Movie Review -Self Driver

 

Facing mounting expenses and the unrelenting pressure of modern living, a down-on-his-luck cab driver is lured on to a mysterious new app that promises fast, easy money. As his first night on the job unfolds, he is pulled ever deeper into the dark underbelly of society, embarking on a journey that will test his moral code and shake his understanding of what it means to have freewill. The question becomes not how much money he can make, but what he'll be compelled to do to make it. If you've got nothing to lose, how far would you go?

The film world premiered at the Fantaspoa - International Fantastic Film Festival, winning Best Film in the Low Budget, Great Films section and went on to play Fantasia Festival where it won the New Flesh Award for Best First Feature, Grimmfest, taking home the award for Best Actor and receiving a Special Mention of the Jury for Best Director, Macabro Festival Internacional de Cine de Horror, MidWest WeirdFest, and Panic Fest.

Cinephobia Releasing acquired rights to the film in a deal negotiated between Cinephobia President Raymond Murray, and Justyna Koronkiewicz, Owner of Media Move. Self Driver will arrive on VOD, digital on May 8.

I was invited to view an early screener of Self Driver which will be available in the US on May 8.

Self Driver stars Nathanael Chadwick as a new dad who lost his office job to a corporate merger, and now struggles to support his family by using a ride-share app. He spends his days and sometimes nights shuffling people to and fro while avoiding calls from his landlord. When he is told by one of these riders that there is a new app where he can make thousands of dollars per night, plus a sign-up bonus he is intrigued, but wary. Desperation makes him throw caution to the wind and sign up even though his question of its legality goes unanswered.

The new app is utilized by an unusual clientele, and if he refuses any rider, he will lose all of the money he has made. As the night goes on, he will learn what he is willing to do or participate in to make money.

This low-budget thriller takes place almost entirely in the car, and although this is a money saving option that other films have utilized poorly, it was well done here and never boring. Chadwick gives a believable and completely relatable performance. At some points, it felt as if the car became a character in the movie. 

I rated this 8 out of 10 stars on IMDB

Self Driver will arrive on VOD, digital on May 8.

Watch the trailer

Movie Review - Alien Country

 

A swarm of alien creatures has invaded the small town of “Blue River.” Now Jimmy, and his pregnant girlfriend, Everly must work together to stop the monsters, or the planet and their relationship is doomed.

If  love really conquers all, how will it stack up in a no-holds-barred arena battle against extra-terrestrial monsters?

When Jimmy Walker, a local demolition derby driver, finds out his girlfriend Everly is pregnant, he figures it's the toughest news he'll get that day. Yet, somehow, the two of them also manage to accidentally open a mysterious portal, and a horde of bio-engineered alien creatures are set loose in the small desert town of Blue River.  In a race against time, these soon-to-be parents must quickly learn to work together and stop the invasion, or their town, their planet, and their relationship will be annihilated.

I was invited to watch an early screener of this comedy/sci-fi

ALIEN COUNTRY will release on October 22 on digital and streaming platforms, including iTunes/Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Fandango at Home, Vimeo, DirecTV, Dish Network, Dish Digital, and local cable & satellite providers.

Everly has dreams of leaving her small town and becoming a singer. These hopes are interrupted when Jimmy, (her baby daddy-to-be) accidentally opens a portal that allows aliens through, and they do not come in peace.

 From there it's up to this bickering couple and a small cast of zany characters to fight them off and save the town.

What I liked:

KC Clyde and Renny Grames as the bumbling Jimmy and Everly have good on screen chemistry and their back and forth squabbling was amusing, but also made me care about whether  or not they would end up together. 

Barta Heiner as Nana, the kooky grandma was endearing and hilarious at the same time. 

What I didn't like:

The alien creatures weren't seen in much detail. In most scenes, they were just zipping by so fast that you barely get a look at them probably due to a low budget for special effects. In the only scene I recall with a close-up that lasted more than a split second the alien just didn't look that impressive.

All things considered, it was an entertaining 97 minutes that I rated 6 out of 10 stars on IMDB

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Movie Review- Lyvia's House

 

Stonecutter Media is proud to announce the North American release of the mystery thriller LYVIA’S HOUSE, a film inspired by the real-life murders committed in northern California by Juan Corona in 1971, from director Niko Volonakis and writer/producer Patricia V. Davis, author of the beloved Secret Spice Café book series. Stonecutter Media will release the film exclusively on Vudu/Fandango at Home and local cable & satellite providers on October 1, with additional platforms including iTunes/Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Google Play to follow October 15.

