genowhirl Reviews

The Forces of Horror Anthology: Volume I (2020)

Underwhelming, but not without a certain charm.

[3/10 · 16 May 2023]

This anthology definitely has an innocent made-for-TV/ straight-to-DVD vibe to it, and seems like a good introduction to horror for a younger audience. The scripting, acting, production quality, and practical effects fall several steps below the Goosebumps TV show that aired on Nickelodeon, if that gives you an idea.

Plain and simple, Forces of Horror doesn't offer any legitimately horrifying experiences. But it does have some interesting ideas that would probably do well if taken on by a crew with a much larger budget and higher production value. It's got a sort of labor-of-love charm to it that is most likely the film's only saving grace.

My goodness, the audio mixing is utterly terrible! Mostly in 'The Jones" segment. It'll be fine as long as the actors are only talking, but the minute a scream comes out it resounds through the room with a piercing howl. You don't want the volume turned up too high for this one, trust me. That said, if you don't have it turned up then you might not hear everything. At times, especially during the opening scene, the volume is way too low.

Libby: The wraparound. Struggling to adjust to her new adopted family, Libby begins seeing a therapist, conveying to him 4 recurring nightmares.

Revelations: They've adopted a "Reaper," and she must get what she wants, or else.

The Jones: Tensions rise between two families of zombies when the law dictates whose non-zombie children get eaten and when.

Rawhead: A young girl must contend with "Rawhead," the monster in her closet.

The Origin of Species: When their car breaks down, a father and his daughter seek help from the locals, and get a bit more than they bargained for.

Conjure X (2020)

Literally 50/50

[5/10 · 16 May 2023]

This middling anthology sports a pretty high production value, but is not an anthology in the traditional sense. That is to say that there is no framing story of any kind. This leads to a level of inconsistency that is amplified by the fact that the individual vignettes are only separated by either their own credits reel or abrupt jump cuts that lead into the establishing shot of the next short. The jump cuts can feel totally jarring and will leave a bad taste in your mouth. Unfortunately, these jump cuts also draw one's attention to the abrupt, inconclusive endings that plague some of the short films - lookin' at you Sleepwalker.

Of course, as is always the case with horror anthologies, the stories tend to be all over the place, and this anthology definitely checks that box. We've got everything from shady hitchhikers and sci-fi prisoner exchanges to time manipulation and home invasions.

Also in typical fashion, some stories are much stronger than others. I loved the premise and ending of The Hourglass Figure, the cleverness of Exit 7A, and the delivery of The Silent Treatment. These stories are easily the most fleshed out and well-executed ideas. Meanwhile, Sleepwalker felt too inconclusive, Bannon's Lookout was a creative idea that really needed to be explored further, and My BFF was too rushed and didn't fully deliver on any of its ideas as a result.

That's right! We've got 6 tales in total, and below are brief synopses:

The Hourglass Figure: Failing to meet the demands of her family, a struggling housewife discovers a helpful trinket in her attic, but it must be handled with care.

Sleepwalker: Struggling with the recent loss of her husband, a troubled woman begins experiencing strange phenomena in her sleep.

Prisoner Exchange at Bannon's Lookout: In a bid to save their daughter, an exchange is made between man and beast. It's hard to say who's saving who. . . And from what.

Exit 7A: On the way to his family reunion a young man gives an ominous hitchhiker a ride to Exit 7A.

My BFF: A young and ailing single mom's relationship with her daughter becomes strained when a new doll shows up on their doorstep one night.

The Silent Treatment: Two teens are enjoying a horror movie marathon until it is interrupted by the intrusion of an unexpected third wheel sporting his own style of entertainment.

Tales from All Hallows Eve (2007)

On the High End of Amateur

[4/10 · 15 May 2023]

Director and Writer Harry Sparks, of no particular fame, brings us 3 modest tales of terror featuring mania, paranoia, and vampirism that nest themselves somewhere in the high end of amateur. Each tale features a surprise ending. While the twists may be predictable in some cases, the endings are actually quite fitting/satisfying.

The production value of this anthology, though inconsistent, is actually pretty good as far as amateur film production is concerned. I would even venture to say that there is a sort of late-night-made-for-TV charm to this anthology. It won't be turning any heads, but it's not so bad that you'd be unable to finish it. Some high points would be the first story's premise, the second story's characterization and practical effects, and the third story's smooth acting and cinematography. Some low points are the wraparound story, the flat lead actor of the first story, and the patchwork quality of some of the stories.

We are treated to 3 tales - I titled them myself since I couldn't find the actual titles - each supported by a wraparound story. Below are brief synopses:

The Wraparound 2/10 A group of friends gather for their All Hallow's Eve tradition of telling scary stories to one another.

This is actually a simple enough idea that ends up falling flat due to poor acting. That is to say that the experience is very droll and lifeless since none of the actors appear to be even remotely interested in being there.

The Sniper 4/10 More excited about his new rifle than his one year anniversary, a young man sets out into the woods whilst news reports come in about a recent prison escape.

This, in my opinion, is the weakest tale. The premise is great, and the twist is satisfying, but the main actor is too flat, and the cinematography leaves something to be desired.

Something about Molly 7/10 An insecure young woman takes matters into her own hands when her jealousy and insecurity around her new relationship get the better of her.

This one is a major step up from the prior tale. The acting is on point, the cinematography really sells the story, the actors have subtle character arcs, and the twist is quite fulfilling.

Bloody Mary 6/10 An aspiring young writer teams up with his wife to contend with a sexy vampire who has her sights set on him.

When they juxtaposed Bloody Mary with vampirism, I was pretty skeptical, but they pulled it together pretty well. The story is a bit patchwork, but the acting is strong enough to sell the story.

Volumes of Blood (2015)

"Bring your A Game. Don't bring your Ass Game." Indeed.

[7/10 · 24 December 2022]

Indie film directors Jakob Bilinski (13 After Midnight), Nathan Thomas Milliner (Encyclopedia Satanica), John Kenneth Muir (A Little Pick Me Up), P. J. Sparks (Ghastly), and Lee Vervoort (That's a Wrap) bring you 5 tantalizing tales shot in 1 location.

Not gonna lie, Tony McKee offers an incredibly juicy original score for this film. The instrumental jams are quite deliciously groovy.

We have 4 main stories and a very . . . Fleshed out . . .frame story, especially toward the end. But before we jump into any of that we are treated to 3 incredibly quick and varied shorts that set up the frame story and offer minimal exposition. Using only practical effects, these tales cover several subgenere's of horror such as: supernatural, paranormal, creature feature, slasher, body horror, and dark comedy.

Here's the main gist: Four friends gather in the school library in order to share their own folklore stories that they've written for a classroom project. One catch: they must all take place within the same Library setting.

The humor for most of the movie is spot on, considering the setting and characterization, but will most likely create two camps: one that finds immature high-school humor to be "childish, superficial, and lame," perfectly exemplified by Sidney (Paige Ward) and her boyfriend Norman (Grant Niezgodski) in the tale "13 Past Midnight." The other camp may find a certain piquant charm to the confluence of waggish banter and banal drollness present throughout the film. P. J. Sparks in "That's a Wrap" is so damn hilarious. If you look closely, especially around the "A game" part, you'll even notice several actors breaking character - they just couldn't keep it together.

The cinematography is mostly cogent. The steady shots are quite crisp, but the dynamic shots are slightly shaky and of lower quality overall. You'll notice this the most during frame story segments. That said, there are a plethora of techniques that are effectively used to tell the stories, set the scenes, or mix up the action. There's also considerable effort - sometimes to poor effect, but largely to great effect - placed into covering their weaknesses with clever camera angles and skillful jump cuts. There are several scenes in "Encyclopedia Satanica" that capitalize on these camera effects to cover its weaknesses, whereas "Ghastly" tells the story almost strictly through camerawork. These are examples of the cinematography coming in clutch, and the movie is riddled with this kind of camerawork. It's solid stuff.

