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rembrandt36
Reviews
Time's Up (2022)
Pretty good above average slasher - recommended
TIME'S UP! (2022) is an independent horror movie whodunit written and directed by LC Holt of "You're Next" and "Phantom of Fun World " fame. Holt also stars in the movie along with Damian Maffei of "Haunt" and "Strangers Prey at Night," Hannah Fierman from "V/H/S", Kamarra Cole of "Demonic Toys: Jack Attack," and Jonathan Tiersten of the original "Sleepaway Camp." Horror icon Felissa Rose served as a producer on the movie and appears in the film as a police officer.
The storyline on IMDB is that on New Year's Eve, a faculty party for local teachers still reeling from the suicide of a bullied student, goes horribly wrong when an unexpected guest arrives with an unusual request: participate in a scavenger hunt--or die. Accompanied by a diligent reporter and a girl bent on discovering the truth about her friend's death, the party-goers race to reveal secrets about their mysterious tormentor and one another before the first firework explodes and the New Year begins with a bloody surprise.
Time's Up! Was shot smack dab in the middle of the 2020/2021 lockdown, the production had to follow severe health and safety rules. Despite these hurdles, I feel this crew did an incredible job with this motion picture. The cinematography is both beautiful and eerie, the production values are lush, and the actors give the audience top notch performances.
The look of the killer is really creepy, as they are dressed as FatherTime/Father New Year. They also carry a wicked scythe as their main weapon. I giggled a bit thinking about how the killer had to keep getting in and out of the costume, as well as being able to carry this huge scythe in their little car.
The kills overall are done well. The audience gets a decapitation, slit throats, a body sliced in half, gouged eyes. Pretty good stuff. If you want blood, you get blood.
It's not a perfect movie. It can feel a little disjointed at times. I wonder how much of that is because of the restrictions the cast and crew were under due to Covid. But I did really enjoy it. I first found it on Amazon, then on Tubi. It is also available in physical form from Plan 10 Pictures. I recommend it with a 7/10!
Slaughtered (2010)
What's with the hate?
I watched SLAUGHTERED eons ago. While it is a standard slasher. I don't see what all the hate in the comments is about. It's well made and well acted. There was good gore and some nice tension. By no means is it perfect. The motivation on the killer wasn't made apparent, and I had to ask the director what the motive was. SPOILER: The killer was interested in the main female character, and wanted to get rid of anyone close to her. If you watch that with that in mind, it makes much more sense. The killer is no Art the Clown, but has a cool look. It's a slightly above average slasher, but I gave it a 10/10 to offset the 3.2 out of 10. It deserves better than that. Turn your brain off and enjoy. I did.
Therapy (2016)
What?
So everyone wants to give this a pass because the filmmaker was 17 when he did it. You know what? I made films when I was 17. They were full of flaws too. But I didn't try to get them released! This is a very confusing and stupid movie. Jump scares and creepy places do not make up for the idiocy on display.
I will say that some of it is slickly produced. But this looks like a kid that wanted to put a guy in a Michael Myers mask (yeah, that's original) in a partially made found footage movie.
From people with their hands tied in FRONT of their bodies (so they could simply rip their gags off and scream and run away) to the illogical emotions and reactions of the law enforcement, this is just BAD.
Don't inflict your work on the public until you have reached a decent level of competency.
Darkest Hour (2005)
Murder Mystery party turns ugly when a real murderer shows up!
The peaceful town of North Bend, Washington is terrorized by a serial killer only known as "The North Bend Reaper." He was a hulking figure in a skull mask whom adorned himself in a cloak made from swatches of material taken from his victim's attire. In 1988 he killed multiple citizens in the area, before disappearing, apparently killed by three hunters out for revenge.
In present day, a troupe of actors, led by Ben Traimer (Todd Hann), is starting a murder mystery party company very near where the original tragedies of 1988 took place. The town is in an uproar because the murder mystery is going to be based on the local legend the North Bend Reaper. Because of this, the location of the party is being kept top secret a summer camp closed for the Fall.
