slasherstudios
Joined Oct 2010
Welcome to the new profile
We're still working on updating some profile features. To see the badges, ratings breakdowns, and polls for this profile, please go to the previous version.
Reviews24
slasherstudios's rating
When the first V/H/S came out, my expectations were through the roof. I adore horror anthologies and this seemed like the shot of adrenaline that the found footage genre needed. To say that I was disappointed with the film would be putting it mildly. I flat out hated two of the five segments and I put the film down as having the WORST wraparound story ever assembled in an anthology horror. When it wasn't terrible, it was predictable and trite. Now, less than a year later, we have the rushed found footage sequel "V/H/S 2″ (original title being "S-VHS" which is more creative than anything found in the first film). Does the sequel avoid the mistakes of its predecessor or does it belong on a shelf need in a horror fan's basement away from all humanity?
"Tape 49/frame narrative" In the wraparound, we follow two private investigators as they search through an abandoned house looking for a missing college student. Without giving too much away, I will say that this segment, like the wraparound in the original, is completely pointless because it is predictable from the moment they enter the house exactly what is going to happen. Unless the original, at least the characters here are likable even if they aren't given much of anything to do. Overall, the weakest segment of the bunch and I'd advise the filmmakers of the next sequel to do away with the wraparound altogether. It feels lazy and just a way to add some minutes to the running time.
"Phase I Clinical Trials" A man is sitting in a doctor's office after having had eye surgery. A camera is placed into one of his eye sockets to work as a functioning eye for him while he recovers. He is told by his doctor that everything the "eye" sees will be recorded and monitored for research purposes. Little does he know that he this will not be an experiment that will end well. He begins to see the undead as well as other strange visions at night. He is joined by Clarissa as she explains it all to him about his condition as she knows exactly what he is going through since she had a somewhat similar operation done. A bit predictable as it follows the typical "new body part comes to life" horror cliché but it works thanks to some nifty special effects and an "operation" scene that had me cringing.
"A Ride in the Park" A biker goes for a ride in the park (hence the title) only to be attacked my blood thirsty zombies who want to eat him for dinner. I'm going to leave the description at that in order to avoid giving away the bloody treats of this segment. Want to see a killer birthday party attacked by zombies with more blood and guts than in just about any zombie movie of the past few years? Dig it! This one is deliciously warped with a twisted sense of humor (I love seeing the zombies try to eat things that are obviously not meant to be tasted). One of the few segments that I honestly wished was a little bit longer. Zombie fans, eat your heart out.
"Safe Haven" A news crew is sent to investigate and do a piece on a strange Indonesian cult that is ruining their "family" out of an abandoned warehouse. This "family" is unlike any you have ever met and while they are friendly at first, they have a surprise for the head of the news crew as they have special plans for her in the immediate future. Do they plan to use her as an offering or something much, much worse? An interesting segment that is loaded with some creative death sequences and some solid acting by its leads. What prevents it from being a favorite is a running time that is far too long (at 30 minutes at least 5 of those count have been cut) and an ending that made me laugh out loud. No, it is not meant to be funny.
"Slumber Party Alien Abduction" A few months ago, I picked Detention as my favorite film of 2012. I had many readers write in calling me a "moron" for picking such "mindless trash" (their words, not mine) as my favorite film of the year. A dozen watches later and that film still puts a smile on my face for its sheer audaciousness and originality. Much like "Detention," "Slumber Party Alien Abduction" plays as a big FU to the conventions of the horror genre. A group of kids are having a sleepaway when some weird things begin to happen through the camera on their dog. No, I am not making that up and I am also not making up how much fun I had with this segment. Creative effects and lighting go a long way here and while the ending seems a bit too mean spirited, it definitely didn't wreck my enjoyment of this slumber party.
Overall, "VHS 2″ is a much better all around experience than "VHS" was. The characters are more likable, the stories are better paced, and the concepts and ideas are stronger with some creative execution. Not all segments will hit home with all viewers but you gotta appreciate the effort. I'm ready for VHS 3!
"Tape 49/frame narrative" In the wraparound, we follow two private investigators as they search through an abandoned house looking for a missing college student. Without giving too much away, I will say that this segment, like the wraparound in the original, is completely pointless because it is predictable from the moment they enter the house exactly what is going to happen. Unless the original, at least the characters here are likable even if they aren't given much of anything to do. Overall, the weakest segment of the bunch and I'd advise the filmmakers of the next sequel to do away with the wraparound altogether. It feels lazy and just a way to add some minutes to the running time.
"Phase I Clinical Trials" A man is sitting in a doctor's office after having had eye surgery. A camera is placed into one of his eye sockets to work as a functioning eye for him while he recovers. He is told by his doctor that everything the "eye" sees will be recorded and monitored for research purposes. Little does he know that he this will not be an experiment that will end well. He begins to see the undead as well as other strange visions at night. He is joined by Clarissa as she explains it all to him about his condition as she knows exactly what he is going through since she had a somewhat similar operation done. A bit predictable as it follows the typical "new body part comes to life" horror cliché but it works thanks to some nifty special effects and an "operation" scene that had me cringing.
