Dread (2009)

I decided to watch Krampus, but could not get into it at all and actually fell asleep after about 20 minutes. Stay away! To make up for that once I woke up, I decided to watch something a touch different and ventured into the After Dark Horrorfest for the 2009 entry Dread.

Plot/ Three college students set out to document what other people dread most.

I am a huge Clive Barker fan and have no idea how I missed this adaptation of his short story. On top of that, it was part of the After Dark Horrorfest, crazy. This movie was definitely one of the better films I have seen from that series, with an original storyline, solid technical attributes, and a clear vision into darkness. The performances are decent; the pacing works, and it truly out does its budget.  Yes, there are some uneven parts, but those do nothing to truly drag this one down. In the end, this is one of the better psychological horror flicks I have seen in some time, and a flick that should be seen. If you have not watched it, give it a shot!

Crazy Eights (2006)

While I did spend some time playing Murdered last night, I spent the majority of my time watching both Fringe and Zero Hour. Yes, both television shows are interesting and both open up some very intriguing questions, but sometimes I need something more mindless. In those moments, I dig into some of the horror I have on hand. That is the case with my next review, part of the 2006 After Dark Horrorfest, Crazy Eights.

Plot/ Six people are brought together at the funeral of a childhood friend. While settling the estate, they discover a map, which leads them on a search for a long forgotten time capsule, at the request of their dead friend. What they discover reawakens repressed childhood traumas and leads them on a journey through their long abandoned childhood home: a home with a terrible secret and a mysterious dead girl who will lead them to their strange fates.

It had been awhile since I ventured into the 2007 After Dark Horrorfest, and now I remember why. While I remembered some of the films, this is not one of them, which is why I grabbed it from the attic first. Yes, there were some good settings and the cinematography was not bad, there was really nothing else to write home about. The acting was scattered, the pacing was off, the script uneven, and although it was only 80 minutes, too many clichés were embedded into the flick. In the end, this one has to rank near the bottom of that set and is a poor attempt at a B-Movie. If you have not seen it, do not fret as you are not missing anything. Plus, there are much better films out there.

Perkins' 14 (2009)

 

 

I feel like I am back from the depths after travelling most of yesterday. After watching West Virginia finish off Texas and today the Steelers beat the Eagles, it was time to play catch-up. My first review of the day is another entry from After Dark Horrorfest – Perkins' 14 from 2009.

 

 

Plot/ In the small town of Stone Cove, Maine, deputy sheriff Dwayne Hopper is on the night shift at the police station. He discovers that one of the prisoners in the holding cell is Ronald Perkins, a local pharmacist and a suspect in the disappearance of 14 children over the past 10 years, including Hopper's young son.

 

 

In the beginning, this flick started out decent and definitely had something going for it. Honestly, it the storyline was fresh and interesting, the gore and effects were solid and enjoyable, and the cinematography and direction worked really well. Unfortunately, some of the acting was stale with an amateur feel, the scripting leaves holes everywhere and some of the characterization does not work. In the end, it is not the best horror flick, but it is also not the worst. I grabbed this one as part of a set and it cost me very little and I enjoyed it even with the flaws. If you are like me, you should enjoy it as well.

From Within (2008)

 

 

After watching Inception, I had no idea what to think about the next movie I would watch. Inception was that good, and truly left a surreal impression on me. After some debate inside my mind, I decided the best way to find out, was watch something as I prepared for my new class to start on Friday. My selection for the evening was from the After Dark Horrorfest, From Within.

 

 

Plot/ A small Maryland town is gripped by a curse which causes residents to take their own life one after another.

 

 

When I picked this up, I had no idea what I was about to get into, especially with the movie preceding this being Inception. That being said, what I found was an exceptional flick, and one of the best in the After Dark Horrorfest. In fact, almost everything worked. The storyline was layered and interesting, the acting solid, the cinematography and production values above average, and the atmosphere, aided by the soundtrack was dark and heavy. Sure, the characters and character development seemed to be a struggle throughout, and did take a little bit away from the overall feel of the movie. In the end, this may be more of a  psychological thriller than horror flick, but that does not matter. It is extremely entertaining and a movie that should be watched. If you have not seen it, check it out (especially since it can be had for five bucks in an After Dark Horrorfest 8 movie set). 

 

 

Captivity (2007)

While sitting back and looking for something to watch, I couldn’t find anything that I was truly in the mood for. Finally I sat down to Captivity from 2007.

Plot/ A man and a woman awaken to find themselves captured in a cellar. As their kidnapper drives them psychologically mad, the truth about their horrific abduction is revealed.

I was on the fence before watching this, really not sure on what to expect. What I found was a decent flick. Sure, it was rather cliché, but, it had a good feel throughout. Yes, there were flaws, yes, the editing was subpar, the plot had holes and the acting offered very little excitement. However, there was at least enough atmosphere and style to keep the film moving. Yes, this movie is far from perfect, but it is interesting and worth watching at least once.

ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction (2009)

  

After spending the majority of my day in Asbury Park playing Carney at the Zombie Beach Party, I decided to fulfill my craving for undead flesh with the After Dark Horrorfest entry ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction from 2009.

