installment of the very popular and successful horror franchise Wrong Turnas the twisted and sexy Sally Hillicker. 2015 rolled around and she continued cruising right along playing the lead role of Deanna in Lifetime’s The Haunting of Deanna Simpson.  Her career continued hot as can be in 2016 when she played the goddess Ishtar in the remake of the classic horror Blood Feast opposite talent the likes of Caroline Williams, Sophie Monk & Robert Rusler. Sadie costarred alongside Academy Award nominee June Squibb and Sean Maher in the highly anticipated short The Visitfrom writer/director Romina Schwedler which received “Best Directed Short” at the Burbank International Film Festival.

     Sadie also recently finished writing, directing, producing & starring as herself in 2016’s documentary The Bill Murray Experience. Sadie Katz also has several projects coming up in 2017 and 2018, so keep an eye out for them and enjoy her amazing work that is to come right around the corner. You can keep up to date on her work and career on Twitter @sadie_katz

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     Next we are thrilled to feature Jenna Willis, who’s character Mary Lee is the hot-shot host and journalist of the news team looking to advance her career with this exclusive interview with The Sleepy StalkerMary Lee also happens to be in a relationship with the news teams director Tommy (Quinton Aaron).

     A native of New Jersey, Jenna has been involved in numerous short films, television series, made for T.V. movies and feature films totaling 43 credits as an actress. She has also been credited twice for her stunt work on two episodes of the television series Heroine Legends in 2013. She was credited for her role as a Producer on the comedy/drama Fishbowl Californiawhich is in pre-production with filming set to begin in spring of 2017. Jenna has also appeared as herself in popular television series such as Vanderpump Rules, Good Day L.A. along with others which demonstrates how busy & in demand Jenna has been.

     Jenna received her training as a SAG & AFTRA actress at Ivana Chubbuck Studios, The Actors Spot-Patrick Malone and The Upright Citizens Brigade. She put much of this training on display in 2005 on Criminal Minds as well as the highly touted 2016 anthology series The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. There she portrayed Nicole Brown Simpson’s sister Tanya in seven episodes of the well made & popular television series.

     Some of the other work she is recognized for includes 2013’s Awesomeness TV where she played Miss White for 3 episodes which is based on the hit YouTube channel containing funny skits and more.  As well as her role as Amy Gibb on Criminal Minds in 2016Jenna also has work currently in pre or post production that is set to be released in 20172018 so be ready and enjoy her work as it is releasedYou can follow and keep up to date on Jenna’s upcoming projects on Twitter @MsJennaWillis

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     The next talent we are excited to profile is Alexander Man. Alex’s character Chris is the sound guy with the news crew. He possesses a slightly quirky personality who loves comic books & who happened to accept this job with the news team as a side gig.

     Alexander has considerable experience working with Romane Simon and the two have developed a distinct chemistry. He worked with Romane on the film Life of GiaRomane was the director, author & screenwriter as well as the producer and it was based on the true story of an eight yr old girl who lost her family in a car accident. At a young age Gia is forced to live with her Aunt who succumbs to cancer and she then does her best to take care of her gravely ill grandmother. Gia is determined to find work & create a life of pride and dignity. However along the way she is vulnerable to mistreatment and is exposed to heartless inhumanities. Alexander Man’s riveting performance in Life of Gia ensured his win of “Best Actor” at The Hollywood Film Festival.

     Alex is also known for his role as Agent Cole in Romane’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith  The Series as well as a police officer in Romane Simon’s horror feature Voodoo: Retribution. Alexander Man also took on the role of Mike Simmons in Chris Moss’s drama/thriller A Clique, which is in post-production and was finally reunited with Romane Simon to work together on Hybristophilia.

     A couple of the other prominent cast featured in this film are Iyad Hajjaj from “Madam Secretary” and “Dream I Never Had”. Also important to mention is Brooklyn Robinson, who at only 7 years old has appeared in 3 feature length films…has shot several short films as well as T.V. pilots and national television commercials!

     With Hybristophilia being described as kind of The Shining meets Silence of the Lambs with a cross of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and possessing such an accomplished & extensive cast….horror fans will be practically dying of anticipation for this film!

     As we mentioned in the first part of this article, Hybristophilia is set to premiere March 30th at the Ahrya Fine Arts Theater on Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills. Purchase your tickets in advance for only $15 or $25 at the door and enjoy the celebrity red carpet arrival at 6pm! The movie showing is at 7:30p and you don’t want to forget about the after partyYou are encouraged to visit Hybristophilia’s  Facebook and IMDb pages via the links provided below to read more about the film, its wonderful cast and enjoy some great behind the scenes pics! Then click on the Facebook events link or Movie Premiere image to purchase your tickets!  Please consider supporting all of the Hybristophilia’s team’s hard work and as always remember to #SupportIndieFilm

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5840434/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_3

https://www.facebook.com/Hybristophiliamovie/

https://www.facebook.com/events/2209954319229089/

 

A couple behind the scenes pics of the above mentioned cast:

Want to see what has Celeste (Sadie Katz) so terrified?...join us at the premiere of Hybristophilia!
Want to see what has Celeste (Sadie Katz) so terrified?…join us at the premiere of Hybristophilia!

 

Is Mary Lee (Jenna Willis) sure this is a good idea? Join us and check out Hybristophilia to find out!
Is Mary Lee (Jenna Willis) sure this is a good idea? Join us and check out Hybristophilia to find out!

 

You will have to see the film to see how things turn out for Chris (Alexander Man)
You will have to see the film to see how things turn out for Chris (Alexander Man)

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#FreakQOTD – Brian Battles 3/3/17

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Horror Movie Freaks Favorite Quotes

Brian Battles

   “Oh hidy ho officer, we’ve had a doozy of a day. There we were minding our own business, just doing chores around the house, when kids started killing themselves all over my property.

Tucker

Tucker and Dale vs Evil”   2010

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#FreakQOTD – Dan Schuler 3/2/17

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Horror Movie Freaks Favorite Quotes

Dan Schuler

   “”I know I can do it,” Todd Downey said, helping himself to another ear of corn from the steaming bowl. “I’m sure that in time, every bit of her will be gone and her death will be a mystery….even to me.””

Mort Rainey (Johnny Depp)

Secret Window”   2004

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