The writing and acting are quite good together, propping each other up for a solid, unified front. However, the scripting falls into two camps as well. On one hand, the scripting utilizes charming banter, realistic exchanges, and several sharp-witted one-liners, and is on the whole very coherent and compelling. I think the frame story does a good job with this. On another hand, the scripting can be a bit cheesy, offering lines that no one would actually say, adding in lines when they shouldn't have, or even completely ignoring engrossing scenes altogether, thus diminishing the potential of the more powerful moments. Derek (Kevin Roach) in "Encyclopedia Satanica," sets a prime example of this. With thespian maleficence, he really sells his role very well, but there are certain moments where the dialogue is just too uncanny to hit home.

But the biggest sin of all, in my opinion, comes from "Encyclopedia Satanica" as well. There is a scene between the librarians Paige (Kristine Renee Farley) and Travis - played by Todd Reynolds and boasting a somewhat stiff performance that feels like his only direction was "guy with exposition" - where he tells her a story about a daisy in order to console her. It's a long and drawn-out scene. The story has a clear message in it that is extremely pertinent to Paige's situation, but then they render it inert and ineffective by just sweeping it under the rug and completely ignoring it! For some reason it just really sat wrong with me.

The sound design has a very respectable 90's straight-to-DVD finish. In cases like "Pick Me Up," it does a great job of building a tense atmosphere and cuing us in on what to pay attention to and how to feel about it. But, ultimately, the sound design seems a bit generic and limpid in its attempts to buttress the atmosphere of the scenes.

Anyway, solid stuff. While the finished product is a bit lacking in some areas, it is still a strong entry into anthology horror, and an amazing effort by some very talented indie developers. Definitely worth a watch, especially for the ending!

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

Before we get the 5 featured shorts, we are treated to 3 side pieces, all of which play some part in the frame story:

80's Sequence: An 80's style slasher tale featuring two love birds at a make out point.

Very cheesy and somewhat unenjoyable to watch due to stale acting and weak scripting, but the good news is that it doesn't last long and offers a very clever transition into the next scene. Actually, it may have been intentionally the way it is.

Cutting Class: Setting up our frame story, this short is a love letter to "After Midnight." Today's lesson is on urban legends.

Cutting class has a good deal of humor and a decent script. It sets up the frame story very well.

Torture Porn: Straight up body horror right here folks.

Short and sweet, with hints of subtle exposition and potential allusion.

And now for the featured shorts:

A Little Pick Me Up: Between job and school, this young woman has had no time to sleep. With a paper due soon, exhaustion building up, and the hours ticking away, she needs a pick-me-up: the brand new energy drink Ka-Pow!

Ghastly: It's closing time at the local library. The customers are gone, and the librarian has some books to shelve, including one simply titled, "Ghosts," which doesn't seem to want to cooperate.

13 After Midnight: She's got a paper due tomorrow, and so she forgoes the Halloween festivities and holes up in the library after hours to finish it. But she may not be alone.

Encyclopedia Satanica: Guilt-ridden by the recent death of her ex boyfriend, a young librarian uses an archaic book that can recall the dead.

That's a Wrap: With a certain meta-dark-comedy-horror approach, the Director of this film has a huge breakdown mid-production. While the movie itself is a hot topic, in the local news it shares the spotlight with a series of gruesome murders that have been going on recently. Coincidence?

Shorts After Dark (2019)

These are brilliant

[8/10 · 24 December 2022]

Indie film directors Frederik de Wilde (Joy Palace), Katarzyna Gondek (Deer Boy), and Wim Reygaert (Neverlanding: A Bad Thriller) share with us "an exclusive FilmDoo compilation" of gripping and eclectic tales featuring a boy with antlers, a grieving hoarder, strange meats, a Michael Jackson impersonator, and a vampire.

The atmosphere; it's all about the atmosphere with these shorts. Each story develops its own unique and striking atmosphere that produces a persistent sensation of strangulation; just enough to alter one's breathing, but not enough to be killed. So simple, yet so captivating, I actually found myself holding my breath on occasion, not necessarily because they were tense, but because they were so gripping - prismatically unnerving, each tale gets under your skin in its own unique way.

Using two-fisted visceral imagery, these shorts truly feel alive. Indeed, the quotidian nature of the stories is so suasive as to convince the mind that it could be entirely possible for these fantastic events to actually be happening somewhere out in the world.

A high production value lends itself to the excellent and distinctive story-telling. The characters are intensely hued. That is to say that, while somewhat fixed into their relatively one-dimensional roles, the characters are quite expressive and compelling within their somewhat limited domains. It's sharp and pointed, guiding the viewer right along the intended train of thought with eloquence and fervor.

Anyway, give this a go! Tons of talent that unfortunately mostly hasn't made its way to the big leagues yet. However, Directed by Robert Downey Jr. (Ironman), Deer Boy was actually taken and used by Jim Mickle and Beth Schwartz to create a Netflix series called "Sweet Tooth."

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

Deer Boy: "A hunter's son is born with antlers, a reflection of how every many kills the thing he loves."

Joy Palace: After her daughter dies, Vivianne neglects and isolates herself in her home for 20 years, filling the void with mammoth mounds of odds and ends.

Karkas: "A nasty short with lots of meat."

Neverlanding: A Bad Thriller: "A reclusive Michael Jackson impersonator dedicates his entire life to making his act absolutely perfect."

Lilith: A vampire's desperation for blood invites new friends, new foes, and new lows.

Gravedigger Dave's Halfway House (2020)

For those fans of never-made-it-to Tv, made-for-TV ghost documentaries

[5/10 · 23 December 2022]

This short film is directed by Keith Tyler Hopkins, a relatively innocuous director with only short films in his repertoire.

Playing out like an episode of a TV show, our host, the exceptionally eccentric Gravedigger Dave, played by Matt Rasmussen (Gravedigger Dave's Anthology Festival), treats us to a slew of short ghost documentaries that may or may not be real.

Poor Dave must have died on the pot, because his permanently contorted face bears the message, "don't bother me, I'm trying to push one out."

This short film asks, "What is fact? What is fiction?" And I found myself wondering if it was asking about the documentaries themselves, or the stories within. On that note, with a 90's stylization, and incredibly accurate and outstanding acting, the documentaries are easily convincing. I remember seeing very similar shows of the same caliber when I was growing up, even down to the dramatized, digitally altered reenactments and droning, spellbinding soundscapes. So, for a while, I honestly couldn't tell if these were real documentaries that just never aired, or if these were actually made in-house. If they were made in-house, well done!

Of course, speckled about are obvious in-house works that feature some pretty remarkable ideas. And it's at these points that you realize the remarkable capability and talent of Keith Hopkins to recreate the ghost documentaries of the olden days. They're SO convincing! Really takes me back.

The most glaring issue of this entire movie is the muffled sound. Grave Digger Dave, in particular, has a very muffled sound quality that almost makes it impossible to understand what he's saying at times. Luckily, this issue is only contained to his brief segments. Just as well, there's a story or two that just kinda vanish into thin air before reaching a conclusion.

Overall, it's enjoyable to watch, actually, especially if you enjoy ghost documentaries from the 90's.

Spooky+ (2022)

Don't sleep on this

[8/10 · 23 December 2022]

You've most likely heard of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare. Well this is A Midsommar Night's Dream. This thing's a banger!

Directed by Ivan Asen (Ender's Game), Chad Heffelfinger (Get Out), and Cody Heffelfinger (The First Purge), Spooky+ boasts some stellar talent.

