Run Hide Fight

High school was the best school years of my life. I was so lucky being in a class with so many fun personalities, and we actually got a long better than i expected. Every day at High School was of course not fun, there were days that were rough. But overall, i did have a lot of fun in High School and i always look back at those years with joy. Unfortunately, not all people had a good time during those years, and not everyone was lucky like i was. For some students, their High School period could be hell, because of bullying, or with family issues. And for those who had bad years during that time, hopefully you graduated and found a more positive way into the adult life. But as we all know, sometimes horrible things happen, when we least expect it. And i especially remember one year after i ended High School, it was 1998 and i was preparing to move that summer for a new job, in another city. I got the announcement from the company on April 17th that year, that i was welcome to begin in June. Just 3 days after i got that letter, i remember that evening while i was watching the news, i heard about the horrible school shooting massacre at Columbine High School. I still remember some of the footage that the evening news showed, of students running out in panic. It felt unreal, that 2 boys would kill so many people in a High School. The perpetrators, twelth grade ( senior ) students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered 12 students and one teacher. These boys destroyed the lives for many families, that can never be healed completely. School shootings have happened quite many times in America since Columbine High School massacre, and it seems impossible to stop completely. Hopefully one day, we will find a way to make sure every school should be safe, and never let this happen again. Some of you may watch The Daily Wire with Ben Shapiro, who is a very active political personality in social media and in news. I personally don´t agree with everything he says, but i did enjoy him reading the Cardi B lyrics to WAP, that was actually brilliant. The Daily Wire is actually a distributor for the film Run Hide Fight, an American action thriller that takes place during a high school massacre. I did see the trailer earlier this year, and it did look like a throwback to action films of the 80´s. Is this film one of the better action releases this year, or is Run Hide Fight a boring attempt to cash in on a emotional subject?

High school student Zoe Hull ( Isabel May ) struggles to come to grips with the death of her mother, Jennifer Hull ( Rada Mitchell ), causing her relationship with her father, Todd Hull ( Thomas Jane ), to become strained. Zoe´s best friend Lewis Washington ( Olly Sholotan ) attempts to ask her to the prom, but it backfires and Zoe leaves to the bathroom when a drink is spilled on her. Suddenly, a van crashes into the school cafeteria carrying  four school schooters. The leader, Tristan Voy ( Eli Brown ) order his accomplices to begin killing students. One of the students manage to get to the bathroom, where Zoe see´s the student die in her arms. As one of the shooters enter the bathroom, Zoe manage to crawl up into the bathroom ceiling. Not knowing what to do, she decides to help survivors, and find a way to get anyone into safety, even if it could cost her life.

In these days it is not often we get to see a young female action star, but that is exactly what we get in Run Hide Fight. And i think this is great, to show that women in film can actually kick ass as well, no matter what they are forced to do to help innocent people. In the case of this film, it is actually one of the students of this High School who is the real hero, something you don´t see very often. We have to talk about actress Isabel May as the main character Zoe Hull. You can tell that she is not the High School girl who cares about nail polish, make up and social media, she is a survivor. And this is exactly why her character match so well with the story of this film. This is the first film i have ever seen Isabel act in, and i have to say i am impressed with her acting performance. On one side she is rough, not afraid to say what´s on her mind, but she also deal with sadness of loosing her mother in cancer, as she talks to her in certain scenes, as if she is actually still around. Those scenes add some more emotional moments to the film, as we can clearly see that Isabel can still feel her mother´s presence, no matter where she is or what she is doing. I also like the fact to see that Isabel is just an ordinary woman, she does not have super powers or pretend to be better than anyone, she is just herself. I also enjoy the main bad guy in this film called Tristan Voy ( played by actor Eli Brown ), who also give a solid performance. You can tell that his character is struggling to be seen through social media, where he wants people to respect him, when in his ordinary life he is seen as a loser. Tristan gives a portrait of a High School student that could be any student in our school, who have had enough of being rejected. I appreciate that this film does not hold back on violence, that we actually get to see shootings, as it could be in a school shooting. Im not saying i like seeing students being killed, but since this is supposed to be a school massacre, it becomes more realistic seeing these criminals do horrific crimes, to be reminded how real this is, and it might happen again. Director Kyle Rankin ( who directed the fun B movie horror comedy Infestation ) have brought the 80´s and 90´s action films back to the table with Run Hide Fight, in a positive way. This is not one of the best films that brings up the subject of High School shootings, but definetely a solid action film. If you don´t know what to watch on VOD, give this film a chance. I have a feeling that you will appreciate this film, especially for showing a young woman as the hero, to show the world that everyone can make a difference, even in the most horrible situations.

Rating: DDD

35 Years Anniversary Review Of Big Trouble In Little China

If you were a teenager like myself, the 80´s was a very unique time. Not just because of the fashion, the music, and all the fantastic comic books that came out during that time. But especially for the films that the 80´s had to offer, with some very crazy combinations. No matter if you enjoyed horror, action, sci fi or comedy, the 80´s always found a way to combine all genres into one film. There are dozen of titles i could easily mention, but let´s give you a perfect example of how you combine horror, sci fi and comedy. And that we could find in the 1986 film Critters. Directed by Stephen Herek ( who is also the director of the classic comedy Bill & Ted´s Excellent Adventure ), this film tells the story of the Brown family, who live on a farm in Kansas. Creatures known as Critters crash land on the Brown´s farm, and their small community is now in danger, with these flesh eating creatures. Critters combine a fun sci fi story with monster horror films of the past. I would probably say that Critters is clearly inspired by Gremlins, but definetely stands out thanks to the creature design. I have to mention that one of the characters in this first film, and that is the character Charlie McFadden ( played by actor Don Keith Opper ). He is seen as the weird one in town, because he believe in alien abductions. Actor Don Keith Opper actually manage to balance this character in a way that works, as he looks like a small town local boy who lives in his own small world. Of course i have to mention legendary actress Dee Wallace, who gives one of the best acting performances in this film as Helen Brown. If you have not seen the original Critters film, go pick it up on DVD or Blu Ray, definetely worth checking out. Speaking of crazy combinations, how many of you have seen the classics of legendary director John Carpenter? There are so many great films that he have made, such as Halloween, The Fog, Escape From New York, The Thing, They Live and many more. And one of his craziest films has to be Big Trouble In Little China, a film that actually turns 35 years old this year. I decided to go back and do a review of this 35th year celebration to see, is this still a damn funny film, or has this film aged a lot in recent years?