When a young journalist suspects the disappearance of a beautiful artist is connected to murders that took place 20 years earlier, she uncovers a reality she never could have imagined. Inspired by true events.

Up-and-coming journalist Tara Manning has a job she loves and a posh lifestyle in Lake Las Vegas. Everything changes when she falls in love with aspiring architect, Johnny Beers, and he asks her to move in with him, six hundred miles away, to a house previously owned by an Italian artist named Lyvia.

After a whirlwind romance, Tara, a young journalist agrees to move 600 miles from home to be with her new boyfriend Johnny in a rural California town. She expects to keep her job by way of the internet and is dismayed to find very limited phone service and a lack of internet in their home.

Our first hint that something is off with this romance is the way Johnny seems intent on keeping Tara isolated. He promises satellite internet but never delivers. He appears upset when Tara becomes friendly with a postal worker who tells her how she can get online. Again he is upset when she mentions speaking to a local on her walk in the woods, and  he seems nervous when she wants to use the internet in the local bar. 

It seems to take longer for Tara to start digging into this behavior than I would expect from the inquisitive mind of a journalist but if one is willing to suspend disbelief you could say she was blinded by love.

The cinematography was gorgeous. This is a movie I would describe as visually stunning  Flashbacks and dream sequences gave a surreal quality to this film. The best acting performances were Ann Marie Gideon as the sharp-as-a-tack postal worker and Andrew Diego as the mentally and emotionally challenged young man who is dealing with past and present trauma. There were times I wanted to scream at Tara to pack up and get the hell out of there but of course had she listened we could not have had such a suspenseful climax and shocking reveal.

 I enjoyed this twisted Indie thriller and gave it 8 out of 10 stars on IMDB

Watch the trailer here

Directed by: Niko Volonakis

Written by: Patricia V. Davis

Starring: Tara Nichol Caldwell, Joshua Malekos, Danielle Octavien,

Ann Marie Gideon, Andrew Diego, Deborah Tucker, Brit Zane, Cami Oh

Produced by: Patricia V. Davis

Executive Produced by Pete Davis, Nicholas Levis,

Joni Cuquet

Cinematography by: Cody Martin

Edited by: Niko Volonakis

Music Composed by: Niko Volonakis

Movie Review- Voice Of Shadows

Scatena & Rosner Films is proud to announce the North American release of the gothic horror thriller VOICE OF SHADOWS, the debut feature film from director Nicholas Bain. The film was acquired in a deal negotiated by Bain and Gato Scatena, Managing Director of Scatena & Rosner Films. Infused with nods to cinema classics The Exorcist, Paranormal Activity, and The House of Sand and Fog, the film stars Guillermo Blanco (The Queen of Flow) and Corrinne Mica (Always, Lola) as a couple caught in the clutches of a mysterious cult and a supernatural evil entity, and Bee Vang (Gran Torino) as a young priest trying to save them all before it's too late.

 VOICE OF SHADOWS will arrive September 17 on digital and streaming platforms, including iTunes/Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Fandango at Home, Vimeo, and local cable & satellite providers. 

Voice of Shadows held its World Premiere at the Twin Cities Film Festival, and went on to hold a successful festival run winning multiple awards, including Best Feature Film at Romford Horror Festival, Latitude Film Awards, and Bestlov Festival. The film also won Best Visual Effects at Los Angeles Crime and Horror Festival, and had a successful screening at Lit Scares Festival.

 Starring Guillermo Blanco (The Queen of Flow), Corrinne Mica (Always, Lola) and Bee Vang (Gran Torino), VOICE OF SHADOWS follows Gabriel, a devout Catholic, who travels with his girlfriend Emma to the country where she stands to inherit a large estate. 

I was invited to watch an early screener of Voice Of Shadows.

The opening scene sets the tone for this gothic and haunting film. Gabriel, a young man who has come to the States from South America with his sister Celeste, confesses his traumatic past and the reason he has raised his sister on his own.

Later, Gabriel and his girlfriend Emma visit her aunt, a strange and obnoxious woman who treats Gabriel like a servant. I thought at first she was racist because of his nationality although she seemed to dote on his sister.