Here's the premise: Before his blind date, our affable and humorous host, Doug Jones (Abe Sapien of Hellboy), discovers that his TV has opened up a new application, Spooky+, of its own volition. It's an app that comes with some very enticing otherworldly features, and it insists that Doug watches the movies it has in store.

Anyway, this is one of the strangest fever drea- anthologies I've seen in a while. I'm not positive, but I strongly believe, based on evidence, that this anthology's intended to be a satirical pastiche of straight-to-TV horror anthologies. The production quality oscillates wildly, yet with such precision that I can't help but believe it is intentional. The pastiche theory is even more compelling when considering the clever and sparse use of low-quality practical effects, the excellent scripting, the deliciously campy acting that swings harder than Benny Goodman, and some splendidly gaudy, brilliant sound design.

We've got 10 stories that are all over the freakin' place in the most wonderful way, containing anything from a vampiric human-slayer, to a yogi who creates a new market for herself during a zombie outbreak, then back around the block to a story about a young girl that believes her toys are getting jealous of her new relationship.

Vortex: A Film Anthology (2022)

Hot take: Not so great.

[5/10 · 23 December 2022]

It's coming in hot with 10's across the board from IMDB movie-goers. But let's take a closer look at this already relatively renowned 2022 horror anthology. P. S. At the very bottom of this review I attempted to piece together the frame story, if you're interested.

Hot take: This experience felt to me like I was watching a bunch of relatively poorly acted cliches interacting with each other within storylines featuring mostly exhausted tropes. The innovative frame story - this film's saving grace - offers a lot of world-building, but it doesn't really explain much about the significance of the different vignettes, and so they largely feel disjointed and even unnecessary, especially when several of them are so lackluster or underwhelming, such as Special, Disturbed, Icarus, Unanswered, and arguably Ballistic - that's half of the skits!

On with the review:

We've got 3 directors for this one ladies and gentlemen, each with their own screenplay contributions. Grayson Berry (Law & Order: SVU) offers us "Icarus," "Unanswered," and "Vortex parts 1 & 2." Our second director, Raffaele Marchetta has carried many short films and smaller projects under his wings, and it shows as he delivers "Disturbed," "The Place," and "Ballistic." The third boy in the band, Thomas Ryan Ward's main experience with filming and directing stems almost entirely from this anthology. He gives us "Bitter Cup," and "Special."

I'll say this: Vortex: A Film Anthology is by no means a solid 10, especially insofar as horror anthologies are concerned. Still, it is a solid endeavor.

Creativity is gushing out of every nook and cranny of this thing, and THAT'S where it derives its sort of highbrow charm. With clean, smooth cinematography, inventive story-telling, largely habile acting, and polished visual and practical effects, this anthology treats us to 9 decently-crafted, somewhat refined and mostly uninspired tales.

As for what holds this movie back from being a 10/10? Sound, is a good place to begin. It is either poor audio mixing or low-grade audio equipment that is the culprit for the shoddy sound quality. In the filmmaking industry, they say, "the eye forgives, but the ear does not." The sound design for this, in terms of soundtrack and soundscape, is spot on, but then any time the somewhat muffled dialogue - which at times can be obscured by any other competing sounds - becomes even remotely loud, the sound thunders in with a very choppy and static boom. It can really break immersion.

Well, that's it for the ears. Onto the eyes! While the cinematography is passable, the shots are usually overexposed, giving it an overall amateurish, dated finish. Just as well, this anthology struggles with the classic indie-movie issue where some actors/actresses are better than others, but to such a degree that it is detrimental to the scene. It's kind of like watching several people try to build a PB&J sandwich, but one person brings the bread, one brings the peanut butter, and another brings a piece of lettuce. It might not taste that bad, per se, but it sure as hell ain't jelly. The acting already isn't stellar to begin with, and so it's like comparing apples to onions. . . .or PB&J to a PB&L.

Kudos to the team for constructing this anthology during Covid-19! I'm sure that was difficult to work around. Overall, I really got a "Chilling Visions: Five Senses of Fear" vibe from this anthology, but without the production value and clever screenplay, and the addition of a more intricate frame story. It's also worth noting that the credits for this anthology feature, well, it's not quite a blooper reel, but it does have outtakes. . . Or perhaps its a blooper reel masquerading as outtakes. Anyway, it's a nice touch and puts on display the fact that this anthology was indeed a passion project.

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

Bitter Cup: Serving justice as cold and bitter as the darkest coffee.

Stephanie's just trying to move up in the world, but it's hard when the top positions of the company she works for are seated by elitist bedlamites.

Disturbed: A natural man-eater, this player loves the game.

An intruder breaks into a young couple's home. However, he's not exactly a stranger.

Icarus: Two kids go searching for a man who has fallen from the sky.

Short and sweet, but wanting.

The Place: On their way home from a restaurant, a young couple get into an accident and end up in a very strange pickle.

This is the longest and most compelling story of the bunch.

Ballistic: The proof is in the pudding. . .but you have to have the pudding first.

A married couple and their friend are waiting for their seemingly inevitable death, and so they speak their last words to one another and share their darkest secrets.

Special: After an all-time low, she's back on the up and up.

A young and failing actress receives an offer to die for.

Not much going on here.

Unanswered: A religious young man is haunted by visions of his three friends that went missing.

Again, not much going on here.

Vortex Part 1 Nikola Tesla's brilliant mind holds the key that unlocks alternative realities. Two men have him strapped to a table and connected to a device, forcing him to generate and experience these different alternative realities while a third man observes.

Vortex Part 2 As the experiments continue, Nikola tries to contend with his captors. To stop him, they travel through time and space.

My best guess - put Vortex 1 and 2 together and you get something like this:

Because he created a free source of infinite energy, Nikola Tesla was swooped up from his timeline/alternative reality by a group from the future that is mad about the fact that they can't profit off of energy anymore. They used certain chemicals and apparatuses to subdue and incapacitate Nikola. While unconscious, the group could then use his mind to access alternative realities, most likely a result of Nikola's mind attempting to return back to his own reality and timeline.

The group possesses a chart they stole from Nikola that depicts a cosmic ritual of sorts that opens up "the gap," and it requires a certain number of alternative realities to exist at one time. So they transfer the alternate realities that Nikola unlocks into televisions in order to sustain those realities indefinitely, keeping the gateways open for as long as they need them to be open.

But something they didn't expect occurs. Nikola becomes conscious whilst inside of the dreamlike alternative realities. With an awareness of how he ended up in his situation, and the understanding that completing the ritual would most likely have unknown devastating effects, he shuts down the opened gates by releasing the doves, which were physical representations of the gates, and opts to end his life, shutting down the "gap ritual" forever.

Anthology of Terror: Prelude (2010 Video)

The potential. This could have easily been so much more.

[4/10 · 23 December 2022]

Anthology of Terror: Prelude, with its 40 minute runtime, is directed by Ryan Thompson, and Written by Matthew O'Day. Ryan has a lot of short films and smaller projects under his belt, and it shows in the quality of this anthology.

By all accounts, it is not in the production value, the scripting, or the acting that this movie is lacking. In fact, even on a shoe-string budget, it is obvious that Ryan Thompson has some considerable skill as an amateur filmmaker, and that the production team is also familiar with their roles - just look at the effective and minimalistic costume design, soft make up, the telling set designs, the suasive practical effects, and the clever use of dynamic camera angles and diegetic sound design!

The plots, or should I say plot, for each tale are the glaring weakness of this anthology. All three of its stories are centered around the same basic idea: they die; they come back; they make others die.