Jack Burton ( Kurt Russel ) is a hard working, loud mouth truck driver, wins a bet with his best friend Wang Chi ( Dennis Dun ). To make sure he follows through on payment, Jack accompanies him to the airport to pick up Wang´s Chinese fiancée Miao Yin ( Suzee Pai ), where Chinese street gang, Lords Of Death, tries to kidnap another Chinese girl. She is being met by her friend Gracie Law ( Kim Cattrall ). After Jack intervenes, they take Miao Yin instead. Jack and Wang track the Lords Of Death to Chinatown, and this ordinary work day for Jack, will never be the same again.

If you are looking for a serious film, and think you will find it with Big Trouble In Little China, then i can tell you right now that you might as well hit the road. This is a film you go into just to have fun, because this is a film that combine so many crazy ideas, that i guarantee you will have a really good time. Not only because of all the crazy characters that this film have, but this film have some really fun special effects that really shows the glory period of the 80´s. The main character Jack Burton ( played so fantastic by legendary actor Kurt Russel ) is one of the most iconic characters in the film history of director John Carpenter´s films. Kurt Russel knows exactly how to portrait a truck driver, who have no problem crashing a party in his own uique way. I have to say that a lot of the magic that Kurt Russel brings to the screen with this film, is the way he delivers his dialogue. It´s fast, it´s loud and the timing could not be better, and this is one of the reasons why i think Kurt Russel proved why he is perfect for the role of Jack Burton. Actor Dennis Dun ( who can also ben seen in the John Carpenter horror film Prince Of Darkness ), deliver a great character as Wang Chi, Jack´s best friend. I have to say that the chemistry between Kurt Russel and Dennis Dun is a great match, and you can tell they had fun while making this film. Legendary actor James Hong ( who have been in many classics, such as Cannon Films cult film Ninja III: The Domination and of course Blade Runner ) plays the character David Lo Pan, is a perfect match for a film like this. I have to mention legendary actor Victor Wong ( who is will always cherish for many of his characters, may he rest in peace ) who plays the character Egg Shen. Victor have no problem delivering a character you enjoy right from the start. Legendary actress Kim Cattrall does not only look fantastic, she also deliver a performance that match well with her character Gracie Law. The action scenes in Big Trouble Of Little China is filled with martial arts, violence and even some magic as well. And it is this combination that makes this film stand out from the ordinary action comedy, becuase director John Carpenter really tried to combine a lot of ideas together, with a very positive result. And if you are a big fan of martial art films ( such as myself ), there is plenty of scenes for you to enjoy in this film. Director John Carpenter clearly proved with Big Trouble In Little China that you can make an action comedy without following the traditional Hollywood pattern, and just have fun instead. This is one of the best roller coaster rides you can find from the 80´s, if you just want to have some good laughs. Big Trouble In Little China may not be my favourite John Carpenter film ( my personal favourite is The Thing ), but i definetely think this is one of the best action comedies of the 80´s. This film have something for everyone, and will guaranteed entertain audiences for many centuries ahead. Big Trouble In Little China is must have on DVD and Blu Ray, right next to all the great film classics.

Rating: DDDD

Sound Of Metal

Since i worked in health care for 22 years, i can tell you right now that i am thankful that i am still healthy. I could probably be more healthy, and eat better, but other than that no bigger issues. When you have met a lot of people in health care, and helped their ordinary day with different diagnoses, you learn not to complain about life. Why should i complain when there are people struggling with diseases, and have to fight everyday to survive? So i am grateful to be feeling good, and don´t find any reasons to complain. I remember one time i was listening to a lecture, where a woman who was paralyzed from her neck down to her feet, and all she could do was use her head. She could not see very well, but she had help from a personal assistant to help her communicate. It was one of the funniest lectures i have ever been to in my years of health care, she was absolutely brilliant. She joked about her being paralyzed, that sex life may be a bit different but still works, even that she was practically blind, and she had such a big heart that i really admired her personality. One of the things that i will never forget, is that she said she is happy where she is today. She did not complain at all, and imagine people who complain everyday that they are tired, have a bit of a headache. I think more people should be thankful for their lives, because you never know what could happen in the future. Since i mentioned being practically blind earlier, there are a lot of people worldwide with disabilities. One of the things i always say to people who don´t understand disabilities, is that they are just like everybody else. Just because someone have a hearing disability or eye disability, does not make them different than anyone. Speaking of hearing disability, there is especially one film i think you should see that is really good. And that is the 2004 British-Canadian mockumentary drama film It´s All Gone Pete Tong, from director Michael Dowse. This film tells the story of British music producer and DJ Frankie Wilde ( played by actor Paul Kaye ), who finds out from his doctor that he could loose his hearing, if he continue to use drugs and avoid loud noises. Frankie does not listen to his doctor and go on with his music plans, where everything falls apart, and he becomes permanently deaf. This is a very good film, that shows you how one man´s future plans can fall apart, who clearly does not take life seriously. Definetely worth picking up on DVD, if you enjoy powerful films. Since the Academy Awards nominations was released for this years selection, i heard a lot of buzz surrounding a film called Sound Of Metal. Nominated in 6 categories, the film won 2 awards for Best Sound and Best Film Editing. Not knowing much about the film, i just had to check this film out. Is this one of the best films of 2021, or is Sound As Metal not as good as some reviews are claiming it to be?

Ruben ( Riz Ahmed ) is a drummer, drug addict and one half of the metal duo Blackgammon, along with the singer, and his girlfriend Lou ( Olivia Cooke ). They live in an RV and tour the United States performning gigs. One day Ruben suddenly loose his hearing, and everything falls apart. He goes to see a doctor, where the doctor confirm that Ruben have lost most of his hearing, and the rest will deteriorate rapidly. Since Ruben can´t play any more shows, and not do what he loves to do, he is clearly struggling to accept the situation. Lou manage to get help through their manager, as he finds a rural shelter for recovering deaf drug addicts. Ruben is not excited to go there, but agree thanks to Lou trying to help him. A long hard journey is about to begin for Ruben, to accept a completely different life.

