A year or so ago I was introduced to a short film called “Terrifier.” It was one of the most horrific shorts I’ve ever seen, about a girl haunted by a terrifying clown. No matter where she goes, he is there. “Terrifier” is the type of nightmare we have as children when we can’t do anything or run anywhere because the nightmare is always there. That was the basic reason why I liked the short so much: it didn’t have a story or anything, but was just pure terror.
All Hallows’ Eve is the feature by the team that brought us “Terrifier” and it is equally terrifying. Don’t go thinking that it will be the scariest film you will ever see, but if you haven’t seen this filmmaker’s work before, you will be in for a treat.
Why wouldn’t you want to watch a film called Big-Ass Spider?
I really wouldn’t even consider this a review; I consider this a plea for people to watch a recently released documentary called The Act Of Killing. It’s been on many Top 10 lists this year and when I first heard the buzz about it, I was expecting to see something else. I’m not sure what that was, but in my mind I was expecting something not so gut-wrenching.
What would be your definition of an experimental film? I honestly think all definitions are B.S. I say this because of the actual definition of experiment: a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact. I don’t think any of these apply to film.
By Julie Finley
Let me start off by saying it has been very hard for me to enjoy anything lately. This year has sucked the life out of me due to being in constant pain. When you are in pain, it is hard to focus on anything but agony itself. That agony becomes mental anguish on top of the physical distress, thus making everything worse. In order to break through the grip of throbbing torment long enough to take notice of anything else, it has to be of either A) exceptional excellence, or B) something that sucks worse than your current state. In the case of Foetus’s Soak, it is of exceptional excellence!
It’s that time of year when you’re sick to death of Christmas music. The forced cheer, the same five or six songs over and over . . . you know the routine. Thankfully, the fine folks at Cleopatra Records have recently released Psych-Out Christmas, which is exactly that.
No doubt there are many who’ve heard of Terri Dooley, music lover, DJ, record shop owner, and tireless champion of the unheard music, but for those of us who haven’t, Good Vibrations is a giddy delight. Based on the real life (mis)adventures of the Belfast native, the film should win the hearts of all movie and music lovers, even those who’ve determined themselves too jaded to care.
Unless you’re a hardcore Melvins fan, you probably didn’t realize that not only have they been around since the ’80s, they’re also one of the more insanely prolific bands of the last few decades, with dozens of albums (including live albums), EPs, and singles, not to mention their many appearances on various compilation and tribute albums, plus near-constant touring. They not only put to bed that tired old chestnut about bands from the ’80s being terrible, they proceed to stay up all night afterwards, getting shit done.
Tres Cabrones, which loosely translates to “Three Fuckers,” is their latest album, but a cohesive long-player it is not. It’s an assemblage of songs previously released on vinyl singles and EPs, a couple of new tracks, and covers of traditional folk songs (yes). If that sounds like a bit of a mess to you, you’d be right, but it’s still quite good. The album does have one unifying thread that also pushes it into “must hear” territory. All the songs include King Buzzo, Dale Crover, and original drummer Mike Dillard (with Crover on bass).
By LabSplice
A few weeks ago, in search of a television show I could marathon that didn’t require too much brainpower, I decided to give Arrow a chance. The CW show is the sexy retelling of The Green Arrow, a character from the DC comic universe who fights crime with only his wits, a bow and arrow, and a multibillion dollar corporation that was bequeathed to him by his late father. It looked like a soap opera with action sequences. It looked dumb as hell.
It looked perfect.
I believe Streets Of Fire is a film that has to grow on you. I don’t mean that in a negative way but unless you like complete cheese, you may just think Streets Of Fire is at most, OK. My best friend introduced me to this movie for the first time a couple years ago. I enjoyed the film but it didn’t hit me hard like I thought it would. I didn’t yearn to watch it again although the music did stay with me. This past year I saw the film for a second time at the theater with some hardcore fans in the beauty of 35mm. Then it hit me. Seeing this film presented to me in that format made me feel differently.
So when I heard Second Sight Films was putting out a Blu-Ray my interest was piqued and I got excited . . . really excited.