I thought it was both interesting and a smart play to use a separate vocal track for the Archivist's different scenes. It gave it a crisper, more well-rounded sound. They definitely could have utilized him more though. His dialogue became repetitive and redundant after a while, while also not really coming across as entirely relevant to the individual vignettes.

To be honest, I gave this a 4/10 only because the plots were too repetitive. Matthew and Ryan must have been fans of the game Broken Telephone. I'll admit that they really do a good job of spinning the same tale in 3 very different ways - a case for great screenplay writing - but If they had created a wider variety of stories with the same production value that they were able to achieve, it could have easily been a respectable 6/10.

Is it worth watching? If you have nothing better to be doing or watching, or if you're a fan - better yet, part of a group of fans - of chicken-feed budget indie horror, then I would say yes. But it isn't gonna blow your socks off. That said, it is very short, so it's not like it's gonna hurt.

Below are brief Plot Summaries and further impressions that may include some spoilers:

The Archivist:

This our frame story, so to speak. Sitting around a campfire, the Archivist regales us with tales from his book of ill-fated deaths.

He Won't Stay Dead:

Two hitmen take out the charges of their most recent contract. .. again. . . .and again. . . .and again. The boy just won't stay dead!

This one sports most of the gore, and probably is where most of the budget for the practical effects went to. It's actually pretty solid stuff. I was even surprised by how decent the choreography was for the epic final fight scene. . . But it may still be laughable.

I Killed You Once!:

The kettle's steaming, and so is his wife, Rose. Fed up with her husband's abusive, misogynistic ways, she decides to turn the tables on him. . .unfortunately for her, the table turns both ways.

This short really emphasizes the team's skill with using lighting and camera work to cover blindspots and weaknesses.

*Spoiler Alert*

I loved that they had the camera facing up at the top of the stairs for the scene where Rose pushes her husband down into the basement. You can hear the action, but you don't have to watch as he mostly likely carefully rolls down with his hands outstretched.

Then, later, they cut the lights out on the now elderly Rose, and use diegetic sounds to convey that she's under duress. Well done.

*Spoiler End*

Survive the Night:

In the future, the resources are few, the air has become toxic, and resounding cries from strange beasts can be heard in the distance. Stranded from home by a storm, Lang, with the help of his partner Koontz, must survive the night.

I was really impressed with the immersion created with this one. They did a really good job setting the tone early, and I liked the banter between Lang and Koontz. The sound came through very clearly for the comms - it may have even been prerecorded. The story is scant, but it's enough to get the job done.

I think this story was a missed opportunity for a really cool creature feature.

*Spoiler Alert*

When he starts hearing noises and then discovers that one of the bodies has disappeared, it's the perfect setup for introducing a creature that the body either transformed into, or was eaten by. Or even that the creature had burst out from inside of the body. Anyway, missed chance to really mix up the already exhausted formula for this film.

Popcorn Fodder (2019– )

This is a passion project of wondrous proportions

[6/10 · 22 December 2022]

First time director, David Denoyer, comes up to bat with a horror anthology series that I can only describe as the love child of "Hillbilly Horror Show," and "Mystery Science Theater 3000."

Our host is cult filmmaker Henrique Couto, an avid lover of cinematography since childhood, who has acted in films such as "Spooky Stories" and the upcoming "Adventures in the Scream Trade," and has also directed TV series such as "Found Footage: The Series," and even films such as "Scarewaves" and "Babysitter Massacre."

Creating a down-home atmosphere, Henrique warmly invites us to join him in watching a plethora of instant cult classics including "Devil Times Five," "Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave," and "The Last Shark," to name a few. These are the kind of jerry-built movies we'd always find tucked away in dimly lit gas station video sections but would never dare purchase. Offering brief periods of respite, Henrique sprinkles in short breaks where we just hang out to dissect and discuss fun facts, plot devices, favorite scenes and characters, and the history and making of the film at hand.

The end product is actually way cozier and enjoyable than I expected it to be. It is intended to be viewed with friends, or, if by yourself, to emulate the feeling of watching it with a friend. After all, Henrique even made friends with some of his idols of the film industry, and so it means a lot to him to foster those feelings in his viewers. This a passion project of wondrous proportions.

The United States of Horror: Chapter 1 (2021)

Let's be clear about what this is

[6/10 · 22 December 2022]

United States of Horror is not the horror anthology of yesteryear. In fact, it isn't even a horror anthology at all! . . .if you ask me.

What it IS: sporting 14 original titles from various up and coming talents, this is a compilation of proofs of concepts - and incredibly convincing proofs at that - containing several refreshing, if not partially-baked, renditions of both new and tired ideas alike.

And I think it actually works pretty well. Just don't take it too seriously and you'll have a good time.

The central theme of telling stories based on the copious amounts of folklore originating from all over the United States is ingenious. After all, the exogenous origins of the horror anthology stem from the timeless tradition of telling myths and legends by campfire or candelight, embellished fables with a prudent message at heart: "heed this tale and you may survive."

Doug Bradley (Hellrasier's Pinhead) is our host for this anthology, offering a simple and stylized, yet deeply impersonal frame story.

My top picks were:

California - Vexed: In a bid to create a compelling and surreal thriller, "Vexed" utilizes splendid practical effects and pointed acting to sell an overall gripping and unnerving story.

Connecticut - The Locket: Offering a wonderfully delicious and engrossing atmosphere, this vignette employs one of my favorite ploys of the cinematic world: we are given a generally unlikable character for which we aren't quite certain as to whether or not we'd like for her to experience a generous or favorable outcome.

Arizona - Entropic: Man, this thing is just utterly repulsive in the best way possible. The dark humor is so well-crafted, but is the chaperone to brilliant overtones of pure shock value. Using a rapid-fire approach to the story-telling, we are inundated with crass renditions of some of the best sci-fi scenes and tropes ever to grace the big screen from films such as Dreamcatcher, Alien, Predator, and ABC's of Death's "T is for Toilet." And, somehow, it all comes together to create a tangible storyline.

Washington - Needlework: If Sweeney Todd is the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, then Martin is the Demon Seamster. . . Of Honnoji Gakuen (Kill la Kill).

My least favorite include:

Utah - Billy: Ungodly Hour: Demonstrably weak, the acting takes a dip with this tale. The lead role sells the script like a mannequin sells an outfit.

Maine - Dirigo: With poor pacing, flat characterization, and a mostly threadbare plot, this disorganized mess of a story haphazardly hurls itself at you from so many different directions at mach speeds.

Michigan - Red Abyss: Do you remember those old dessert Lunchables: chocolate icing, m&ms. . . Bread - the good stuff! Imagine using a fully loaded dessert Lunchable as the top part of a sandwich, and a fully loaded cheese pizza Lunchable as the bottom part of the sandwich. That's kinda what Red Abyss tastes like. Tries to achieve too much - that's my point.

Everything else lands somewhere in the middle.

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

Nevada - Dark Lights: Awakened from her slumber by some very visually stunning, yet disconcerting dreams, a young woman harboring a sinister urge sets out to splurge on unsuspecting locals.

North Carolina - Don't Drink the Water: A vagabond trying to hitchhike his way to I-40 finds himself in desperate need of water. He accepts the aid of a beautiful young woman, a decision which proves deadly.

Florida - The Succubus: After we are treated to a considerably tame softcore porn video, tastefully accompanied by a jazz version of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone," we see a young man waking up to a horrible sight - a succubus has perched itself atop of his petrified body.

California - Vexed: After a diatribe against the exhausted efforts of horror films to scare their viewers, a young couple begins experiencing some very strange phenomena in their home.