When Emma inherits her aunt's house there is a stipulation that Gabriel not be allowed to live in it. However, he and his sister both end up staying there, and creepy happenings ensue.

As a fan of religious horror, I enjoyed this movie. If there was anything I was not especially fond of, it was how very dark it was. I do not mean the tone or subject matter. I mean literally turn on a light sometimes! 

Even in bright daylight with sun streaming in the windows, light never seemed to reach the characters. Maybe that was done purposely, as some sort of symbolism but for me a few dark scenes go a long way.

Special effects were well done and the gradual build of tension as the house began to influence the occupants gave me the creeps!

I gave this film an 8 out of 10 on IMDB

Watch the trailer

The Dead Thing - Movie Review

Yellow Veil Pictures is excited to return to the Fantasia International Film Festival for the world premiere of Elric Kane's debut solo feature, the obsessive and lust-driven thriller The Dead Thing. The Dead Thing will premiere July 26th as part of the 2024 edition of Fantasia with an encore on July 28.

The Dead Thing is directed by Elric Kane (host of the Pure Cinema podcast and Fangoria's Colors of the Dark podcast) from a script he co-wrote with Webb Wilcoxen. The film is produced by Matt Mercer (Contracted, Bliss) and Monte Yazzie, with Colors of the Dark co-host Rebekah McKendry (Glorious) serving as executive producer. Yellow Veil Pictures is handling worldwide sales.

The Dead Thing stars Blu Hunt ("Sherlock & Daughter", The New Mutants), Ben Smith-Petersen (Mad Max: Fury Road, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), John Karna ("Scream" the television series, Lady Bird) and Katherine Hughes (Me And Earl And The Dying Girl, "Tell Me Lies").

Of his debut solo feature, Kane shared, "The Dead Thing is a dark exploration of modern love and the technology used to find it. Through one woman's plunge into modern dating, we are able to tell both a scary ghost story, an intimate love story, and examine the issues we face when tethered to our phones." 

Loneliness, desperation, and the dangers of technology are themes featured heavily in The Dead Thing. While I sometimes grew bored with scenes of Alex sitting around the sunlamp doing nothing, the ending made it worth the wait. 

Blu Hunt gives a believable performance as Alex, a woman who is disengaged from life and looking for meaningful connections on her phone instead of in the world around her.

She spends her time working at her boring job, scrolling through men on a dating app, and hooking up with a constant parade of one night stands, never finding anyone worth a second date.

That is until she meets Kyle. The pair hit it off and she looks forward to seeing him again. Except he ghosts her, Pun intended. Unwilling to just forget him, her obsession leads to dark consequences. Once she finds him, will he ever let her go?

"Tell me that you need me!"

This was a supernatural love story with shades of The Invisible Man and reminiscent of Fatal Attraction, in that Kyle will not be ignored! 

If you're in the mood for something crazy, sexy, suspenseful and twisty this is one to watch.

I gave this 7 out of 10 stars on IMDB

My thanks to Yellow Veil Pictures.

 

Movie Review- Insane Like Me?

 DeskPop Entertainment is excited to kick off their summer slate with the North American VOD release of Insane Like Me?, a twisted supernatural thriller where no one trusts what they think they see. Insane Like Me? debuts on Cable and Digital VOD June 4, 2024, including Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, Fandango At Home, Comcast, Dish, and DirecTV.

Insane Like Me? is a supernatural thriller about a combat veteran who returns home after a tour of duty overseas. He becomes the lead suspect in his girlfriend's disappearance and is subsequently wrongly convicted and incarcerated. Nine years later he is released from the mental asylum, and he returns home to find the truth and settle the score.

On Halloween night, Jake, (a recently returned veteran) and his girlfriend Samantha, (the sheriff's daughter) join her brother and his girlfriend to party at what the locals call the massacre hotel, an abandoned building that is said to be haunted and responsible for over 200 deaths and mysterious disappearances.

The party is crashed by vampires and although Samantha puts up a valiant fight she is dragged off and we do not see her fate. Later at the sheriff's station where Jake is being grilled about the incidents at the party, the sheriff (played by Eric Roberts) exclaims "It was supposed to be you!" which lets us know he was somehow in on this attack but was not expecting his daughter to be taken instead of Jake. He pretends not to believe Jake's story about the vampires and has Jake committed to an insane asylum. Upon his eventual release, he sets out to find Samantha and kill the vampires. Reluctantly he allows Samantha's sister in on his plans.