Besides those involved in the company, the guests for the weekend include Therese and Tibor (Tristan Risk and Dave Cote), Joseph (Mike Coleman) an investigative reporter, Andrew (Steve McGowan) who thinks with his little head, and Rosemary (Patricia Nudd) and Lisa (Angie Zachary). Actor Drieghton (Benjamin Gutknecht), who wears Alice Cooper Makeup and dresses as a mod pallbearer, runs the weekend's events. The guest that solves the "Slasher-Flick" murder mystery by the end of the weekend wins a cash prize of $500.
The only problem is that this has all caught the attention of the original North Bend Reaper, and there are going to be some real murders at the Murder Mystery gathering
So, I have watched this movie a few times, and I cannot understand why people are jumping all over it so negatively. It is actually a pretty well put together slasher - certainly more intelligent than most that I have seen. The story is very sound, and the actors do not embarrass themselves. If anything they look like they are having a tremendously good time. The character of Dreighton is a true stand out. The design on the North Bend Reaper costume is excellent. And, Lee Tomaschefski is drop dead gorgeous. I wish she had had a nude scene.
Are the murders themselves graphic? No, but there ARE brutal. This little indie film has a true professional sheen to it. The production value is tremendous for what must have been a very low budget. The writing suffers at times, there are a few logistical problems, but overall you can tell that those in charge cared and did their damnedest to deliver entertainment - and they do.
Sure, some of the characters are a little clichéd, but most are fleshed out a little more than is normal for this sort of fare. The murder "game" itself looks like a lot of fun, and I wish we had a little more of that on the screen; maybe an extra could have been the actual game. The ending - which I feel is an open ending - is well done. Not everything is wrapped into a neat package, but at the same time it MAKES SENSE. How many slashers can boast that? This film has gotten good reviews as well. I would side with those as I think that if you give DARKEST HOUR a chance, you will enjoy it. I am happy that I own it, and it definitely is worth a rental. Extras on the disc include outtakes and deleted scenes, as well as trailers. I truly wish it had come with a commentary track.
Check it out!
The Funhouse (1981)
Pretty good, all told...
There was a time, before Six Flags took over the nation, that traveling carnivals were normal to see coming to mid-size towns during the summer. Thus is the setting for "The Funhouse." Teenager Amy Parker and her friends Liz, Ritchie, and Buzz have piled into Buzz's muscle car for a night at the carnival - the same carnival were some teenage girls had disappeared a year previous.
After getting high and taking in a few rides, the group proceeds to take in the freak of nature tent, a magic show, get their fortunes told, and sneak a peek at a girlie show. Towards the end of the evening, Ritchie gets the bright idea to spend the night in the Funhouse, challenging the others to do the same.
The four teens enter the Funhouse and proceed to ditch their ride cars. After the carnival closes, the group of kids starts a make out session in the dark
when they hear a noise. Looking through the floorboards, they see that the Funhouse worker Gunther (made up to look like the Frankenstein monster) is paying for sexual favors from the fortuneteller (Sylvia Miles of "Midnight Cowboy"). When he "jumps the gun" so to speak, she berates him and refuses to give his money back. This sends Gunther into a frenzy and he proceeds to strangle her to death. Having witnessed this, the kids decide to try to get the hell out of there.
Making their way around the darkened corridors with nothing more than a lighter, the foursome try to find the exit. Ritchie discovers the dead body of the fortuneteller and says he's going to check on her to make sure she is in fact dead. When he returns, he finds Buzz has indeed found the exit, but it is a steel door that has been padlocked. They decide to try and see if the entrance is open. On their way towards the front, they see a light wink on below them. The carnival barker has walked into his office and has discovered that Gunther has killed the fortuneteller.