Connecticut - The Locket: She's conceited; she's self-righteous, and she's the host of her own hit vlog, Cryptids. She's "Char-lit, cryptid extraordinaire." Cryptids' latest episode features our prickly host taking on a challenge issued by her fans to look into the ghost of Mary Hawthorne.

New Hampshire - Teddy Scarebear: A playful little jaunt through the splendors of dark comedy, this short sports a facetious slasher film that is presented in the style of a movie trailer.

Utah - Billy: Ungodly Hour: Her home away from home, for a novelist seeking refuge from a troubled relationship and hoping to finish her latest work, there is no better destination than a boarded-up cabin on the outskirts of town.

Maine - Dirigo: Not long after a strained group of friends arrive at their seaside cabin, a distressed woman comes darting through the trees in their direction. They offer her aid, a decision they quickly come to regret.

Arkansas - Claw Hollow: While outside playing ball, a young boy spots a peculiar woman standing in his garage.

Michigan - Red Abyss: As three unfastened siblings discuss some of the finer points of their fathers recent death, including the inheritance, it becomes every man for themselves when a malevolent force descends upon them.

Arizona - Entropic: This is an awesome claymation piece depicting the age-old tale of "guy goes camping; guy gets abducted by alien; guy becomes pregnant."

Washington - Needlework: They demand more, and so the seamster plies his trade, weaving with diabolical threads, dresses that women are sure to lose their minds over.

Pennsylvania - Elysia: Elysia and her partner Molly are vampires, and while time may stand all-too-painfully still for them, the world continues turning, aging, changing. A rift develops between the evergreen couple when Molly's actions begin to prove how dangerous their kind can truly be.

Missouri - Crockpot: She receives a new crockpot from her mother-in-law, which she perceives as a clever ruse devised by her mother-in-law so she'll have another reason to admonish her during Thanksgiving. Rest assured, she will make the perfect Thanksgiving dish this year.

Dark Chronicles (2019)

An anthology that harkens back to the good ole days.

[7/10 · 21 December 2022]

Dark Chronicles is a well-put-together anthology that is definitely worth a watch for those who love classics such as "After Midnight," "Tales from the Dark Side," and "From a Whisper to a Scream." Dark Chronicles features 4 gripping tales that run the gamut from perilous paranormal plots, to disturbing dystopian futures, and even to intense psychological thrillers. The frame story, featuring our incredibly earnest and emotive host, The Keeper, creates a somber atmosphere and does an excellent job of cleansing the palette before moving the tales along. A high production value remains consistent throughout the entirety of the film, creating a very enjoyable experience.

And here's why it works:

Dark Chronicles has two strong components that really amplify its effect and help it work the way it does.

The first component is the frame story.

But first, an aside. Feel free to skip past this if you'd like.

There has been a recent upsurge of horror anthologies, and that's not a bad thing in my book. The issue with many of these spurious entries is that they tend to create slipshod compilations of preexisting works - the kind that most likely ever only saw the light of day at a film festival - that share neither a common theme nor a consistent production value. And so the entire experience feels disjointed and ultimately dissatisfying.

Looking backwards, the frame story is what breathed life into Hammer's and Amicus' beloved anthologies. It was the sonorous pulse that meticulously crafted stories beat their drums to. It doesn't matter exactly what it is - Shevenge has a unique approach to the frame story that, for the most part, falls flat, but it serves its purpose - but the frame story must be both coherent and compelling. The frame story is the prologue, the epilogue, and, most importantly, the intermission - strike the set, we're moving into the next act. It serves as a palette cleanser so that we can fully appreciate all of the flavors of any particular work within the whole of the anthology, and can really make or break an anthology. A prime example of it making: Peter Cushing in "Dr. Terror's House of Horrors." A prime example of it breaking: Karl Landler in "A Night of Horror: Nightmare Radio."

Onward to the review!

Dark Chronicles has a very engaging frame story. Though the scripting is slightly weak at times - the word choices sometimes break the flow of the scene - the character of the Keeper is unique, a bit quirky, and entirely likable. With hIs subtle, yet vibrant shifts in expression he does a good job of setting the tone for the upcoming vignette whilst also cleansing our palettes of the flavors from the last one. This diminishes burnout and disinterest, while also helping each short feel both unique to itself and capable as part of a larger whole - a strong link in the chain, so to speak.

The second component working for Dark Chronicles is that the production value is not only well above amateur, it is also consistent across the board. The story-telling is high-tier, propped up by largely convincing performances, dynamic scripting, and felicitous practical effects. The lighting and camerawork combine for an overall pristine 90's straight-to-TV image. Finally, the sound design is top notch, generating soundscapes that properly instill an appropriate sense of mystery and foreboding. Even if you don't particularly enjoy a certain story, the production value is of a high enough caliber to where it doesn't feel like you're suffering through it - it can still remain entertaining on some level.

We are treated to 4 tales.

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

Possession: Tensions rise between a priest and his ward when she starts exhibiting some very demoniacal behavior. He believes that she's possessed. She believes she's merely ill.

Relic: To psych themselves up for an upcoming fear festival, three friends decide to pay a visit to an antique shop that hosts tours of the many mystical items in its possession. During the tour, they unwittingly invoke and provoke an ancient evil.

What Hides Within: In a post-apocalyptic dystopian future where humans are almost extinct while the undead dominate the landscape, one family struggles to survive.

The Conductor: Two strangers walk into a bar, each with their own mired past and hidden agenda.

Sharp Candy (2019)

I'll shoot it straight

[4/10 · 20 December 2022]

First off, I looked it up. Sharp Candy, admittedly written by Dylan Nix, the director of this apocryphal TV series, is indeed a collection of books along the same vein as E. C. Comics' Creepshow. There are countless Easter eggs to be found from Dylan Nix's other horror anthology, "Baron Von Laugho's Halloween Spook-A-Thon! Special Restored Edition." The Baron himself even makes a few appearances in various episodes. Further still, you'll see familiar creatures and creeps cropping up in various episodes over the shows runtime. Implanting so many easter eggs is actually pretty freakin' awesome if you ask me, because it builds and sustains its own universe across multiple mediums of entertainment.

Spanning two whole seasons, this episodic anthology features 9 episodes of low budget, made-for-TV indie horror. The final product offers a perfunctory nod to, and a middling blend of "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" and "Goosebumps." Sporting compelling stories and incredibly rich campiness, it is obvious that a lot of love and dedication went into this project; but, ultimately, subpar acting, paltry scripting, and low-grade practical effects greatly diminish its impact. Still, there's a certain overblown charm that I believe 90's kids, hipsters, and synth-wave fans - the sound design is pretty juicy - alike will find enjoyable.

Shevenge (2019)

Martina McBride says it best, "this one's for the girls!"

[6/10 · 20 December 2022]

In a similar vein to 2017's XX, a rather brilliant horror anthology directed solely by women, Shevenge brings us 12 titillating tales designed by 11 female directors. Thematically, the hair-raising stories in this anthology feature frightening femme fatales and their different approaches to the ideas of self-empowerment and revenge. While I don't think it will become an instant classic, this is an entertaining and commendable entry into the ever popular and recently trending style that is the horror anthology.

I'll start with a few very important and pervasive issues that punctuate the entirety of this otherwise amusing film. The glaring weakness of this anthology - the Achilles heel of any anthology, really - is that it struggles with consistency. This is due to the fact that this collection of vignettes was assembled using preexisting short films from so many different directors. This actually ends up producing a second issue: it often feels like many of the stories are cut short right as they start to get good (looking at you "Fetch"), leaving something to be desired. Lastly, best exemplified by "Karma is a B***h," some actors end up bringing down the whole ship with lackluster performances that fail to sell the scene, especially when juxtaposed with actors that are significantly more effective in their roles.