"A Ride in the Park" A biker goes for a ride in the park (hence the title) only to be attacked my blood thirsty zombies who want to eat him for dinner. I'm going to leave the description at that in order to avoid giving away the bloody treats of this segment. Want to see a killer birthday party attacked by zombies with more blood and guts than in just about any zombie movie of the past few years? Dig it! This one is deliciously warped with a twisted sense of humor (I love seeing the zombies try to eat things that are obviously not meant to be tasted). One of the few segments that I honestly wished was a little bit longer. Zombie fans, eat your heart out.
"Safe Haven" A news crew is sent to investigate and do a piece on a strange Indonesian cult that is ruining their "family" out of an abandoned warehouse. This "family" is unlike any you have ever met and while they are friendly at first, they have a surprise for the head of the news crew as they have special plans for her in the immediate future. Do they plan to use her as an offering or something much, much worse? An interesting segment that is loaded with some creative death sequences and some solid acting by its leads. What prevents it from being a favorite is a running time that is far too long (at 30 minutes at least 5 of those count have been cut) and an ending that made me laugh out loud. No, it is not meant to be funny.
"Slumber Party Alien Abduction" A few months ago, I picked Detention as my favorite film of 2012. I had many readers write in calling me a "moron" for picking such "mindless trash" (their words, not mine) as my favorite film of the year. A dozen watches later and that film still puts a smile on my face for its sheer audaciousness and originality. Much like "Detention," "Slumber Party Alien Abduction" plays as a big FU to the conventions of the horror genre. A group of kids are having a sleepaway when some weird things begin to happen through the camera on their dog. No, I am not making that up and I am also not making up how much fun I had with this segment. Creative effects and lighting go a long way here and while the ending seems a bit too mean spirited, it definitely didn't wreck my enjoyment of this slumber party.
Overall, "VHS 2″ is a much better all around experience than "VHS" was. The characters are more likable, the stories are better paced, and the concepts and ideas are stronger with some creative execution. Not all segments will hit home with all viewers but you gotta appreciate the effort. I'm ready for VHS 3!
Going into the new "Evil Dead" reboot/remake/sequel, my expectations couldn't have been lower. If "Texas Chainsaw 2D" taught me one thing, it is to avoid all trailers, TV spots, and clips for upcoming horror movies. Who wants to spent $11-12 on a movie when they've already seen the "good" stuff for free? With that in mind, I went into "Evil Dead" having no clue as to what to expect besides hearing from a few internet bloggers that it was supposedly one of the "goriest movies ever made". All I knew was that I loved Ash and I loved the original (I'm a bit less fond of the sequels). The original creators were on board with this remake, so how bad could it possibly be? Turns out, it is not bad at all. "Evil Dead" is in fact one of the very best horror movies of the last few years.
As the film begins, we watch as a teenage girl is kidnapped and tortured by a good of townspeople including her father. They accuse her of being evil, a charge she most certainly denies. Her father pours gasoline on her as he prepares to see his daughter light up in flames. She begs for him to take mercy before taking the form of a possessed demon. He lights the match and the demon promises that he will indeed return. So far, fairly interesting if nothing like the original film.
We flash forward to modern time as we meet five college aged students who are staying at an abandoned, dilapidated cabin the weekend. Their goal, is to get their best friend Mia (wonderfully played by Jane Levy in a role that had to be torture to endure) off the drugs once and for all. They make the pact that whatever they do, they won't leave the house until she is cured. Something tells me they are going to regret that promise come morning, that is if they survive to tell the tale.
A look through the house reveals a strange basement sells with dead cats everywhere and a book wrapped in plastic and barbed wire. Of course, it doesn't take long for one of the memories of the group (shockingly the smart one, Eric, nicely played by Lou Taylor Pucci) to read from the Book of the Dead to unleash the spirits once again on the group of five. Turns out if the demon is able to feast from five souls in a night, the dead will rule the world again? Five good looking college students, five souls, the spirits are going to be having a buffet tonight. It is up to the leader of the group David (the very handsome Shiloh Fernandez who is the heart and soul of this film) to save the day by destroying the book, the cabin, and possibly his sister Mia's soul.
Words cannot simply describe the experience of watching "Evil Dead" (2013). For a remake, it feels more like a sequel than anything and I really mean that as a compliment. This is the rare movie that stays true to the original while adding a strong new story, likable characters, and more blood and gore than you will likely see all year. It is relentless in its terror and atmosphere and actually made me feel uneasy at several key moments. If this film had to be cut to receive an R rating, I can't even imagine what the original NC-17 version looked like. Not everyone is going to come out of this film with the same admiration that I had for it. Those that like their horror "fun" may feel a bit drained by the entire experience but I left the theater shaking. Yes, I found it to be THAT good. If I see a better horror movie this year, it will be a damn good year for the genre as a whole.