Right from the start, Sound Of Metal grabs a hold on you and lead you into the world of music in a heavy but effective way. And that´s just the start, before the film really make you feel the impact of the main character Ruben loose his hearing. That scene alone where he finds out he can´t hear anything, is one of the most emotional scenes i have seen in a very long time. The frustration, the sadness, all the emotions coming out, you can tell actor Riz Ahmed worked really hard to capture all of these emotions, to make it realistic. Speaking of actor Riz Ahmed, i can honestly say that this is definetely the best acting performance i have seen this year. He is so brilliant as the drummer Ruben, as we follow his journey to accept that he lost his hearing, is definetely one of the strongest film stories i have seen this year so far. I can´t even imagine how i would feel if i was in the same situation as him, so to see him so angry is perfectly understandable. Just the idea of not hearing certain sounds as we are used to hear, or not being able to understand everyone you meet, until you find a way to learn to communicate by sign language, is a really long and difficult journey. And i have to say that this film really manage to show us that people with hearing disabilities, are just like everyone else. This is one of the reasons why i love this film, because it does not try and show that these people are weak, or can´t learn anything. They can do anything they want, and pursue their dreams. The community of deaf recovering addicts have several really powerful scenes, where you can tell that Ruben is trying to adjust into his new life. I have to mention that the acting is also really good from actress Olivia Cooke. This is without a doubt her best acting performance ever, and i really admire her dedication to make her character Lou so honest. Actor Paul Raci as Joe, who runs the shelter for deaf recovering addicts, also give a fantastic performance. Sound Of Metal is definetely one of the most honest drama films you can see this year, because it have such a powerful story. I especially think Sound Of Metal show a realistic portrait of drug addicts, and how they struggle to become clean and try and learn to live an ordinary life. To all of you people who complain about everything, watch Sound Of Metal and see that you have no right to complain. Director Darius Marder ( who was one of the writers of the fantastic film The Place Beyond The Pines ), manage to make a film that does not only show human struggling in a very emotional and honest way, but he also manage to tell a story that will inspire a lot of people not to give up, that there is a way to find your way in life, no matter how hopeless everything seems. This is definetely one of the best films of 2021, no doubt about that. A must see for all ages.

Rating: DDDD

A Change Is Coming, Everything Has An End

Cheers everyone!

Daniel here, the greatest movie critic of Sweden? Yes, it´s true. Don´t ask me how this is possible, but that´s the way it is.

I have thought for a long time, and i have decided to make a decision. I have been doing this movie review blog now for 10 years this year, and i never thought when i started this blog that i would be doing this for this long. When i started writing in here, i did not get many readers at all. In fact, if you go back and look at some of the earlier reviews from 2011 - 2015, i probably had at most 20 people who read each review, and even less in some reviews. And that´s ok, i never expected this blog to kick off anywhere. But in the last 5 years, things have really turned around, and more people have noticed my reviews, including actors, directors, bloggers, and others. I have several reviews published on different film pages, on official Facebook film pages, and on other web sites, and for that i feel honored. And i plan to write more this whole year, but when 2021 ends, i have a different plan.

My plan is to do something different, and still keep writing reviews, on a different platform. I don´t know where, or when exactly. But i think it is a good time to go in another direction. I won´t stop writing, it will just be in a different place. I have some other ideas as well in the future, that might make me busy doing some other things, so i might be more focused on certain things instead of writing reviews. So i have made a decision, that on New Years Eve of 2021, my final review will be published on Daniels Super Sexy Movie Reviews, for this blog.

With that said, im not going away from writing. So for all of you who do enjoy my reviews, stay calm, Daniel will still be around, you will just have to see what happens instead. So you will be able to read my reviews in here up until December 31st this year, and then it is the end for my reviews in this blog. I am looking forward to do some other things in life, that is actually connected to the world of films. Can´t give you any details right now, but i will inform you when this year ends. So there are many months left of many movie reviews to look forward to, i just wanted to tell you like it is. I am actually happy about my decision, and this blog will still be online so everyone can go in and read everything i have written, so that won´t change. So, let´s go until the end of this year, and have a good time here on Daniels Super Sexy Movie Reviews. All of my readers, you are the ones who made this blog possible, so i thank every single one of you. We still have many months left to go, so no worries, i have plenty of fun stuff coming up.

See you out here soon, and remember.....never trust those Norwegians ( we don´t here in Sweden, those cheeky bastards are always up for trouble )

Cheers from Daniel!

Ape vs. Monster

If you go back in the history of film productions, you will find quite a lot of bad monster films, and films with apes as well. After the original King Kong film released in 1933, a lot of studios have copied the idea of a giant ape, and mixed it together with other influences. I know that there are a lot of old films that i have not seen, that used the ideas of King Kong. But there is actually one film from 1976 that i have seen ( not thinking about the 1976 film version of King Kong ), and that is a film simply called Ape, directed by Paul Leder ( who some of you B movie lovers might remember for his 1984 film Vultures, a must see ). Ape is almost like a similar King Kong story, but without any budget or a lot of famous actors. The only actor that i recognized in this film is actress Joanna Kerns, who was in the TV comedy series Growing Pains between 1985 - 1992. Let´s just say she did a lot better in that TV series, than her performance in Ape. So what is this film all about? A 36-foot-gorilla escapes from an oil tanker ( that actually blows up, but this Ape does not get any damage for some strange reason, he must have super powers ), he wrestles a giant great white shark ( that already looks dead, but he wrestle the shark anyway, just in case he might wake up i suppose ). So he manage to get to land, where he later wrestle a python as well. He does destroy some buildings, what else is he supposed to do, he might get bored, right? Ape is one incredible bad King Kong replica that you should see just for a good laugh, and this film have some of the worst acting you could find ( maybe not as bad as Kirk Cameron´s christmas film Kirk Cameron´s Saving Christmas, but still pretty close ). You can actually see the 1976 film Ape for free on YouTube, if you are interested in watching the film. One funny detail is that this film also goes under the title Attack Of The Giant Horny Gorilla, wich is actually one of the best film titles i have ever heard. Too bad that title does not help the film become any more interesting. Since the new Godzilla film was released recently, simply called Godzilla vs. Kong, of course the company The Asylum have made a different version called Ape vs. Monster. I will review Godzilla vs. Kong next month, so i thought i might as well see The Asylum´s version first, just to see if they actually managed to make their best film yet. Is this the masterpiece we have all been waiting for, or is Ape vs. Monster even more terrible than anyone would have imagined?

ELBE, a top-secret-US-Sovjet plan to make contact with alien life, was first launched in 1985. Contact with the probe was lost in 2007, but now it´s returned, and landed in New Mexico. National Security Advisor Ethan Marcos ( Eric Roberts ) sends Dr. Linda Murphy ( Arianna Scott ) and her team to retrieve it before the Russians finds out. And to check on Abraham, the chimpanzee that was in the probe. They find the capsule, but Abraham is nowhere to be seen. Dr. Linda is about to find out, that something happened after the crash, that could cause chaos to the whole world.