That said, if you can get past the aforementioned cinematic faux pas, the production value and charm are exceptional enough for each story to be enjoyable in many aspects. Excellent story-telling is greatly embellished with moments of black humor, impressive practical effects, dark tonality, and some genuinely unsettling moments.

Our lovable, if not somewhat insipid host for the night's festivities, Vanessa Gomez, uses tongue-in-cheek humor to playfully guide us through a series of macabre misanthropic misadventures told in 4 segments: Kiss and Kill, Murderous Moms, Anger Mismanagement, and Love You To Pieces.

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

• Kiss and Kill -

Wilson's Psycho Therapy: Her husband ditched her for a younger model, so now she needs a little help with processing that.

For a Good Time Call. . . : He can cheat women all he wants, but he can't cheat death.

All Men Must Die: The "nice" guy at the bar just won't take the hint. But he will take a hit.

Just a Girl: While suffering verbal and physical abuse, a young woman cycles through thoughts that motivate and empower her to change.

• Murderous Moms -

Lady Hunters: While vacationing together, three women regale one another with atrocities committed by men, inspiring their own brand of wicked justice.

Hooker Assassin: What should have been a routine exchange for this comfort woman turns into something altogether different.

Fetch: The world has dried up. Now everyone has thirsts that need quenched.

• Anger Mismanagement -

Glass Ceiling: Contract killers decide to turn the tables on "the man" when they discover some disparaging facts-of-the-matter.

Doll Parts: A kind man offers an attractive young hitchhiker a ride and discovers that they each harbor their own secrets.

Karma is a B***h: For a young girl reaching the end of her rope in life, she finds comfort in a dubious and damnable diva.

• Love You to Pieces -

Recipe #42: From sweet to sour in a flash! An aspiring chef shares her latest recipe with her new neighbor. A dish to die for.

Metamorphosis: A despondent woman with an abusive husband discovers a scandalously auspicious opportunity for absolution.

Things Eternal

Made-for-TV, minus the production value.

[4/10 · 20 December 2022]

I'm an avid fan of anthology horror, but I found myself becoming bored very early into this anthology. So, unwilling to just call it quits, I skimmed ahead to the different stories to see if they improved at all over time. Ultimately, the stories were so bland that I decided to abandon the anthology altogether.

I don't think I can even pinpoint exactly where Things Eternal goes wrong for me, because it isn't bad in its own right, but I think it has something to do with the fact that all of the vignettes portrayed have not only already been done, but have been done better by more mainstream TV shows and movies. That is to say that Things Eternal suffers from a lack of originality, and so I struggled to maintain interest.

But, far be it from me to tell you not to try it yourself. The production value is high enough, and the stories are compelling enough for the right crowd to really enjoy this anthology.

Witchcraft Motion Picture Company Presents: Horror Anthology - Volume 1 (2022)

Well played

[8/10 · 20 December 2022]

This is an unorthodox anthology developed and produced by the largely unknown (perhaps only to me) Witchcraft Motion Picture Company.

With an extremely high production value, this fine-tuned and well-polished anthology is less of a film and more of a passion project showcasing some of the finest displays of horror and cinematography that Witchcraft Motion Picture Company has to offer. Inside are 9 incredibly compact and vibrant vignettes, complete with their own credit reels.

The stories involved are more like miniature films acting as teasers for big budget productions. The ideas and their presentations are actually incredibly brilliant and beautiful to watch whilst also offering some genuinely creepy and/or tense moments.

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

While artistically appreciable, "Babygirl," the opening story to this anthology, is somewhat weak, yet is in no way indicative of the quality of the vignettes to come.

Babygirl: A terrible fate befalls anyone found trespassing on this inimical property.

Goodnight Darling: Two sisters become leery of their mom's recent change in behavior.

Beast of Prey: With nowhere left to run, a young woman is confronted by her deepest fears.

Changeling: A young mother suffers the ouroboros, nature's natural cycle of death and rebirth.

Night Swim: It's a great night for a swim, until it isn't.

Polaroid: Using his Polaroid camera, a young man begins taking increasingly disturbing photos of his apartment.

Handcraves:? Gandgraves? Handgraves?: A journalist takes interest in a band with a sanguinary past and some unusual customs.

Every Night I See Them: When he sleeps, it draws closer.

Mommy: Anomalous phenomena convene upon a mother and her child.

The 12 Slays of Christmas (2016)

Campy, and also a dumpster fire

[2/10 · 19 December 2022]

Imagine with me for a moment a movie that fails to fully captivate you because it does absolutely nothing particularly well, yet also doesn't do anything quite so poorly that you would feel deeply compelled to stop watching it. Quite the predicament. Quite the predicament indeed!

There is not a snowball's chance in hell that you could convince me that 12 of the greatest indie developers of our time crafted the tales comprising this disaster project. Perhaps harsh, but I can assure you that this anthology is ultimately an absolutely terrible piece of garbage, but I'm sure that at least 3% of all people who lay eyes on this dumpster fire will greatly appreciate it for what it is.

That said, I DID manage to sit through the whole thing. . . It's like it was so bad that I couldn't look away. . . .perhaps I'm part of that 3% - a concerning thought.

Welp, let's dive in.

Hailing from the far North, our host for this festive anthology is none other than the original gangsta himself, Santa Claus! This iteration of Santa is a total G, frequently forgoing his role as host in favor of oral pleasure, lap dances, booze, and naps. But Santa's already atrocious scripting and dismal acting do somehow manage to get even worse as the movie trudges along - there are literally transitional segments laced with incoherent ramblings that have nothing to do with what came before them, nor what comes after them, and provide no significant stimulation. You could actually remove the host without detriment to the film, or, perhaps, it might even be an enhancement.

On the whole, the production value isn't terrible. At the same time though, the lighting is just absolutely horrible in many cases, which, especially when paired with the gritty texture of the film, can create an extremely dimly lit, low-res image. Yep! There are times where you just absolutely cannot see s**t.

The weak point is the directing and writing. The stories - incredibly unimaginative - themselves don't actually change much in tonality. Nearly all of them feature some variation of manslaughter containing one or more of these components: Violence, Gore, Vulgarity, Crude Humor, and/or Sexual Explicitation (not a real word) - it's like a Build-a-Frankenbear for low-grade narratives - relying on them in order to bypass proper story-telling in favor of shock value. As a result, most of the stories leave much to be desired.

The short lengths of most of the vignettes is actually a major boon. Since roughly 87% of the stories conveyed are either really weak and disengaging, or completely absent of a recognizable and coherent story altogether, the shorter lengths mean that we don't have to suffer through them for very long. To be fair, some of the shorter ones actually present decent ideas. They just also choose not to build upon nor embellish their stories at all - a regular blink-and-you'll-miss-it. Not to mention that, while most stories are gory and similar to one another, almost none of them really utilize the mechanics of true horror. The repetition of theme and tonality removes suspense, and all horror only works well when it builds suspense, holds that tension, and then delivers the goods.

A bad Pun: But there are a few treats hidden amongst the coal:

One of the strongest entries is titled "(S)aint Nick." For what it's worth, the production and direction of this story are of the highest caliber that this film has to offer. It may be the only entry where the crudeness and vulgarity fit into the narrative rather than replace the narrative. That said, there is a cohesive story that is actually relatively disturbing for both the right and wrong reasons - a case study in proper indie barbarism, to say the least.

However, what is perhaps the strongest entry, "Dead Winter Days" is a very compelling story that receives the same great treatment as "(S)aint Nick," AND it lacks all of the components that make the other entries in this anthology so impotent. I believe it may be the only story that doesn't revolve around manslaughter of some kind, and that might actually be why it appears to be so much stronger of a story - it's simply new territory.

