House of Dust (2013)

What a long day I had cutting my mothers grass so the yard is done before she returns from her trip to Paris. While I was able to knock some of it out on the riding mower, between the heat and the push mower sections, it definitely drained me. Now, it is time to relax and knock out my next review on the 2013 supernatural flick House of Dust.

Plot/ College students exploring an abandoned insane asylum accidentally shatter canisters holding the cremains of former mental patients. Inhaling the dusty ash filling the air, they are soon possessed by the souls once held within them. One is a convicted serial killer from 1950.

This was a movie that called to me. While I did not expect a masterpiece, I was excited about the storyline and it actually provided something better than I I expected. Yes, this movie is not perfect with some slow pacing, head scratching moments, and possibly a little more action. The film did have some solid acting, decent effects for a low budget entry and a layered story that provided some depth. In the end, this may not be a run out and buy it entry, but it was an entertaining flick. Sure, it is not the best in the genre, but it is far from the worst. If you have some time and it pops up in front of you, give it a shot!

Death and Cremation (2010)

I wanted to keep watching flicks that centered on serial killers or something from the slasher genre. Of course, there are many choices out there, especially when hitting our local Family Video Store. What did we find this time?  The 2010 romp, Death and Cremation.

Plot/ In a typical American suburb filled with middle class morals, a lonely 59-year-old, Stan, contributes to society by offering cremation services from his basement. In fact, Stan murders neighbors he perceives to be social bullies. Jarod, a fatherless 17-year-old high school outcast, lands an after-school job in Stan's cremation house and the two develop an unusual working relationship that quickly evolves into a partnership. As detective Matt Fairchild puts together clues from local disappearances, Stan must decide if protecting his newfound trainee is worth killing for.

This was an interesting little flick. Then again, usually anything with Brad Dourif can be at least a little creepy. The acting was decent, the storyline (while a bit light) was creative, and some of it was truly believable. Yes, there was no characterization, the script was a bit flawed and the direction could have been tighter. In the end, this one is far from perfect, but it was somewhat entertaining. Sure, it has some slow moments, but it is still worth watching.