If you are going into a film like Ape vs. Monster, you know that there will be bad acting, a bad script and...not the greatest CGI effects of all time. But here is the thing with a guy like me, i watch a film like this for another reason, just to have a good time. This is the kind of film that could help my day become more fun, because this is a film that does not take itself very seriously, and just want to be an entertaining low budget action film. And that is exactly what Ape vs. Monster is, a film that is made for an audience who appreciate low budget films. Of course this film have problems, but i suggest we should look at what works with this film instead. Let us begin with actor Eric Roberts as the character Ethan Marcos. There is just something special in seeing Eric show up in these B movies, it is like he brings something charming with his personality. And that is exactly what he does in this film as well. I still consider him to be a legendary actor, and even if this character is nothing unique, he knows how to act in a certain way, that feels welcome. Actress Arianna Scott as the character Dr. Linda Murphy is exactly the kind lead character a film like this needs, a woman who is determined to solve this situation. I have to mention actress Katie Sereika as Russian bad ass character Eva Kuleshov. I would definetely want to see her in more action films as a Russian, i have a feeling she can crush any balls, anytime. This film actually feels more like of rip off from the Dwayne " The Rock " Johnson film Rampage, than any of the King Kong films. That also makes this film a little fun to watch, especially when the ape is going nuts, and not even the CGI effects can hide the poorly constructed ape body. The reptile is definetely the most fun monster, and actually looks better than the ape. Is there any reason to care about the plot? Not really, it does not help the film become better. The fight between the ape and the reptile is of course a highlight that i appreciate. I would personally say that Ape vs. Monster falls in the category " So Bad It´s Fun To Watch ", and if you can accept that then you might actually get to laugh in this film. Director Daniel Lusko is well known for making low budget films, and this one might actually be his best so far. Not that he have done a fantastic film in any way, but entertaining from a low budget perspective. I might be the only one in this world who had fun with this film, and that is why i think you should see it. I wonder if director Daniel Lusko will have me in a cameo role in one of his future films, i hope so. I have a feeling i could bring something unique to the audience.

Rating: DDD

Books Of Blood

The movie industry have definetely changed since streaming services have found a wide audience worldwide. Not all films are made of well known films studios such as Warner Home Entertainment, Universal Studios or Paramount Pictures. And this give a lot of streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Studios, Hulu, Shudder and many more, a chance to bring us many different kinds of films from well known director´s, but also from new director´s as well. I am all for streaming services, especially in this pandemic, since we can´t see all films in cinema as we used to do. And this is definetely a moment when people might discover films that they may not have seen, thanks to streaming services. And i think this is a really good chance, especially for independent films to be discovered, since DVD´s are not selling as good as they used to do. I have personally seen quite a lot of films, that have been released exclusive by streaming services. One of the films that comes to my mind, is the apocalyptic horror film Blood Quantum from director Jeff Barnaby. If you are a fan of apocalyptic zombie fans, i would say that Blood Quantum is probably what you are looking for. One thing i especially appreciated about Blood Quantum, is that this film takes place in the early 80´s, and manage to capture the time period through costume design, as well as great characters as well. One more interesting detail that i should mention, is that this film have a connection with an Indian Reservation, and this add some historical importance to some of the characters, and their background. Blood Quantum is definetely worth checking out on Shudder, or if you pick it up on DVD or Blu Ray. I have noticed that Hulu have some films i have not checked out yet, and one of the films is a horror film called Books Of Blood, based on the book by Clive Barker. I did see the 2009 film Book Of Blood, that is also based on the anthology stories of Clive Barker, and it was alright. So i was very curious to see if Books Of Blood would deliver anything unique or different, considering that Clive Barker have written some fantastic novels. Is this one of the best films released from Hulu, or is Book Of Bloods not as good as i was hoping for?

There is a book, that is supposed to be very unique, simply called Book Of Blood. Once you find this book, and learn the stories, your life may never be the same again.

If you enjoyed the film Book Of Blood, then i have some good news for you. This sequel is actually not bad, and have some interesting stories to tell. I have no idea if these stories are told well from the actual stories that author Clive Barker wrote, but as an anthology film, i feel that Books Of Blood is a well crafted horror film with something for everyone to enjoy. The stories in this film are quite different, and this is one of the things i enjoy about anthology horror films, if they manage to tell each story and make them work. And in Books Of Blood, i would say that each story finds a way to go into the world of Clive Barker, in their own unique ways. I would not call this a very brutal anthology horror film, but the horror elements match well together. So let´s talk about the main stories and what i liked about them. Let us begin with the first one called Jenna. The one thing i especially enjoy about this story, is that we follow the character Jenna ( played well by actress Britt Robertson ), who is suffering with mental illness. We get to see her bad moments, when everything falls apart, and in the story of Jenna, we really get the feeling of her struggling through the powerful acting of actress Britt. She must have done a lot of research of how to play a mentally ill patient, and this is something she manage to capture in her facial expressions and body language. Perhaps the ending could have been a bit stronger, but otherwise an interesting story. The second story is called Miles, and tells the story of a woman named Mary ( Ana Friel ) who is approached by a psychic called Simon ( Rafi Gavron ), who claims he is in contact with her dead son. We have seen similar stories such as Miles before, but for the most part this story works, thanks to the interesting twist towards the end, that includes an unexpected turn. The final story called Bennet is connected with the previous stories, so all the puzzles falls into one piece towards the end. As a horror anthology film, Books Of Blood may not offer a lot of original ideas, but have enough strong horror elements to please the audience. Director Brannon Braga understand the source material, and manage to bring us the world of Clive Barker in a stylish, and professional way. If you are a fan of Clive Barker, you should check this film out. Anyone feel like reading books after this film? I definetely feel inspired to visit the book store.

Rating: DDD

The Vigil

In every culture around the world, we all show respect to the dead in different ways. And it seems that every country have their own traditions, to make sure that their loved ones get the final farewell, in a respectful way. Some cultures dress their loved ones in a certain way, while some make sure they have gifts with them ( especially what the Egyptians did, after the body is mummified ). The gifts was a way to make sure that the deceased one would enjoy the afterlife in paradise. No matter how you show respect to the dead, i think it is important to remember the ones you love. Who knows, we might meet them someday when it´s our time to go. I have seen dead people in my work in health care, so i am not afraid to meet dead humans. It is a natural part of life, that we will all face one day. Every time i met a dead human in work, i always showed my respect, no matter who it is. There are a lot of horror films that bring up the subject of showing respect for the dead, and there is especially one film that comes to my mind. And that is the 2016 horror film known as The Autopsy Of Jane Doe from director André Ovredal. This is without a doubt one of the best horror films that focus on a dead corpse. Let me give you some of the plot. Austin Tilden ( Emelie Hirsch ) and Tommy Tilden ( Brian Cox ) both work as coroners, and Sheriff Sheldon Burke Michael McElhatton ) investigate a dead woman´s body, found in a home where a bloody multiple homocide. Sheriff Sheldon bring the unidentified woman´s body to the morgue of Tommy, so they can see what caused her death. The Autopsy Of Jane Doe is still to this day one of my favourite horror films of the 2000´s. Not only does this film look really good, but the background story behind this dead woman is really interesting, and disturbing as well. For some time i have been curious to watch a horror film called The Vigil, that is supposed to bring up the subject of how to watch over a dead person, in a Jewish community that is called Shemira. Apparently this is a very old tradition, that have been around for a very long time. Since i am always interested in seeing horror films with interesting stories, is The Vigil one of the best horror films in a very long time, or is this a big disappointment ?