An honorable mention would be "Bad Karma Santa." The glaring flaw with this one is how it loses traction with the ending. Otherwise, it actually tells a relatively simple story without relying solely on shock factor.

The weakest entry, which I've titled "Merry Christmas, My Dear" - because they couldn't be bothered to give it a title - is completely devoid of any sort of direction. At the end of it, I couldn't figure out what was happening, why it was happening, or why I should care about it in the first place. I'm quite certain that they needed a 12th vignette for one reason or another, and so they glanced at their bookshelf, and noticed a copy of The Most Dangerous Game standing up next to Alice in Wonderland and thought, "that's it!"

Altogether, we are treated to 12 tales and a frame story that offer varying degrees of "why the hell am I (still) watching this?"

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

The Uncommon Mr. Good: Two lovers eagerly discuss their plans for a small Christmas get-together.

6 Shooter: A young couple's love-making session gets put on pause when they hear someone fumbling around in their living room.

Bad Karma Santa: Struggling to handle the guilt of what he has done, a Santa impersonator begins suffering from hallucinations and delusions.

The Christmas Witch: While home alone, an attractive young woman begins hearing cackling and snickering emanating from her basement.

Jingle Hell: A claymation tale featuring a man at the end of his rope.

(S)aint Nick: A deadbeat, abusive drunkard living off of his wife's inheritance gets his comeuppance when he tries to squash his kids' belief in Santa.

The Naughty List: After discovering that she's on the naughty list, a woman tries to defend herself from the looming threat of a sinister entity.

Bad Tidings: A group of carolers perform for an elderly couple.

Merry Christmas, My Dears: Participants gather to hunt the most dangerous game. . . .and then the not so dangerous game.

Boxing Day: A man keeps capturing footage of a spirit on his camera.

The Night Before Christmas: A man receives in the mail, evidence of his affair.

Dead Winter Days: Spirits converge upon a man who can't seem to let go of his troubled past.

Lady Chokey presents Scary Stories (2022)

Indie horror fans rejoice!

[8/10 · 19 December 2022]

Definitely skip past or just ignore the lackluster intro. It's god awful! Unless you're into that sort of thing.

This is one of a collection of anthologies I dub the "Presents Anthology Series" that are comprised of the winners of different indie horror film festivals.

"Indie" doesn't necessarily mean bad; and a low budget doesn't necessarily mean a poor production value. This anthology presents us with some of the best indie tales, crafted by some of the most competent up-and-comers from the indie horror industry. Whether they made it to the big leagues or not, nearly every entry is top notch.

Only in indie films, folks.

With an offbeat approach, our first vignette, "The Darkening Hollows" utilizes seemingly poor pacing to intentionally expedite its story, to great effect, I might add. Completely shifting gears, "Kung Pao Corpse" comes in with a very unique approach to the most timeless of classics, sprinkling in some tasteful tongue-in-cheek humor to boot. Another powerful entry, "Pastiche," is one of the most genuinely disturbing performances I've seen in horror in a long time. "To Have and To Hold" and "Waking" are also very strong entries.

We are treated to 6 tales.

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

The Darkening Hollows: When her car breaks down, a young woman catches a ride with a group of teenagers. 6/10

Kung Pao Corpse: In a strange turn of events, a young delivery boy finds himself delivering asian food to a graveyard one eerie, moonlit night. 9/10

Waking: When his dreamscape becomes eclipsed by nightmares, a tormented young boy must make a choice. 8/10

Pastiche: To carry out his perverse passion, a depraved lunatic sets his sights on an unwitting family. 10/10

Run, Hyde: Desperately yearning for what he cannot have, a man's pursuit of happiness is subverted by his alter ego at every turn. 5/10

To Have and To Hold: For the fizzled out love life of a young couple, a unique opportunity to rekindle their flame arises when mutilated bodies begin showing up in their city. 7/10.

Franny Kruugerr presents: Scary Stories (2022)

Indie horror fans rejoice!

[7/10 · 18 December 2022]

You'll want to ignore the intro host bit with this one. It is god awful! But if you're a glutton for punishment, I can't stop you.

This is one of a collection of anthologies I dub the "Presents Anthology Series" that are comprised of the winners of different indie horror film festivals.

"Indie" doesn't necessarily mean bad; and a low budget doesn't necessarily mean a poor production value. This anthology presents us with some of the best indie tales, crafted by some of the most competent up-and-comers from the indie horror industry. Whether they made it to the big leagues or not, nearly every entry is top notch.

This anthology has a rough start due to the fact that, while the first couple of stories are incredibly unique and interesting ideas, they don't fully flesh themselves out enough and ultimately struggle to reach a satisfying conclusion, with "Blind Vacation" being the worst offender. However, the last five stories are completely solid entries. And, my oh my, there are some DOOZIES in this line-up! "Cakeboy," "Fools Gold," and "Coffee With Friends" are incredibly surreal, or even kafkaesque in their nature. "A Super Surprise" takes up a decent chunk of the runtime, but it's a pretty wild ride from start to finish.

We are treated to 7 tales.

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

A Thing of Dreams: What if a drug existed that allowed the user to manipulate their dreams? For a young couple, the prospect becomes all too real. 7/10

Blind Vacation: Fully committed to achieving new levels of mental clarity, two sisters may bite off more than they can chew when they take on a bizarre challenge. 5/10

A Nightmare of a Night: Left alone in a rental home after her plans fall through, a young girl becomes the victim of a deranged lunatic. 8/10

Cakeboy: A somewhat gluttonous and contemptible man receives a cake in the mail. 6/10

A Super Surprise: Seeking respite from their journey, a group of kids and their father take shelter at their friend's guest house, only to find out that they've picked up extra baggage along the way. 7/10

Fools Gold: A gold digger who strikes it big has a grim run-in with a stygian harbinger bearing bad news. 9/10

Coffee With Friends: Kafkaesque in nature, a motley and eccentric crew gather for good coffee and wholesome conversation. 7/10.

Worth Each Penny presents: Scary Stories (2022)

Indie horror fans rejoice!

[6/10 · 18 December 2022]

Definitely skip past or just ignore the lackluster intro. It's god awful!

This is one of a collection of anthologies I dub the "Presents Anthology Series" that are comprised of the winners of different indie horror film festivals.

"Indie" doesn't necessarily mean bad; and a low budget doesn't necessarily mean a poor production value. This anthology presents us with some of the best indie tales, crafted by some of the most competent up-and-comers from the indie horror industry. Whether they made it to the big leagues or not, nearly every entry is top notch.

It's a pretty even spread, but overall I'd say Worth Each Penny is a weak entry in the Presents Anthology Series. On the higher end we have "Hitched," which breathes some life into a classic slasher tale by injecting some dark humor. Easily standing out as the worst entry, "Only Blood Relates Us" is a banal, jumbled mess of a story that falls flat at every turn. Ultimately, it is a unique idea that fails to capitalize on itself, whereas "Focus" creates a more thrilling and immersive story by steadily building suspense and tension throughout its entire runtime.

We are treated to 6 tales.

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

Hitched: Unbeknownst to her, a woman offers a ride to a devious fellow claiming to be experiencing car trouble. 7/10

Focus: An apprehensive woman's fears are amplified as she participates in a focus group. 8/10

Fresh: After accidentally performing a ritual on herself, a young girl undergoes an unexpected transformation. 7/10

Only Blood Relates Us: A segmented tale involving the everyday lives of four uncanny family members and the ties that bind them. 4/10

The Ogress: A brutal crime scene discovered in the woods fits the profile of a series of murders and missing persons cases. 6/10

The Street Lights Are On: Leaving work late one night, a man comes home to discover that something horrendous has taken place in his home. 5/10.