Plot/ In the After Dark Horrorfest entry, Life is wonderful for the people in the quiet, island town of Port Gamble....until a zombie virus outbreak!

For a while now I have been distancing myself from this flick not knowing what to expect, and now I am disappointed I did. What I found was an entertaining journey into the zombie world. This movie had a nice blend of comedy, gore and violence, with sound pacing and average performances. Was it perfect? No, there were some minor characterization and cinematography flaws that could be developed more, but overall the idea and storyline made this an enjoyable and light-hearted flick. While I am sure that it is not for everyone, fans of zombie-comedies and the zombie genre in should have a blast.

Dying Breed (2008)

As the snow fell last night, I ventured back into the After Dark Horrorfest. This time, being a bit of a Cryptozoology and Folklore nut, I chose Dying Breed.

Plot/ Between 1788 and 1868, Australia served as a penal colony for the British Empire and Tasmania was the most feared. The prisoner Alexander "The Pieman" Pearce escaped and survived in the woods eating human flesh. In the present days, the researcher Nina organizes an expedition to Tasmania to proceed the work of her deceased sister Ruth and find evidences of the extinct Tasmanian tiger in the wilderness. She travels to a remote area with her boyfriend Matt and his troublemaker friend Jack that brings his girlfriend Rebecca and they spend the night in a village of descendants of "The Pieman". Sooner the quartet discovers that things have to stay hidden to survive.

This is another entry in the After Dark Horrorfest, and like some of the others it is definitely a mixed bag. Yes, it is far from perfect, but, I did enjoy watching it. Like many films from that region, the movie is chalked through with some great landscape shots, something that definitely adds to the creepy and foreboding atmosphere that left a very heavy feel throughout the flick. Yes, the plot was a bit cliché and really nothing new, although, there was a touch of suspense and gore inside that was nice. The acting was uneven, and the characters really did nothing for me, but I will admit that the ending, while predictable was entertaining. True this is not a perfect film, but I have seen MUCH worse.

Autopsy (2008)

After watching the Ravens beat down the Chiefs, I was hoping to find another bloodbath. My choice for the evening is Autopsy, from the third edition of the After Dark Horrorfest.

Plot / In this entry of the After Dark Horrorfest, A young woman tries to find her injured boyfriend in a bizarre and dangerous hospital.

It is funny, sometimes things just pop up in a way that you do not understand. For the longest time, I thought this was a different movie and stayed away. Looking back it is funny, because I was really missing out. I really enjoyed this flick, and I believe it is truly underrated. Yes, it is far from perfect with some choppy pacing and uneven moments, but for the most part, it is an enjoyable blood-filled delight. The plot is basic, but it is the effects and cinematography that really bring this movie to life. A definite must see for gore fans!

Dark Ride (2006)

 After last night’s House of Fears, I decided to stick with the carnival, amusement park, ride theme with the 2006 After Dark HorrorFest entry Dark Ride. With the film loosely based in Asbury Park, it should be interesting after spending Saturday with the undead at the New Jersey Zombie Walk, maybe the movie will have some of the same creepiness.

Plot / A group of six friends on a road trip stop off at an amusement park attraction named Dark Ride, unaware that a psychopath, who brutally murdered two girls, has just escaped a mental institution and is seeking refuge there.

Wow, talk about cliché and an overdone plot! This one was definitely a conglomeration of 1980s slasher flicks, complete with the almost inevitable attempt at a twisted ending. While there are a few redeeming qualities with some creepy scenery and a couple of decent effects, for the most part this movie was just lacking. There was excessively too much dialogue (and poor acting) during the opening half of the movie which tended to drag (still leaving rude and undeveloped characters), and the when they finally reached the ride, the pacing remained uneven and the script remained ridiculous. Honestly, I do not mind a clichéd movie when done right, and unfortunately, this one was not! Luckily, I saw it for free, because if I would have spent money on it, I would be a lot more upset.

The Gravedancers (2006)

After taking some time away to prepare for and attend my sister’s wedding in Santa Cruz, it was time to get back into the horror stream. Tonight’s movie, the 2006 After Dark Horrorfest entry The Gravedancers.

Plot / After the funeral of a old friend who died in a car accident, former school friends Harris, Kira, and Sid break into the local cemetery after dark, and after Sid reads a mysterious incantation he finds on one of the nearby tombstones, they dance on the graves. Soon, the three of them find themselves haunted by three different ghosts whose graves they desecrated. Harris and his wife Allison find themselves haunted by a deranged female pianist/ax murdered. A child pyromaniac haunts Sid. and Kira haunted by a sadistic rapist. All of them turn to a paranormal investigator named Vincent Cochet and his assistant Frances to try to help them break the curse they imposed on themselves before the next full moon when they will be killed by the ghosts’ wrath.

I have watched most of the entries in this After Dark Horrorfest series and more often than not found the entries quite bland. However, this film was different and actually well worth watching. While not totally original, the movie is crafted in a way that works by opening with a bang, and following that stanza with some character / plot development, then picking up the pace until the end. The make-up effects and soundtrack really work well together (although, the CGI at the end did leave a bit to be desired). In fact, the ending itself seemed a bit much and could have made a greater impact if completed in simpler terms. In all, this was an awesome flick and one that I wish I would have seen earlier.