Wrath of the Crows (2013)

This has been a long week as the quarter came to an end at the institute and another class has graduated. This one was one of the better classes and was a constant source of entertainment. I will definitely miss them. Now, catching up on some more of the movies from the weekend, next up, 2013s Wrath of the Crows.

Plot/ In a dirty, squalid narrow jail, prisoners are forced to suffer injustices both from their guards and the ruling officer. Feared by all, however, is a man nobody there has ever seen -The Judge. When new prisoner Princess arrives, seemingly out of nowhere and dressed only in a crow's feathers coat, her radiating and sensual appearance begins to cause curiosity but also envy, suspicion, and a deep sexual agitation.

Wrath of the Crows is an interesting film and was nothing like I expected. Yes, I will admit that the cast, who backed up their name recognition with some solid performances, drew me in. There is a lot to like in this one besides the performances. The atmosphere is dark and moody; the visuals work really well, and there is solid mixture of suspense, tension, gore, and violence to make every horror fan smile. Yes, there were some incoherent moments that required you to pay attention, but that is bit a small flaw. In the end, this was one of the more entertaining and satisfying horror flicks I have seen in some time and one that I may actually watch again in a few days to ensure I digested all of it. Check it out!

The Violent Kind (2010)

Last night while pushing through the final defensive linemen profiles for steelers101.com, I decided to amp up the background scenery with something hopefully more intense and violent than The Bone Snatcher. My selection was from 2010, The Violent Kind.

Plot/ One night at a secluded farmhouse deep in the Northern California woods, a small group of hardened young bikers and their girlfriends are tormented when one of the girls becomes savagely possessed and a gang of "Rockabillies" seemingly from the 1950's descends upon them to collect what is growing inside her.

When this started, I wanted to turn it off; it seemed like the typical indie horror flick. However, once you get through the opening sequences, this turns into one interesting, fun and decently gory flick. Honestly, for an indie horror flick this one delivers. It has solid acting, good effects, atmosphere and an in-depth storyline with some astounding twists. Yes, we could have done without the first 20-or-so minutes, but other than that, it is a sound flick and one that I was glad I watched. If you love non-mainstream flicks, check this one out!

Blood Oath (2007)

Now that we have been in Pennsylvania for roughly four months, I have really started to miss the Troma onDemand station on our Comcast cable system. I love schlock, low budget and independent flicks and Troma has delivered some awesomely entertaining ones over the years. Unfortunately, now my only chance to catch some are on Netflix, pick them up at a convention or maybe at Family Video, vice in my living room on a regular basis. I wish Atlantic Broadband got a Troma Channel, but Hell, I doubt that happens anytime soon. To my amazement Friday when I was at the video store, I saw those magical words “Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz Present a Troma Team Release,” the film Blood Oath from 2007.

Plot/ A group of friends on a weekend camping trip decide to investigate a local urban legend. The trip will change their lives as they are forced into a fight for survival against a horrific monster.

For me, I love films from Troma and there is no better example of low budget schlock out there. Yes, they will never win an Academy Award, but that is not their intent. Whenever you watch one, you should already know that technically they may be flawed and the storylines are ridiculous (but, usually feature blood and boobs).  Although this movie started promising, it is no different, heaping the ridiculousness with cliché after cliché, crating something laughable albeit maybe too over-the-top (even for Troma).  Really, some of this is beyond terrible, the cinematography varied from contrived to bad, the effects absurd (wow, floppy cocks), and the script horrid (some of the worst dialogue ever). Honestly, it pains me to say that even for me and my love of No Budget Indie Flicks, Troma and bad B Movies, it was hard to watch (even the twist ending). In the end, unless you are running a midnight horror show and need a modern twist on a 1980s slasher / comedy, stay far away from this one, it is THAT BAD!

The Frankenstein Syndrome (2010)

After doing some sorting and cleaning, I decided to kick back and see something more modern than flicks on my Pure Terror Collection. My selection for the evening was the 2010 independent entry The Frankenstein Syndrome.

Plot/ A group of researchers conducting illegal stem cell research discover a cell anomaly that has the potential to regenerate dead tissue. Unable to conduct legal human trials, the researchers turn to corpses to test their serum.

This modernized (but loose) adaptation of the Mary Shelley classic is definitely an interesting interpretation (especially with how controversial stem cell research is). Sure, there were some flaws, with some uneven pacing (it did plod along in some parts), little to no gore and varying character development (some were just a bit too rigid). However, there were some good points that took to a level above many direct to DVD entries. The screenplay was solid with pretty good dialogue, the acting decent and there was enough violence to make it make it more exciting than the typical Frankenstein-type flick (although, I did feel more Re-Animator than Frankenstein). In the end, this movie was much better than I expected and was actually decently entertaining. If you are a fan of Frankenstein, check it out. While it strays from the original story, the ideal that sits at the heart of this modern take may be more taboo than the classic philosophical debate.

Terror Firmer (1998)

  

After some Poe, traditional horror and once again trying to understand what the tone-deaf idiots that vote for singers on American Idol were thinking, I decided to change things up a bit and move into the crazy weirdness of Team Troma. My choice for the evening 1998s Terror Firmer (Thanks Comcast for the Troma Channel On Demand).

Plot/ A homicidal maniac is on the loose in the city and the low budget film crew on a Troma movie have the power to stop them.

Team Troma is the BEST! With this being a Troma tale, any viewer should already know what to expect with the genius that is Lloyd Kaufman. Terror Firmer is no different; it is violent, gory, ridiculous, repulsive, and bizarre. Truly, it has everything you would expect and more. To cap it off, the acting is better than expected and the amount of nudity is surprising even for Troma. Yes, the effects vary wildly from awesome to crap, but it is what it is. I definitely do not recommend this one for everyone, but if you love Troma, gore or just absurd crazy b movies, you will love this one. If you do not, stay away… Personally, I loved it!

Abominable (2006)

I was actually a bit excited when I saw Abominable (2006) in the used bin today (I had watched parts last night). As I have mentioned before, Bigfoot and mythological creatures have always fascinated me, and while I know they are usually terrible, I do enjoy the majority of creature features that have come to light in recent years.

Plot/ It has been sighted 42,000 times in 68 countries; a creature of myth and legend known by several names; Yeti, Sasquatch and the infamous Bigfoot! We have hunted it for years, but what happens when it decides to hunt us? "Abominable" centers on a man recovering from a mountain climbing accident, trapped in a remote cabin in the woods, who sees the legendary beast, and must convince someone to believe him, before the monster goes on a bloody rampage.

This movie may be the best of the SyFy monster movies. Yes, the idea is a manipulated version of the Hitchcock classic Rear Window, with Bigfoot taking over as the killer, but it works! A strong cast pulls the script and plot together quite nicely and the effects are A LOT better the most of the ones that are being used by the more recent SyFy films, although the Bigfoot creature was less than believable when finally shown. All in all, this was much more enjoyable than Yeti and one that I highly recommend.