J. Daughter presents: Scary Stories (2022)

Indie horror fans rejoice!

[5/10 · 18 December 2022]

This is one of a collection of anthologies I dub the "Presents Anthology Series" that are comprised of the winners of different indie horror film festivals.

"Indie" doesn't necessarily mean bad; and a low budget doesn't necessarily mean a poor production value. This anthology presents us with some of the best indie tales, crafted by some of the most competent up-and-comers from the indie horror industry. Whether they made it to the big leagues or not, nearly every entry is top notch.

As always, it is a mixed bag when it comes to the potency of the different vignettes, but, on the whole, I'd say J Daughter is the weakest entry in the Presents Anthology Series. This anthology starts with a considerably weak note with "Silent Frame," which sports flimsy and tired source material. Afterward, each following entry improves over the previous one. "August in Remission" is a notable entry that forgoes outlandish horror tropes in favor of a much more corporeal and lucid story about the all-too-real sensations that drive our everyday lives, for better or worse.

However, the worst is saved for last. Mwah ha ha ha ha!

We are treated to 6 tales.

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

Silent Frame: Upon moving into her new home, a young woman is terrorized by a malevolent entity. 5/10

Wreckvlogs: Three film students are invited to participate in an underground film festival with some strikingly heinous rules. 6/10.

Shadows: Having just received a large inheritance, an ailing artist is treated to a relaxing staycation in an extravagant low-rise by her conceited husband. 7/10

The Stuck Ones: A father and daughter discover a bizarre venue to host the finale of their long-awaited reunion. 7/10

August in Remission: A man narrowly escapes manifesting a terrible alternate reality. 8/10

The Dog Barks: This segmented tale showcases the depravity of man. 3/10.

Masked Ghost Lady presents Scary Stories (2022)

Indie horror fans rejoice!

[7/10 · 18 December 2022]

This is one of a collection of anthologies I dub the "Presents Anthology Series" that are comprised of the winners of different indie horror film festivals.

"Indie" doesn't necessarily mean bad; and a low budget doesn't necessarily mean a poor production value. This anthology presents us with some of the best indie tales, crafted by some of the most competent up-and-comers from the indie horror industry. Whether they made it to the big leagues or not, nearly every entry is top notch.

That said, some tales are definitely stronger than others. For instance, "Hair of the Dog" is quite refreshing as it splendidly ties together T. S. Elliot's poetry with a classic, timeless terror. On the other end, "His Shadow" is an exasperatingly tepid slog that eats up way too much runtime trying to tell an ultimately dissatisfying story. The rest fall somewhere in between.

We are treated to 5 Tales

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

Hightail: A fright-filled night awaits a young couple and their child when trick-or-treating leads them to an impropitious home. 7/10

Hair of the Dog: Plagued by horrific nightmares and worrisome memories, a man discovers a startling revelation as he begins fitting the pieces together. 8/10

Dead End Drive: As catastrophe strikes the globe, a desperate man seeking salvation receives shelter from a couple of strangers. 9/10

Searching: When her sister goes missing, a young woman decides to take matters into her own hands. 6/10

His Shadow: Encumbered by the weight of his own guilt, a man struggles to obtain absolution. 5/10.

Baron Von Laugho's Halloween Spook-A-Thon! Special Restored Edition (2018)

Takes us back to the days of VHS

[4/10 · 18 December 2022]

I'll put it plain and simple right here: this one may not scratch too many peoples' itch.

A cornucopia of lowbrow dark humor, poor production, and run-of-the-mill acting combine to deliver us a handful of not-so-tasty morsels.

On the first count: Baron Von Laugho, the crass clown and our host for the evening's festivities, kicks things off with some over-the-top, yet disenchanting melodrama. The film contains a lot of intentional lowbrow humor, that works well in theory, but doesn't always hit its mark. That said, I found myself smirking at "Murder-O's." I also got a small chuckle out of the twist in the wraparound story.

On the second count: This film sets itself up as found footage. On theme, we experience VHS overlay effects. You know the ones: film grain, audio distortions, and issues with saturation. If you didn't grow up with VHS, you may find these effects intolerable.

On the third count: This anthology presents some unique ideas that suffer from mediocre performances and a low production value, resulting in a certain campiness that isn't completely unbearable if you're into that sort of thing. But for the most part I think this anthology won't appeal to too many people.

We are treated to 3 tales.

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

That's No Bear!: There have been reports of people disappearing in the forest. One hunter becomes particularly concerned.

The Karvers: Shot in black and white, and complete with commercial breaks, we watch an episode of "The Karvers," a nuclear family headed by a serial killer.

The Hallowed Sin: A door-to-door evangelist pays a visit to a woman's home one Halloween night.

Witching Hour II (2016)

Some vignettes are much stronger than the others

[5/10 · 18 December 2022]

I won't lie, I steadily readjusted my score for this film as I watched it, slowly lowering it from an 8 to a 5.

This anthology kicks things off with a strong wraparound story. I've seen SO many horror anthologies, and this is possibly the only one I've seen that placed so much importance on the wraparound. I found it to be compact and engrossing. . . .until the back half of the film kicked in and everything quickly devolved into, well, the very final shot perfectly captivates what it devolves into.

Here is why I found myself slowly lowering my score: The major weak point for this anthology is how every single damn one of these stories falls flat on its face just before reaching the finish line. The stories all begin with perfectly fine ideas and passable presentations - Case 3 does an excellent job of building tension - but then can't figure out how to end. The twist endings, while unable to salvage the disappointing finales, definitely help mitigate the damage done. However, it almost seems like the producers realized this and then started using all sorts of twists haphazardly as stop-gap measures to postpone the film's atrophy.

A shame too, because there seems to be relatively decent production value for this film. It just lacked a proper director and screenplay writer.

I only counted 5 cases, but the movie states that there are 6. .. maybe that includes the wraparound.

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

Wraparound: A detective attempts to solve several unsolved cases, all of which are tied to a particularly baleful clock. 6/10

Case 1 - Dark Heat: In the lethal aftermath of a petty theft attempt, a man receives a package and becomes the target of an unknown entity. 5/10

Case 2 - The Getaway: A couple of teens with problematic pasts take shelter in a house with a gruesome history of its own. 4/10

Case 3 - Returns and Exchanges: A store clerk receives a peculiar customer. 7/10

Case 4 - Voodoo Child: With her marriage failing and her husband cheating, a woman uses mystical means to repossess her husband. 4/10

Case 5 - Gingerbread: When their parents hire a new babysitter last minute, two siblings start to suspect that she's a witch. 5/10.

Dark Dreams (1993 TV Movie)

An excellent anthology that lacks horror, but is entertaining nonetheless.

[7/10 · 18 December 2022]

Alright, this one is from the 90's, so the video quality makes sense. Otherwise, the production value is quite high for this one. Lighting, sound, cinematography, you name it, this anthology does it very well. That said, I wouldn't consider any of these tales to be scary. Still, they are all quite entertaining.

The acting, supported by excellent writing, is pretty prodigious and is definitely in the upper echelon insofar as anthologies go. Both the writing and acting blend together harmoniously to really bring the stories to life, especially when paired with some stellar set designs and decent special effects.

We are treated to 3 tales.

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

Wraparound: In between vignettes, a doctor mulls over some of the more obscure cases that he's encountered in his career.

First Story: Dr. Gale Peyton, a psychologist who can read minds, begins hearing a menacing voice in her head. 8/10

Second Story: When their car breaks down, a young couple, hungry for wealth, happen onto the property of a blind man with unique healing powers. 6/10

Third Story: While on an intergalactic journey to an uninhabited planet, an astronaut becomes the target of his ship's increasingly deranged AI. 7/10.