Jewish Yakow Ronen ( Dave Davis ) is in big financial trouble. He can barely pay his bills, and is in need to find a sollution to survive. He is offered to make money through accepting one nights work, as he will sit and watch over a dead Jewish man called Mr. Litvak ( Ronald Cohen ), as a Jewish tradition called Shemira. Yakov is desperate in money, so he accepts if he is paid 400 dollars. Reb Shulem ( Menashe Lustig ) who offered Yakow the job, agree to pay him what he asks for. But Yakow will soon find out, about the secret past of Mr. Litvak, will change everything.

Knowing that the story behind this film is actually based on a Jewish religious ritual, makes The Vigil even more interesting. The idea to watch over a corpse over one night, may not sound very creepy at all. But trust me, once this film starts to build up the right kind of atmosphere, i guarantee you will not stop watching. This film uses only a few locations, and manage to make every scene work so well, that you can feel the fear in the air. How many horror films makes you feel like this in these days? Not many, we might as well be honest about that. The Vigil is one of the few horror films i have seen, that actually manage to give us a deeper look into Jewish traditions, and i really appreciate that. Since i do not know much about the Jewish community, it is fascinating to learn their traditions, and understand more about the importance of Shemira. We have to talk about the acting in this film. Every single character delivers really strong acting performances, and especially lead actor Dave Davis as the character Yakov. You can tell that he really went into this role with a lot of passion, to tell the story of Yakov who is struggling, both mentally but also financially. Dave also manage to act as if he is in fear, wich is not easy to do in a realistic way. Legendary actress Lynn Cohen ( who have been in classics such as Manhattan Murder History and The Station Agent ) gives one of the best performances in this film as Mrs. Litvak. As soon as you see her on screen, you can feel her professional acting level hit you right in the face. I have to mention that i really appreciate the powerful special effects, and how well they work with the background story. I also love how well the dark corners of the house is captured on screen, that makes you feel uncomfortable. The Vigil is without a doubt the best horror film i have seen this year so far, and i have a hard time believing that any film in this genre can be better than this one. If you are a true horror fan like myself, you have to watch this film. Director Keith Thomas have made a very impressive first full feature film, and i am really looking forward to see what he does next. It is still a long way until this year ends, but i can tell you right now, The Vigil will be going up on my list of best films of 2021. 

Rating: DDDD

Sharks Of The Corn

There are some actors in this world who are not only unique, but they have a personality that you will love right from the start. That kind of actor who will capture you with a magic smile, you will not want to leave your seat. When you see the impact that one actor can do, if they are given a very strong script, and with very dramatic dialogue. And one of those actors is without a doubt Rebecca Rinehart. So what makes her so unique? There are a number of things that we should mention.

* She can play any kind of character and capture her performance in a realistic way.

* Rebecca is always serious about her work, you will never see her undressed in any of her films. If that would happen, don´t expect it to happen again.

* No matter what the scene is, Rebecca will give everything in her performance, that you will get emotional and you might not sleep at all, because she is that good in giving serious performances. Do not expect her to accept roles that are not serious, we are talking about a professional actor here.

Sounds incredible right? I know, it does for sure. Rebecca is incredible busy, both being an actress and she is also directing. One of the films that she is the director for, is a film called Tin Roof. I suggest that you look after the Facebook page of Tin Roof, to stay updated on what´s going on with the film. She have several films coming up later this year such as Supernatural Assassins, Sharkago, Scarlett and many more, so we have a lot of films to look forward to. I recently sat down and thought to myself, if i could choose Rebecca in a western film, what would it be and who would play her husband in the film? Knowing that Rebecca only choose serious film projects, i had to combine certain elements to make this film both serious, and feel that this would be a film she would be interested in doing. I did not have to think long, until i found out the perfect plot, and the right male actor. First of all her husband would be played by Hercules actor Kevin Sorbo, because something tells me that they would have perfect chemistry on screen. The plot would be about a couple, living out in the prairie, finds out that their preacher is actually a homosexual, and their small town is completely shocked. How will they go on living a normal life after this? Can the town become the friendly loving town that they used to be? A very interesting plot, and a perfect cast choice for the lead characters. We will of course see if Kevin Sorbo would be interested in doing a film like this, there is a chance he would say yes. Who knows what the future will hold? I was one of the lucky ones to get a copy of Rebecca´s film Sharks In The Corn on Blu ray, a film i have been looking forward to see. Just the idea of sharks in a corn field, is perhaps one of the most brillant film ideas in recent years. Is this film the masterpiece i was hoping for, or is Sharks Of The Corn even worse than anyone would have expected?

A corn field, one of the few places that should be one of the most safe places to be in, no matter what´s going on in this world. Until now, when great white sharks have invaded a corn field, the American dream is under threat, and somebody has to do something, or we will all be screwed.

If you have been worried that there will not be any worthy summer movies to watch this year, i can tell you right now that you are very lucky. Sharks Of The Corn is definetely a worthy pick to celebrate summer, in the best possible way. This film have a bit of everything, that i am pretty sure even Kevin Sorbo fans will appreciate. Let´s begin with what this film manage to do in a positive way. First of all seeing a shark attacking in a corn field, and survive without water, shows you that this project is definetely taken very serious. And i love it when a film maker decide to make a film, that actually makes perfect sense. I also love some of the shark attack scenes, who are made on a limited budget, but still becomes enjoyable. The acting in this film is divided. You have some very serious acting in some scenes, while in other scenes it feels like some of the actors are just here to get paid. So i really appreciate the actors who took their roles seriously, because that actually make you understand the characters in a different way. What about the plot? I would say that this is actually quite a clever plot, considering that we are basically in a corn field most of the time, and to make that work you have to have a well written plot to make it function. Rebecca Rinehart is not the lead actress in this film, but the scenes that we do get to see her in, proves once more why she could be one of the most serious actors of our time. Anything negative? The length of this film could be questioned, if we really needed it to be this long. Let´s say if they would have made this 10 minutes shorter, and i actually believe this film would have been even more fun. Other than that, i had a good time with Sharks Of The Corn. It is that kind of B movie that was made for people like me, who appreciate serious film projects. Director Tim Ritter have clearly been inspired by the 1997 film Free Willy 3: The Rescue, one of the greatest sequels ever made. How do i know that he have been inspired by this specific film? Well, you can just feel it as you watch Sharks Of The Corn, the connection between this film and Free Willy 3 is so obviously clear, and i love that. And for that i thank you Tim Ritter, not every director would show the world why Free Willy 3 actually did affect us all, on a personal level. If you are planning to have fun this summer, you should check out Sharks Of The Corn, and i guarantee your summer barbecue with family will end even more perfect, than you ever could have imagined.