As the film begins, we watch as a teenage girl is kidnapped and tortured by a good of townspeople including her father. They accuse her of being evil, a charge she most certainly denies. Her father pours gasoline on her as he prepares to see his daughter light up in flames. She begs for him to take mercy before taking the form of a possessed demon. He lights the match and the demon promises that he will indeed return. So far, fairly interesting if nothing like the original film.
We flash forward to modern time as we meet five college aged students who are staying at an abandoned, dilapidated cabin the weekend. Their goal, is to get their best friend Mia (wonderfully played by Jane Levy in a role that had to be torture to endure) off the drugs once and for all. They make the pact that whatever they do, they won't leave the house until she is cured. Something tells me they are going to regret that promise come morning, that is if they survive to tell the tale.
A look through the house reveals a strange basement sells with dead cats everywhere and a book wrapped in plastic and barbed wire. Of course, it doesn't take long for one of the memories of the group (shockingly the smart one, Eric, nicely played by Lou Taylor Pucci) to read from the Book of the Dead to unleash the spirits once again on the group of five. Turns out if the demon is able to feast from five souls in a night, the dead will rule the world again? Five good looking college students, five souls, the spirits are going to be having a buffet tonight. It is up to the leader of the group David (the very handsome Shiloh Fernandez who is the heart and soul of this film) to save the day by destroying the book, the cabin, and possibly his sister Mia's soul.
Words cannot simply describe the experience of watching "Evil Dead" (2013). For a remake, it feels more like a sequel than anything and I really mean that as a compliment. This is the rare movie that stays true to the original while adding a strong new story, likable characters, and more blood and gore than you will likely see all year. It is relentless in its terror and atmosphere and actually made me feel uneasy at several key moments. If this film had to be cut to receive an R rating, I can't even imagine what the original NC-17 version looked like. Not everyone is going to come out of this film with the same admiration that I had for it. Those that like their horror "fun" may feel a bit drained by the entire experience but I left the theater shaking. Yes, I found it to be THAT good. If I see a better horror movie this year, it will be a damn good year for the genre as a whole.
I must admit that I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with most films from Asylum. With over 50 movies in the can, the production company has yet to lose money on a single feature. Often from the time a title is announced to the moment the film is available to purchase is less than six months. This is cynical filmmaking to say the least but there is something ingenious about the business side of this sort of low brow end of movies approach. Is this really anything different than what Roger Corman did in the 60s and 70s? Joe Dante's Piranha was a shameless rip off of Jaws. The Asylum's Hansel and Gretel is a shameless rip off of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. The real question to ask...does this rip off work or is it even worse than the "blockbuster" it is trying to capitalize on. Let's take a bite out of Hansel and Gretel.
As Hansel & Gretel begins we witness an overweight girl tied up in shackles trapped in a dark and dreary basement. She manages to get herself free and she runs out of the house and into the woods only to find herself trapped yet again. An apple in the mouth and some seasonings and she has become the next meal for the family who lives in the house. After "treated" to the opening Saw "homage", I was already tuning myself out of the film. But then something strange happened. The movie developed a sense of humor about itself and it went from being a chore to sit through to becoming one of the more entertaining movies of the last few years. We have our two heroes (Hansel and Gretel, of course) on a race against time as they battle the delightfully evil Dee Wallace as the witch. But I mean Dee Wallace runs a bakery that sells meat pies called The Gingerbread House. How great is that?
I'm been complaining lately that there haven't been enough good-bad horror movies lately. Horror movies that aren't exactly great but are shamelessly entertaining. The Asylum's Hansel and Gretel completely fits the bill. Not only is this Asylum's best work to date, it is also their most enjoyable work yet. A terrifically over-the-top performance by Dee Wallace who gets to shout lines like "EAT YOUR DINNER!" and "I was always going to eat YOU!" seals the deal. A must watch for slasher fans. I can't wait to dig in for seconds.
As Hansel & Gretel begins we witness an overweight girl tied up in shackles trapped in a dark and dreary basement. She manages to get herself free and she runs out of the house and into the woods only to find herself trapped yet again. An apple in the mouth and some seasonings and she has become the next meal for the family who lives in the house. After "treated" to the opening Saw "homage", I was already tuning myself out of the film. But then something strange happened. The movie developed a sense of humor about itself and it went from being a chore to sit through to becoming one of the more entertaining movies of the last few years. We have our two heroes (Hansel and Gretel, of course) on a race against time as they battle the delightfully evil Dee Wallace as the witch. But I mean Dee Wallace runs a bakery that sells meat pies called The Gingerbread House. How great is that?
I'm been complaining lately that there haven't been enough good-bad horror movies lately. Horror movies that aren't exactly great but are shamelessly entertaining. The Asylum's Hansel and Gretel completely fits the bill. Not only is this Asylum's best work to date, it is also their most enjoyable work yet. A terrifically over-the-top performance by Dee Wallace who gets to shout lines like "EAT YOUR DINNER!" and "I was always going to eat YOU!" seals the deal. A must watch for slasher fans. I can't wait to dig in for seconds.