Be it that the barker is in reality Gunther's father, he decides that they will get rid of the body and blame it on the local townsfolk. When Gunther gives back the money he took from the cash box to pay the fortuneteller, the carnival barker discovers that the rest of the money is missing. Enraged, he incites Gunther into beating himself up, to the point where he rips the Frankenstein monster mask off
exposing a horribly deformed person underneath. Shocked by what they see, the kids shrink back from the sight, only to lose the lighter through the floorboards. The clatter makes a noise, and the carnival barker stops his tirade with Gunther when he realizes they are not alone...
This is one of those movies I BEGGED my parents to see when it first came out. The commercials for it looked AWESOME. Unfortunately as a whole, it did not totally live up to my expectations once I saw it. For one thing, the Funhouse itself is an impossible structure. The thing has a sub basement in it for Pete's sake. This thing is supposed to be mobile? There is no way this thing traveled with the rest of the carnival. Plus, back in the day, there was some false advertising. Two different commercials had been cut. One of these had footage of the two actors (Cooper Huckabee and Elizabeth Berridge) being chased by Gunther through sets that did not even exist in the movie. I hate when production companies do that, as it misrepresents what is up on the movie screen.
Of course, the carnival barker firing up everything in the Funhouse well after midnight must have gone over really well with the nearby carnies trying to get some sleep.
Back in the day I believe this was made for 2.5 million dollars. Please keep in mind that was a BIG budget for a horror movie. The money definitely went towards the production design. Technically, it is a good movie. All of the moods are there, and the sets for the Funhouse itself are impressive. The music by composer John Beal is tremendous, and adds a lot to the overall flavor of the movie. Noted makeup artists Rick Baker and Craig Reardon did a credible job with the makeup of the deformed Gunther. Unfortunately there was not a lot of articulation in the prosthetic, and it comes off more like a mask at times.
Director Tobe Hooper has had a spotty career that has had more ups and downs than a carnival roller-coaster. He of course is known for "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" back in the mid 70s, but since then he has had a hard time matching the "feel" and effect that his initial foray into terror had. This movie is very sluggish at times and even when the action picks up, the pacing feels like it is going in several different directions.
As to the death scenes, they are on a whole pretty unspectacular. Mind you, this was back at the height of the early 80s horror resurgence, so it was odd that with such a story and location that so little was done with it. What this movie has going for it is atmosphere, decent acting and good character development.
A tidbit: The large bald mechanical clown head seen in the background of a few shots ended up as a mask in Rob Zombie's "House of 1,000 Corpses."
Final Stab (2001)
Avoid at all costs
I rented this a few years back and really regretted it. I had to look up the other films that David DeCoteau had done, and there I had the answer; a movie about gay men masquerading as if it were a slasher teen film. A lot of his other movies have had an undercurrent of homosexuality within them. Is there any way to get some sort of "gay slasher horror" rating put onto the DVD case so a person knows what they are getting into? Hey, if it is your bag, okay; I just prefer regular horror movies without the male sexual overtones. That aside, it is a boring movie with uninteresting characters. The camera panned and swayed so much I felt I was getting seasick. Killer bent on revenge kills a bunch of people at a murder bed and breakfast. Really stupid twist ending. No sex. No real blood or gore. Whether you are straight, bi, or gay - avoid this one and save your money. Rent Deep Red instead.
Fear of Clowns (2004)
Good low budget indie thriller
I must admit I do not know WHY there is so much bashing on this movie; I found it to be quite good - and I have been making indie horror movies for the last 23 years (the last ten of those in Hollywood itself). The story concept is fresh and different. Thankfully we are not watching a bunch of stupid, drunk, pot-smoking teenagers get offed in the woods by a retarded maniac. Sure, there are some problems with the film; almost all of it can be chalked up to the low budget. And yes to those that think differently - it is a very VALID excuse. There is not the time nor money to do multiple takes. While the acting was a bit uneven it was by no means horrible. Frank Lama was the stand out good performance in my book. The editing was choppy at times and there is a good reason for that; the movie was originally almost three hours long. Something will get lost in the translation cutting it to a more audience friendly 90 minutes. The production values were quite good - what with the art gallery, the squad cars, the Viper (which was loaned to the production), the abandoned children's amusement park, the theater, etc. Yes, the gore effects ramp up towards the ends and the clown make up is great. And the was female nudity for those that like it (someone posted the gal was fat; trust me - she was not fat and I have seen a hell of a lot worse. What do you want - stick figures?). So, while some ADD basement dwellers are going to put their XBOX's aside long enough to complain about this movie, I for one will say give it a change, and give it a rental. For only being Kangas' second movie, it's pretty good and pretty entertaining. That's what matters. Two thumbs up.