Rating: DDD

Virtual Death Match

Let´s go back to the year of 2000, when i was with a friend of mine visiting a game store in Gothenburgh, the greatest city of Sweden ( if you ask me ). At this game store they had everything, and i really mean everything for game fans. All the game consoles you could wish for, and so many games that it was hard to pick. But i remember what made us more interested than any specific games, and that was to check out a virtual reality trailer for a game that was coming from Japan. I do not remember the name right now of that game, unfortunately. But i do remember our reaction, it seemed to be one of the coolest games ever. I do remember that the store owner said that they will buy the game to the shop, but he also said:- It will be expensive as hell. Of course we realised at that moment that we would probably not buy it, not until the prices go down. We never did buy it, we focused on getting Xbox instead, when the console was released. I always felt that virtual reality games are quite amazing, how you can experience something different, that would be difficult to experience in real life. There have been some films made that bring up the subject of virtual reality, and one of the films that i am pretty sure a lot of you have seen, is the 1992 science-fiction horror film The Lawnmower Man, from director Brett Leonard. This film is based on the short story by author Stephen King, and this film adaptation tells the story of Dr. Lawrence ( played by actor Pierce Brosnan ), a scientist who decides to do an experiment on intellectually disabled gardener Jobe Smith ( played by actor Jeff Fahey ), in an effort to give him greater intelligence. The Lawnmower Man does bring up some interesting ideas about virtual reality in science, but if you look at the film today, you will probably see that the CGI effects have not aged really well. Still a film worth checking out, especially if you are a fan of Stephen King films. Have you heard of director Louise Warren? She is a very active independent horror director, who have directed quite a lot of films. I have seen two of her films so far, and i especially remember Scarecrow´s Revenge. But not for a good reason, because this film have some of the worst sword fighting scenes i have ever seen. I can accept the look of the scarecrow, but the viking battle scenes are not good. I did like the idea of the film, that this film takes place in the year of 802, in Northern England. But there are so many problems i could mention with this film, but let´s leave that for now. Instead, i was curious to see Louise Warren´s film Virtual Death Match, that have actually had more positive reviews than Scarecrow´s Revenge. An independent horror film that tries using a virtual reality game into the plot, does it work better than i expected, or is Virtual Death Match just as bad as Donald Trump´s orange mascara?

A group of gamers are selected to take part in a VR competition. They believe this is just a game, but are about to find out, that this is no ordinary game......

If you have seen some of the films from director Louisa Warren, you know that she is not afraid to try different kind of horror stories. And i have to be honest, Virtual Death Match is in my opinion her best independent film so far. That does not mean this film does not have problems, but compared to the films i have seen from her before, this one is actually better made, and have better characters than in her previous films. This film have a more interesting story than her previous films, and i also feel that the idea of playing a virtual reality game is actually quite a fun idea, in the way that this game works. Each level of the game offers different types of killers, and this is where the film works best if you ask me. Even if the CGI effects look cheap, and the killers may not be dressed unique, they actually make this game fun to watch. I enjoy the nun killers mostly, because who would not want to fight nuns with cross knives? If you can accept some of the bad acting from certain characters, Virtual Death Match manage to find a way to tell a story for almost 2 hours about a virtual reality game. How does the gamer characters work in this film? For the most part they are actually not that bad. I would not say they are acting great, but their characters match with the plot. I especially enjoy actor Richard D. Myers ( who you will recognize from Scarecrow´s Revenge ) as Ian, a very confident player of this game. Richard make his character feel a bit like an asshole, who is actually right about certain things while he plays the game. Actress Sarah T. Cohen ( who have quite many films coming out later this year and in 2022, including the Robert Bronzi film The Gardener, that i am really excited about ) as the character Jill. Now, this is the perfect kind of character for a film like this, who definetely is a survivor type of person. How does this film work from a horror perspective? It is not scary, it´s more like a horror comedy, but trying to be a horror film that feels inspired by Hostel and The Purge, with a complete different plot. Virtual Death Match is most likely appreciated by fans of low budget horror films, that are perhaps a bit different from the usual DVD release. This is definetely the best work from director Louisa Warren, and i hope she makes a sequel with more crazy killer characters. Who said virtual reality games are no fun? I think Virtual Death Match might teach you a lesson, that could change your mind.

Rating: DDD

If you want to watch Virtual Death Match, you can watch it for free on the film YouTube channel Film Freaks By FilmIsNow, and you can just copy the link here to get to the film:

https://youtu.be/_raJ8_4Mku8

Willy´s Wonderland

Children TV shows can be both educational, and fun for the kids to watch. They might learn very important stuff, such as why it is important to learn the alphabet, or perhaps the time on a clock. In some shows you learn how to bake a cake, or perhaps how to make your own milkshake. I still remember in the 80´s when i used to sit with my sister and watch Super Channel, and The Children´s Channel. The funny thing about cartoons in the 80´s ( not all of them of course, but plenty of them ) was that they could be pretty violent. Depending on what you watched, but G.I. Joe, Thundercats, Bravestarr and many others had plenty of action. And one of the shows that i did enjoy during that time was Thundercats. This cartoon TV series had some really cool characters, such as Lio-0, Tygra, Panthro, Cheetara and many more, who were fighting against the evil Mumm-Ra. I used to love hearing Lion-O screaming:- Thunder, thunder, thundercats, as his sword became even bigger and more powerful. Thundercats ran from 1985 - 1989, and even if i don´t watch the cartoon series today, i still have good memories from those years. If you are curious to see the whole seasons, i suggest you pick up the UK DVD box of Thundercats. Not only will you have an 80´s nostalgic moment, but you may find out that they actually did make great cartoon TV series in the 80´s as well. Since we have several kids in my wife´s family, we have seen plenty of new children shows that are made within recent years. Animantion have definetely improved, and they are able to do more things with cartoons these days. I have noticed that there are much more educational cartoon shows to find now, than what we had in the 80´s. And that´s a good thing, because it is a good way for kids to learn new things. I would not want to be a kid now though, because the 80´s was magical in many ways. It may sound strange for some of you, but the 80´s released a lot of magical cartoons that would never be released today. Some of you might have seen the 2019 horror comedy The Banana Splits Movie, a film where characters from the 1968 children´s television series The Banana Splits are actually murdering people. This is a fun film, that managed to combine the creepiness of children shows with horror influences. Last year i read about a film that was called Willy´s Wonderland, that seemed to mix influences from children birthday parties and horror. And this film also have legendary actor Nicolas Cage in the lead role as well. I just had to pick this film up on Blu Ray, so the main question is, does this film become more entertaining than i expected, or is Willy´s Wonderland a big pile of trash?

