V/H/S (2012)

After venturing into a few different directions the past couple days with some poetry followed by a breakdown of the controversial NDAA law. It was time to settle into some horror. Luckily, I had one video left from my trip to Family Video, so, I decided on that, V/H/S from 2012.

Plot/ When a group of misfits is hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a desolate house and acquire a rare VHS tape, they discover more found footage than they bargained for.

Anthology flicks are interesting, and when you throw in the combination of found footage and homage to 1980s gore, nudity and slasher format, it creates an interesting flick. Of course, some will be turned off by the violence and explicit nudity, but that is what made the classic gorefests of the 1980s awesome. Do not get me wrong, there are some flaws as the characterization is all over the place, the acting so-so and a couple of the segments did drag. However, this one, consisting of five segments plus a wrap around, had a lot to like for gore fans, who love the mindless slasher flicks. The effects were good, and as an anthology, the found footage aspect worked. In the end, this is not a perfect flick, but it is a solid and entertaining found footage flick that added something to a dying subgenre. It is definitely not for everyone, but, if you are like me a child of 1980s horror, check it out!

Exit Humanity (2011)

I always enjoy watching zombie flicks, although, lately that is becoming harder to do. With the overwhelming amount of low budget entries that a polluting the genre, finding one that is both entertaining and good, is becoming more and more difficult. My next choice was a zombie flick from Bloody Disgusting Selects, 2011s  Exit Humantity.

Plot/ A young man struggles to survive in the aftermath of a deadly undead outbreak during the American Civil War.

When I saw the box for this one, I was intrigued by the look and storyline. Being a fan of history, and loving zombie flicks, I have always thought that period pieces, if done right, could be awesome. Let me start by saying, this one was done right. While not really a Civil War piece, the aftermath of the tragedy was evident and done really well. In fact, the storyline, acting, make-up (there was some gore) and cinematography was all really good. Sure, it was not perfect and some horror fans may not enjoy the character driven aspects of the flick having the zombies as a backdrop, but it is entertaining. In the end, I would definitely recommend this one to anyone. Sure, it does have some blood, guts and gore, but it a solid journey into a different time.

Outcast (2010)

After needing a break from horror after House of Flesh Mannequins, it was time to get back into the saddle. Unfortunately, that had to wait until I finished my first late night as a teacher (including overtime – something I never got to enjoy before). It was a fun evening, where my 6th quarter students are starting to build a steampunk radio. Well, back to the horror. My selection was Outcast from 2010.

Plot/ It is a tale of Petronella (a Scottish/Romany girl) and Fergal (her mysterious Irish traveler boyfriend). As their doomed relationship plays out, a Beast stalks the estate, killing locals, working its way towards our protagonists.

This interesting film definitely took me by surprise. Sure, it is a low budget entry that does suffer from some of the normal flaws that plague those flicks, but definitely overcomes those small pitfalls, and is successful. The atmosphere is tremendous, the acting solid and the effects were better than expected for the budget. However, the intriguing and diverse storyline kept me interested, featuring a sound combination of dark arts, demons and witchcraft. Honestly, it all worked in a strange and gypsy-themed way. Yes, there was some pacing issues and some of it was a tad incoherent, but in the end, it was an entertaining flick that was worth watching. Check it out!

YellowBrickRoad (2010)

After taking a few days off and actually getting back into some of the sports writing that started my journalistic aspirations, I decided to jump back into my comfort zone. I love horror, and honestly, I love working on my blog here at The Ringmaster’s Realm, I would not change it for anything. Although, now that I am retired, I look to expand it more with some paranormal related trips, cryptid investigations, convention reports and hopefully, even a horror movie show. Until then though, I will focus on movies. Tonight’s entry is YellowBrickRoad from the guys at Bloody-Disgusting. 

Plot/ 1940: the entire population of Friar, New Hampshire walked up a winding mountain trail, leaving everything behind. 2008: the first official expedition into the wilderness attempts to solve the mystery of the lost citizens of Friar.

Wow, this was an interesting flick, which had just enough of everything to keep me interested.  The characters, while not perfect, were believable, the plot has some strange twists, the atmosphere is dark and heavy and the acting is solid. More of a psychological thriller than horror movie, this one did a very good job at creating the realism that can happen when the world around them change when faced with unknown. Having investigated some abandoned ruins in Connecticut and having some small confusing moments when we lost our way at night, I can definitely relate. Sure, it is not perfect. While there is blood and some violent moments, there is no gore. In addition, the ending is a bit of a challenge and I am sure does not work for everyone. , However, in the end, this is a decent movie with some great scenery and just enough weirdness to let it creep under your skin. Yes, it is not for everyone (especially not gore hounds) but it you like psychological movies that make you think, give it a chance.

For more films from Bloody-Disgusting like this or the horror comedy Chop, check out their website at www.bloody-disgusting.com