Keep an eye out for dancers in the background of a party in the woods scene. I'm not sure if it was meant to be funny or whether they purposely chose people who can't dance at all but either way it gave me a laugh.

The first few attacks at the hotel were on the cheesy side. Excessive use of growling and what I call demonic voice syndrome sometimes made it difficult to understand what was being said. Later attacks looked more realistic and blood splatter effects were good.

Overall it had a decent plot instead of relying solely on gore. It wasn't scary but it did entertain me. If you like vampire movies it's worth a watch.

I gave it a 7 out of 10 on IMDB

Watch the trailer here

Movie Review- Pandemonium

Drawing on themes found in Dante’s Inferno and Milton’s Paradise Lost, Pandemonium is a multi-textured existential fantasy, topped with signature notes of visceral horror, disturbing fairy tale, wry comedy, and dark thriller. From the creative mind of Quarxx, comes this aesthetically stunning and relentlessly macabre tale. Pandemonium made its world premiere at Neuchâtel and went on to screen at Fantasia, Frightfest, Fantasy FilmFest, Sitges, Grimmfest, Trieste and Screamfest 

 Pandemonium follows Nathan (Hugo Dillon), an ordinary man on a journey he never expected. After realizing he has died at the scene of a car crash, Nathan descends into the depths of hell, where he is doomed to experience the pain of tortured souls along the way.

Nathan awakens after his car crash, only to be told by the biker he hit that they are in fact both dead. After his initial disbelief, he steps through the doorway that will eventually lead to his own personal hell. His first stop shows him how and why those who came before him are facing their own journey into hell. We see their individual stories as an anthology before we get to Nathan's fate at the end.

The anthology format reminded me of an old TV series called 13 Demon Street in which Lon Chaney Jr portrayed some sort of guardian to hell who was hoping to find someone with sins worse than his own so he could move on and they could take his place. But in Pandemonium there is nobody for Nathan to tell his side of the story to, his fate is sealed.

The most terrifying part is how easy it is to find oneself in hell. Those whose greatest sin may have been not paying attention are just as likely to end up damned as those who commit multiple murders. This bleak reveal is thought provoking. It made me wonder if there really is a hell can it be escaped by merely remaining sin free? Or must one actively participate in conscious deeds every single day to avoid ending up in hell? 

Get thee behind me Satan!

Available May 27 in the US, Canada, UK and Ireland. On the same day, Pandemonium will be available on major VOD platforms, including Apple TV and Prime Video.

Watch The Trailer Here

 

Movie review- The Coffee Table

 

THE COFFEE TABLE follows Jesus and Maria, a couple going through a difficult time in their relationship. Nevertheless, they have just become parents. To shape their new life, they decide to buy a new coffee table. A decision that will change their existence.

 

The film held a robust festival life, including a World Premiere at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival where it won Best Film in the 'Rebels with a Cause' section, a North American premiere at Fantastic Fest, and additional screenings at Fantaspoa - International Fantastic Film Festival, Macabro - Festival Internacional de Cine de la Ciudad de México, and Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, where it received the White Raven award.

 

THE COFFEE TABLE will begin a limited theatrical run beginning in Los Angeles at Laemmle Glendale on April 19, with additional markets to follow including New York, Austin, and Chicago. The film will arrive on DVD and VOD on May 14. 

A married couple are in the process of settling into their new home. A smarmy salesman is pushing hard to unload an ugly glass-top coffee table which he swears is unbreakable, and will bring them much happiness if they treat it well. The husband is so intent on buying it that it becomes apparent that this is about more than furniture. After all how much do most men care about the color or style of furniture their wife chooses so long as it is functional and comfortable? This is less about his taste in ugly furniture and more about the fact that his wife has chosen everything on her own right down to their new baby's name. She has promised that he could choose the coffee table, but does not want this ugly thing in their home. It is a choice they will both regret.