A quiet drifter ( Nicolas Cage ) ends up stranded in Hayesville, Nevada, when his vehicle breaks down after running over a spike strip. He is picked up by mechanic Jed Love ( Chris Warner ). Since his business don´t take credit cards, just cash, Jed have an idea how to solve this problem. He takes the drifter to Willy´s Wonderland, a once-successful abandoned family entertainment center, where he get to meet owner Tex Macadoo ( Ric Reitz ). Tex offer the drifter a job as a night-shift janitor at Willy´s Wonderland in exchange for repairing his vehicle. The drifter accept the offer, not knowing what is waiting for him.

If you thought that this month of May could not start of in the right direction, i can tell you right now that you were wrong. What you need is to see Willy´s Wonderland, and i guarantee you will be singing the birthday song, all day long. This is a fun mix up of different genres that works well, especially thanks to the crazy combination of children´s birthday parties, combined with a slaughter feast. The creepy looking doll robots add some fun into this film, as they all have special powers to kill their victims. But the best part of this film is actually seeing Nicolas Cage destroying every robot doll, in many different ways, as his character Janitor. He does not say anything at all, so all he does is look serious and kick robot ass. And this works better than i expected, since we all know that Nicolas Cage is not always as good as you want him to be. But in this film he actually manage to balance his acting in a positive way, and do it effective without dialogue. I would say that the Janitor is a guy you would want to invite to Thanksgiving dinner, if you know he can help you make your cousins stop whining. But what about the plot, does it work in a strange film like this? Actually yes, and the reason for that is because this film does not take itself too seriously. And this is probably the biggest reason why Willy´s Wonderland becomes entertaining, because this film manage to balance both comedy and horror, in a clever and fun way. What about some of the other characters? I personally enjoy the performance of actress Emily Tosta ( who some of you might recognize from TV series Mayans M.C ) as the character Liv. She may seem like the ordinary young innocent girl, but she is actually much more tough than you might expect. Director Kevin Lewis shows that you can make a fun horror film with a children show theme combined. If you want to have a good time, then you should pick up Willy´s Wonderland on DVD or Blu Ray. This could be one of the more entertaining films i have seen this spring, and that is definetely a good sign.

Rating: DDD

Breach

 Let´s travel back to 1997. This was the year when we had a lot of great album releases from bands and artists such as Depeche Mode, Supergrass, Foo Fighters, Gary Moore, Limp Bizkit, INXS, Rollins Band, Body Count, Blur, Megadeath and many more. I would say that 1997 had a lot to offer when it comes to music, and i watched a lot of MTV videos back in those days, even ZTV shows where they interviewed bands, especially during the summer festivals. But this was not only a good year for music albums, 1997 turned out to have some wonderful film releases as well. Just look at the some of the titles that i will mention, and i think you can agree with me. The Game, Copland, Starship Troopers, Con Air, Jackie Brown, Donnie Brasco, As Good As It Gets, L.A. Confidential, Lost Highway, Austin Powers, we could go on forever. So being 20 years old as i was during this year, it was a perfect music and movie year with so much diversity and different styles. Let´s stay within the film subject, and especially talk about one film from 1997. And that is the 1997 sci fi action film The Fifth Element from legendary director Luc Besson. A very different sci fi film than we were used to see, where Luc Besson really managed to combine comedy and action into a great looking futuristic film. This was also the moment when we got to see Bruce Willis prove that he could also do something different from his ordinary action films. The film takes place in the 23rd century, where a taxicab driver and former special forces major Korben Dallas ( Bruce Willis ), have a young woman named Leeloo ( Milla Jovovich ) fall into his cab. It turns out that Leeloo must get four mystical stones that can save Earth from an impending attack of a malevolent cosmic entity. The Fifht Element is a really fun ride with great characters, plenty of action and most of all, i love the visual style of Luc Besson in this sci fi world. Bruce Willis tried the sci fi genre again in 2010 with the film Surrogates. Not bad if you ask me, but definetely not as entertaining as The Fifht Element. Since last year Bruce Willis have released 2 new sci fi action films, where one is called Breach and the other is called Cosmic Sin. I decided to check one of them out, since i am a fan of Bruce Willis action films. Is this the best sci fi film that Bruce Willis have done since The Fifth Element, or is this a really horrible film that you should stay away from?

Earth is suffering an extinction level event, 300.000 survivors are selected to board a spaceship called the Ark wich will take them to a new colony called New Earth. But an unknown parasite that is on board this ship, is taking over human bodies and turning them into zombies. If the rest of the passengers want to survive, they must find a way to destroy these parasites.

This film starts off really bad, and when you don´t have a good start, how are you supposed to be interested in the rest of the film? At least this film does make an attempt to become more fun, when the space zombies finally get into action. But to be honest, this film struggle with a lot of problems. First of all, the characters in this film does nothing to me. I don´t feel sorry for anyone, or care if someone dies. It does not feel like any of the actors really care about their characters. The only fun moment is to watch Bruce Willis drink alcohol all the time, because he does not give a shit. He just wants his paycheck so he can go home and watch TV, and have some cold beers from the fridge. Another problem is that the action scenes are not well made at all, and i have seen ( a lot ) of zombie films that are much more fun than Breach. As an example, Bruce Willis attack some zombies with a flame thrower and none of them are burning. Do the zombies have a protective shield of some kind that we can´t see, or is the flame thrower so weak it can´t even make the fire work? They later find out a way to make the flame thrower more effective, by using special ingredients. But the zombies does not even burn then, they just melt and their clothes are not even ruined. The acting in this film is probably what you could have guessed, not good at all. And i can accept bad acting in B movies, but if you don´t really care about the characters that you are playing, then what is the point in being in this film? The spaceship design looks so cheap, it could have been built from a Corn Flakes package. I know that Bruce Willis is no longer delivering fantastic films, and that´s ok. As long as we see him do ordinary action films, i can accept that. But to see him fighting space zombies with no effort to make the film fun, does not help his career. Director John Suits probably wanted to make a cool looking action horror film, but without the budget and no good characters, Breach falls flat to the ground. If you want to watch a fun sci fi action film, go watch Attack Of The Unknown with Richard Grieco on VOD, DVD or Blu Ray, and aviod Breach for your own good.

