my brief thoughts on.... 'The Prowler'

this is a movie i've been hearing about for a long time.... Joesph Zito directed and Tom Savini did the special effects.... it's considered to be some of the best work Savini has ever done.... and it is pretty impressive.... especially based on when thi was released.... this movie, in some circles, it's considered a classic of the slasher genre.... not too mention it was released in 1980, the beginning of the golden era of the genre.... it was right when they came up with the formula.... you take a person who's wronged in some way.... they have a screw loose.... they find some kind of costume, mask or outfit and they go on a killing spree.... perhaps starting with the trigger of their rage, but then going off the deep end and they continue to kill....

in this movie, the story begins in 1945 with a woman breaking up with a G.I. via a hand written letter.... her name was Rosemary.... on the night of the Graduation Dance, Rosemary and her boyfriend go out to a secluded area where they are promptly killed by a man in an army uniform.... presumebly the ex of Rosemary.... fast forward to 1980.... the first Graduation Dance is being held since that night.... some people are wary of holding it due to what happened the last time.... but it goes forward.... meanwhile the sheriff heads off to a fishing trip, leaving only the deputy on duty for the entire town.... of course, the killer returns and people start to die.... that's as much as i'll reveal....
all in all, not a bad entry in to the genre.... i gave it 3 out of 5 stars for it's overall feel and execution.... (no pun intended).... the ending was a bit questionable.... but the special effects, the main bad guy and the hero and his girl are all likable and the movie is worth it just for those things.... one funny thing about this was the promoting of the actor Lawrence Tierney.... most of you would know him as 'Joe' from 'Reservoir Dogs'.... but as far as his role in this movie....? you see him in a long shot in a window watching the dorms.... and then he grabs a girl as she runs away from the killer.... that's it. hardly a starring role.... anyway.... long story short.... this is worth your time if you like slasher flicks.... it's above average and should be checked off your list at some point.... then make the decision for yourself about it's classic status....

if you dig this, you may also enjoy: 'My Bloody Valentine' (1981), 'Friday the 13th' (1980) and 'Madman'

my brief thoughts on.... 'Dead Tone'

i had NO clue that this movie was going to be hosted by Flava Flav.... not that he really had much more than a 30 second cameo at the beginning.... but it still set a tone for the movie right off the bat that it was going to be sub par.... it ended up being not quite the steaming pile of crap that i was expecting.... but it was by no means good.... as a matter of fact, if you've ever seen any of the movies put out after 'Scream' came out.... then you pretty much get the idea what this movie is going to be like.... yet another 90's horror movie rip off.... however, this was made in 2007.... a few years too late.... or a full decade.... the killer runs around in a hooded parka kind of furry thing.... there's a twist ending.... pretty girls, pretty boys.... a predictable plot.... there's just nothing original here at all.... but yet i watched the WHOLE thing.

some kids make prank phone calls.... one of the people they call comes to their house and kills everyone but the kids.... (the kids parents were having a party, so there were lots of adults to slaughter).... the kids grow up and get moved around into foster homes or are adopted.... one of them insists on continuing to make prank phone calls and calls it '75'.... if you can keep the person on the line for 75 seconds without breaking any of the rules, you win.... at a big party they play the game and end up calling the wrong person again and soon a large amount of killing with an axe occurs.... things happen, a twist happens, another twist and then (thank god) it ends.i'm not sure it deserves 2 out of 5 stars.... but i did it anyway.... perhaps i was just feeling jealous.... who knows....? i wouldn't recommend it.... even if you're damn bored.... or you're a big fan of 'I Still Know What You Did Last Summer'.... then you might just dig it.... either way.... i wouldn't bother.... let's just say i took one for the team by watching it for you....

if you like this, watch: 'I Know What You Did Last Summer', 'I Still Know What You Did Last Summer' and 'I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer'

my thoughts on.... 'Sorority Row'

i know what you're thinking right now.... 'Sorority Row' = teen crap.... right....? well, let me stomp on that little bit of thinking right off the bat.... this movie may have all the inner workings of another 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'.... but suprisingly, it goes a step or two beyond that.... it takes frats and sorority's and almost uses them as satire..... not in a ha ha funny kind of a way.... but it never takes itself so seriously that you get scared or grossed out.... it's just a fun, clever, little piece of horror filmaking that stands up with the best of it's kind.... meaning teeny bopper based slasher flicks.... i was really suprised at how much i enjoyed this movie.... it kept me guessing, it had good pacing and the script didn't suck.... the killers weapon of choice was original and it was a morality play all at the same time....! (and Bruce Willis's daughter was in it too....)

basically, sorority chicks go to far.... someone dies.... they try and cover it up.... it comes back to haunt them somehow and the world breaks down.... and it's interesting to me to watch these uptight, rich girls take on a horrific situation and see how they handle it.... granted it ain't Shakespeare.... but it's above average for what it is....
all in all.... a movie worth spending your time on.... it's available at Redbox, but only to rent on Netflix.... the cast is well cast.... the story is not too original, but well carried out.... the movie itself is shot very well and looks pretty.... overall a cut above the rest.... and not at all the piece of garbage i was expecting....