Except for the swearing, I could picture these two as a couple from any classic sit-com. The chemistry between  David Pareja and Estefanía de los Santos as new parents was perfect. Their sarcastic bickering is laced with humor that made me giggle more than once. So when the horror happens it is all the more shocking and impactful for its sudden and unexpected intrusion. Gala Flores adds to the tension with a top-notch performance as the 13-year-old neighbor with dangerous fantasies.

If you enjoy psychological horror and suspense and you are prepared to be traumatized, this movie is for you.

Watch the trailer

Directed by Caye Casas

Written by: Cristina Borobia, Caye Casas

Starring: David Pareja, Estefanía de los Santos, Josep Riera, Claudia Riera, Eduardo Antuña

Produced by: Norbert Llaràs

Production Company: Alhena Production

Co-Production Company: Apocalipsis Producciones, La Charito Films

Cinematography by: Alberto Morago

Edited by: Caye Casas

Music by: Bambikina

Spain I 2022 I Horror, Comedy I 90 minutes

Movie Review- Heir of the Witch

 

Heir of the Witch is a chilling folk horror full of unnerving surprises. All is not as it appears. In fact, the things that you see may not be what is truly going on at all. Anna is plagued by traumatic memories and haunted by the angry spirit of her grandmother, the witch who is even more dangerous in death than she was in life. Through Ana's memories, we are shown in flashbacks how she came to be cursed.

Starring Victoria U  Bell as Anna, a seamstress caring for her sickly aunt and supporting herself by making beautiful dresses for wealthy snobs who flock together like a bunch of "mean girls" with all the maturity of a high school clique. Anna floats along on the periphery of their lives, never really being part of the in crowd.   The movie does not rely on typical jump scares but adds an element of psychological fear that kept me glued to my screen. My only minor complaint would be that it does occasionally make use of distorted demonic-sounding voices which although they can be scary it sometimes makes the dialogue tough to understand. What is scary, is the ever-increasing dread as the witch infests every aspect of Anna's life in order to get what she wants. The effects are better than I have seen in recent indie movies and many of the scenes are visually striking.

Deanna Rashell shines in the role of Chloe the leader of the clique who takes advantage of Anna's good nature and financial problems.  Ben Holtzmuller was perfect as Chloe's unhappy husband with a wandering eye. 

I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys psychological horror in addition to folk horror.

View the trailer

Movie Review - The Goldsmith

 

Cinephobia Releasing is proud to announce the North American release of THE GOLDSMITH, a captivating home-invasion thriller with a bloody twist that offers plenty of violent fun. The debut feature from director Vincenzo Ricchiuto, and starring veteran Italian actor Giuseppe Pambieri and Stefania Casini (Suspiria), THE GOLDSMITH will arrive on DVD and VOD, digital platforms on October 3, with platforms including AppleTV, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu/Fandango, Vimeo, YouTube Movies, and Kino Now.

THE GOLDSMITH held its International Premiere at Grimmfest 2022, where it won Best Screenplay, and went on to have a healthy festival run and winning multiple awards including Screamfest 2022 (Winner: Best Special Effects, Best Make-up), Santiago Horror Film Festival (Winner: Best Sound Design),Terror in the Bay (Winner: Best Original Score),, and HorrorHaus Film Festival.

A trio of lifelong criminals expects to have an easy time robbing an elderly couple. At first glance, these old folks (played by Stefania Casini and Giuseppe Pambieri) look like anybody's favorite grandparents. A cheery retired couple, happily married and enjoying their quiet life, until a home invasion interrupts their peaceful evening.

Unfortunately for this trio, instead of treasures, they find themselves trapped and there is no escape from The Goldsmith.

I generally like to see the bad guys get what's coming to them but I almost felt some sympathy for the would-be robbers as I began to question whether anyone was really innocent here.

I would have liked more backstory on The Goldsmith and his wife and what exactly they were hoping to accomplish. The movie begins with a scene of the three criminals as children when they were already well into their violent crime spree. Later when several of their secrets are revealed it gives the viewer a pretty good grasp of their background, but very little was told of what the elderly couple had been up to.

There was just enough gore to satisfy this horror fan without being enough to make me cringe. Stefania Casini was equal parts terrifying and hilarious in her performance as The Goldsmith's wife and was my favorite part of the movie.

If you enjoyed Don't Breathe, or other home invasion movies that don't go as planned for the invaders, I think you'll like The Goldsmith.

Watch the trailer