The Murder Game (2006)
Pretty uneven in its texture
'The Murder Game" is not original in concept but has potential. It is a bit hit and miss. The problem is not the fact that it is a low budget feature, but that the writing and the style of the movie comes off disjointed and uneven. It tries to mix in humor where there should be no humor, and that often times falls flat. The acting (from the over-aged teenagers) ranges from good performances to struggling. The best performances come from Steven Polite and Sam Klein. Katie Sirk, though cute, seems to have a permanent sneer on her face. The gore effects and some of the kill scenes are quite good. The bottom line is that the script and the story outcome could have (and should have) had a bit more thought put into it and a few more polished rewrites before it was lensed. Might not be bad for a rental.
Dead Hunt (2007)
A fantastic horror film in the vein of early 1980s slasher movies!
"Ten horror movie reviewers are invited to a party by the host of the HorrorDVDZone website. The party is in full swing when the power and the lights abruptly go out. A mysterious, black-hooded figure has cut the main wiring.The party's over..."
DEAD HUNT is loaded with action, blood, gore, and thrills; it plays like an updated version of Vincent Price's "Theatre of Blood" meets "Scream." It is also legendary cult film producer Don Dohler's last completed film (RIP).
Out of all the movies Timewarp Films has put out, this has the most professional, theatrical sheen to it. It also hearkens back to an earlier time, when horror slasher films had higher production values and were taken seriously. Don't get me wrong; there are some light touches of humor to be had, but when things get tense, all kidding is left aside and this movie grips you by the throat. Some of the opening party scenes could have been edited just a little tighter, but once the lights go out this movie is a non-stop roller-coaster ride.
Stand out performances come from actors Dennis Hill, Anne Marie Barbour, Justin Timpane, Sara Cole, Joe Ripple, and JP Barry. Scream Queen Leanna Chamish has a fun time parodying herself in this flick, and veteran character actor George Stover makes a cameo appearance. Don Dohler provides stylish lighting and camera work, and both he and Joe Ripple share the directing credits. The orchestrative score by composer Justin Timpane is incredible, and adds a lot to the eerie, moody deaths scenes. Eric Strauss' screenplay has some clever touches to it.
What's cool is the Two DVD set comes jam-packed with extras: commentary, bloopers, making of, deleted scenes, stills gallery, etc. Nice for an indie flick like this. The cover art has the look that reminds the viewer of classic slasher films like "My Bloody Valentine," "Terror Train," and "Happy Birthday To Me" without using that scratchy rust-colored "SAW" look all current horror movies seem to be guilty of copying. Bottom line is this is a fun horror film that I liked a lot, and I hope it finds an audience. Recommended.
Fear of Clowns 2 (2007)
Better than the first
I have never understood those that say Kangas' movies suck. He shows growth with every movie he has done, and with his third film he has gotten the brass ring. Kangas does movies I WANT to see - horror with some intelligence behind them. I caught this premiering in Baltimore and have to say that he really outdid himself with FOC2. The stand out in my mind - performance-wise - was Frank Lama as Peters. He was really convincing this time out. Jacky Reres and Mark Lassise really shined as well, and for a low budget horror movie, the story, thrills, special effects, and production values were superb. David Mun was excellent as the director of photography. Anyone that wants to see a GOOD horror movie should rent or buy this once it comes out. You will not be disappointed.