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Tennessee Gothic (2019)
A hidden gem
I'm always on the lookout for great indy horror, and when this one was recommended to me by a friend, I had no idea what to expect. With the constant stream of mediocre horror we see released from week to week nowadays, this one truly stands out. It's funny, sinister and at times horrific, with a most unexpected grand finale. A must see.
Us Sinners (2007)
Dark, twisted and original
George Snow's Us Sinners is an extremely low-budget movie with a great deal of imagination! I knew it wasn't going to be an amazing piece of cinema, but my god, it was entertaining! Sick, twisted and original, with some very imaginative gore. The last reviewer said there were no money shots... for me there were about three! Oh yeah, and that ending... I've never seen THAT before! If you're a horror fan, be prepared for a low-budget Grindhouse style nasty. Don't expect greatness, appreciate it for what it is, and imagine what the director could have achieved with a bigger budget. Many movies of this ilk bore me, and I often turn them off after trying hard to concentrate. Not this one.
[Rec]² (2009)
A near perfect horror movie
A few weeks ago I was reading some horrible reviews about Rec 2. So when I came to see it myself, I wasn't expecting the same genius that the original adorned. It turns out I shouldn't have taken any notice of the reviews. What do people want? This was a fantastic film! Some of the best direction I've seen in horror, and it just got better as time went on. The conversation scene between the priest and the possessed boy was visually terrifying! The only bad thing about this film was the overly-shaky camera at some points. However, the majority of the film was brilliantly directed. I've followed horror for many years, and this is one of the best I've seen. It's even better than the original Rec - and, as far as I'm concerned, that's really saying something.
Mum & Dad (2008)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre, London style
Definitely not for the light-hearted or the depressed. This is a very dark and aggressive film. It's one of those films that affects you emotionally. You absolutely despise the evil parent characters and want them dead, whilst sympathising completely with the heroin in a world that is frighteningly realistic. It brings to mind the real-life cases of people such as John Christie, and reminds you that these things do happen, and may well be happening now. This is unmistakably of the Texas Chainsaw ilk, complete with blood-stained hospital beds, rotting body parts and torture rooms. It's good to see such home-grown talent coming up on the horror scene.
Splinter (2008)
Unexpectedly good
My expectations were low at first. I've looked up and down the DVD aisles many times, only to be disappointed with repetitious plots and American horror clichés. This one didn't start well - a 20-something couple driving along a forest road, going on a camping trip. How many horror movies start out this exact same way?!... I wasn't expecting much. What unfolded, however, was one of the better horror movies I've seen in the last 5 years. With a good script, plenty of gore, and very convincing special effects, this is a welcome return to originality. The only bad thing I could say is that the camera-work was chaotic at times, and sometimes it was difficult to make out was happening. The cameras didn't really focus on anything in particular during action scenes, and looked as if they were being thrown around. However, the special effects reminded me of John Carpenter's The Thing. Very creepy.
The Beast Must Die (1974)
The Beast Must Die - 20 years on...
I've just seen this movie for the first time since I was about 7 or 8. At the time it was a great werewolf movie, and even at such an early age I was a big fan of the Amicus productions. This time around however, I was a less impressed. Obviously it's not going to have the same impact 20 years on, but the main thing that really frustrated me about this film was the lack of logic. A group of people were invited to a house because the host suspects them all of being werewolves. Why? - they were all present at various gruesome "murder" scenes. One girl was there because she attended a party at which somebody had had their throat torn out...What about everyone else at that party? Surely if she was a suspect, then so was everyone else. The werewolf transformations were non-existent, which is a shame, as the metamorphosis is usually the best part of a werewolf movie. All in all - in retrospect - this a poorly written script with passable performances. OK for an evening of nostalgia.