3 out of 5 stars.... go rent it if you have a little extra time and feel like watching pretty people get their just desserts.... and if you've ever wanted to know what REALLY goes on at a sorority party....! (yeah, right.).... you won't regret it.... if you want something smarter and scarier.... this may not be the one for you....

if you enjoy this movie, check out: 'Black Christmas' (2006), 'Club Dredd' and the 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' trilogy

my thoughts on.... 'The Stepfather' (2009)

Terry O'Quinn sold the original 'Stepfather'.... LONG before he was ever on 'Lost'.... and that movie holds a small little place in my heart as one of the better slashers of that year.... then i heard they were re-making it.... so i figured i'd give the new one it's day in court.... right....? i mean, i treat all movies equally.... because sometimes you can find that diamond in the rough where you least expect it.... this really wasn't one of those times.... i mean, the cast and crew did it's best.... and i firmly believe that.... right down to the girlfriend of the son running around half naked most of the time.... but when it came down to it.... they never captured the essence of what made the original so great and spawned sequels.... this felt more like a movie of the week on CBS than a major motion picture....

in your typical slasher movie.... you expect a certain amount of bodies to hit the floor and usually some pretty original ways for it to happen.... this really never lived up to those rules.... the kills were low to none and the originality was just not there.... i do give the director credit for trying to keep the level of tension fairly high.... and he succeeded for the most part.... i found myself hanging on the edge of my seat for some of the scenes.... and i think that the actors had a lot to do with it.... they dragged out some quality b-grade actors.... and they took the script they were given and made the best of it....
the idea behind the story.... if you couldn't guess by the poster.... is about a stepfather who marries into a family and then proceeds to kill them after a while because that's what he does.... the big difference between this and the original.... is that Terry O'Quinn did it out of the fact that when things didn't turn out to be the perfect family he wanted, everyone died.... in this version, they just die.... it almost left the main character without a good motive.... supposedly this is loosely based on actual events.... and they even tie 'America's Most Wanted' into the mix.... i don't know how true it all is.... it makes for an interesting premise either way....

okay, the movies over.... i'm feeling like i'm a pretty darn good father.... and i'm rating this 2 out of 5 stars because it just didn't hold a candle to the original.... the ending was lame at best.... the 3rd act was disjointed and confusing.... all of the cliche's of every other horror movie you've ever seen all were kind of played out, but on a lower grade.... it's not something i would recommend for anyone but die hard fans of movies and is desperate for something to fill and hour and a half.... otherwise, stay away.... i watched it so you didn't have to.

you're welcome....

if you enjoy this movie, check out: 'The Stepfather' (1987), 'Disturbia' and 'Mother's Day'

my thoughts on.... 'Laid To Rest'

last night i had the pleasure of watching a little low budget nasty called 'Laid To Rest'.... is it going to win any awards, no. is it going to re-invent the wheel, no. but it's an hour and a half of non-stop blood, guts, gore and icky stuff.... not too mention that the killer was fairly original and entertaining to watch and learn about.... and in a sea of less than stellar slasher flicks.... it's nice to find one that is a tad above the bar.... the basic premise is that a woman wakes up in a casket with no memory.... she soon finds out that she's being chased by a serial killer called Chrome Skull and we're off to the races....! she tracks down some help along the way and one random kill after another, more and more is revealed.... soon we've reached the climax of the film and you wonder where all the time went....? the stand out parts of this movie involve the gore.... the effects are above average and tend to overshadow the story, which is very simple in scope.... there are some violent kills, but nothing new or too inventive.... still, it's worth the price of admission.... one thing that left me feeling a bit let down by the end, was the lack of closure.... it seemed like we got a lot of build up to a slightly abrupt and unsatisfying ending.... it pays off, however not as well as i'd hoped.... i mean, they built up this killer so much that it would have left itself wide open for a franchise.... sadly, it probably won't happen.... but i've said too much.... (or not.) all that being said.... if you have Netflix, it's available OnDemand right now or to rent.... and i would say it's worth a night of popcorn and brainless slaying.... you won't find any great revelations and will probably feel slightly let down, but the rest of it is so strong that it holds up to the test of an above average slasher film.... and if this piece of bloody good fun is any indication of what the director and writer have in store for the future, then i'm eager to see what's next....

all in all: 3 out of 5 stars.... worth your time, but perhaps not worth repeated viewings.... check it out for yourselves and let me know what you think.... a killer for a new age.... one of cell phones, fast cars and video cameras.... but not for the faint of heart....

if you enjoy this movie, check out: 'Splinter', 'Scream' and 'P2'