Rating: DDD

Impetigore

When ever i have been asked if i ever had a very unique experience with a foreign film, i know exactly what film that comes to my mind. It is a film that not only was one of the best films of one specific year, but it also turned out to be one of the best foreign films as well. The year was 2011, and this was the year when the Indonesian action film The Raid was released, from director Gareth Evans. If you never heard of The Raid, then you really need to pick it up on Blu Ray, right now. If you adore really brutal martial arts action films, you won´t find anything better than The Raid, this is a violence feast that is so damn good, that i guarantee you will stand up and jump, applauding all over your living room for hours. How do you describe such a beautiful film like The Raid? It is like watching a beautiful scenery like a sunset, that you just don´t want to leave. But let´s get into a little bit what the film is about. An elite squad is tasked to infiltrate a high-rise building, run by a ruthless drug lord - located in the slums of Jakarta. Even if this film is now 10 years old, this is still one of the better action films you can watch. The Raid have a lot of powerful scenes, that may be extremely violent, but looks more beautiful than you can imagine. A sequel called The Raid 2, was released in 2014. And if you loved the violent martial arts action in the first film, you are going to love this sequel as well. It has a bit of everything for fans of action films. Indonesia is not only known for making great action films, they have also managed to make some great horror films as well. One of the films that i especially remember, is the 2012 horror film Ritual, also known as Modus Anomali from director Joko Anwar. This film tells the story of John Evans ( Rio Dewanto ), who wakes burried in a shallow grave in the middle of the forest, and have no memory of how he got here. As he look for answers to what happened to him, he is about to find out the real truth. Ritual is a well made horror film, with great acting and have a plot that works well. For some time i have read several articles on an Indonesian horror film Impetigore, especially because it was nominated for 17 nominations at Indonesia´s biggest film honors , the 40th Citra Awards. Is this one of the best foreign horror films that you can see right now, or is Impetigore much more dull than i expected?

Maya ( Tara Basro ) and Dini ( Marissa Anita ) are best friends, and they both work as tollbooth collectors. Maya have noticed an odd man for a while, who keeps coming back with his car to see Maya. The man suddenly get out of his car to go after her, while Dini sound the alarm for security. Maya is attacked by a golok, but survive thanks to security. Her leg is wounded, and at a restroom she find that something is hidden within her leg, a small paper note with some odd words. Maya finds out that this note is connected to a village known as Harjosari, that she did not know was connected to her past. Maya decide to travel to the village with Dini, to find out the truth.

Right from the start we get the feeling that Impetigore is trying to tell us a mysterious story, of one woman´s strange past. And i have to say, it definetely works. This is the kind of horror film that focuses more on using old school horror tricks, than focusing on CGI effects. The written paper note that the main character Maya ( played by wonderful actress Tara Basro ) find inside her leg, gives this mystery a really interesting start. When you find out what the letters mean, you soon realise that it is connected to something very important. I think it is a very good idea to have an ordinary hard working woman being portrayed as the main character, so many women can recognize themselves in the struggles that Maya is going through. You can tell that Maya is hoping for a completely different life, than where she is today. Actress Tara Basro have no problem making her character Maya feel natural, and she also manage to bring out a different side of Maya, that she may be tougher than she might have expected. Actress Marissa Anita, who plays Maya´s best friend Dini, brings a charming personality who is not afraid to say what´s on her mind. Impetigore reminds me of the atmosphere of horror films such as The Orphanage, the 2007 Spanish horror film. Both of these films knows how to handle sound effects with a creepy atmosphere, instead of focusing on simple jump scares. The plots are of course very different in both films, but they both have the right kind of atmosphere that we usually find in foreign horror films, than in American horror films. The village that Maya and Dini visit, is a great location for a horror film like this, that is connected to an old curse. Most of the cast does a great job with their characters, but it is the horror elements that make Impetigore worth watching. Director Joko Anwar ( who also directed the Indonesian horror film Modus Anomali that i mentioned earlier ) is clearly inspired by old horror films, and he manage to pull all strings together, in a stylish way with Impetigore. If you are a fan of curse horror films from the 70´s, this should be what you are looking for. There is no doubt, Impetigore have more to offer than a lot of ordinary horror releases.

Rating: DDD

Films Not Many Have Seen, But Are They Any Good? The 11th Patient

I do not like people who complain about everything, and especially one particular thing that i have heard a lot. And that is:- I have nothing to watch. When ever i hear that i think to myself and say:- Are you kidding me, there are thousands of films you can watch. And this is actually true, when you think about it. Have you really gone through a list of independent films and give them a fair chance? The answer to that is of course:- No you have not. And the reason for that is usually because people prefer big budget films, but they don´t see other qualities that independent films can give. I have personally seen about 2000 films, and i may have seen more since the 80´s. I don´t remember them all of course, that would make me a genius. But i do remember quite a lot of titles, and even if i did not enjoy every single film, there are lots of great titles that you don´t hear much about these days. I could probably go through a whole list of films that you have never heard of, but let´s bring up one film that is worth checking out. And that is the 2006 independent drama film Sherrybaby from director Laurie Collyer. When ever i mention this film, no one seems to have heard about it. And still this film won the best film award at the Stockholm Film Festival in 2006, and actress Maggie Gyllenhaal won the award for best actress at the Stockholm Film Festival 2006 as well. I would not be surprised if you still not have heard about this film, but Sherrybaby is actually a really good independent drama film for a number of reasons. You have really good acting here, you also have very realistic characters, and this film also show you a very realistic look into the world of drug addiction. Maggie Gyllenhaal is really good as the lead character Sherry Swanson, who is recently released from prison and is recovering from a heroin addiction. If you find it on DVD, pick this film up. As you might remember, i did a segment earlier this year called Films Not Many Have Seen, But Are They Any Good? So i have two new reviews of 2 independent films that i have never seen, or heard of. One of the films i picked out to watch is a film called The 11th Patient. The poster of this film was the first thing i noticed, and i have to say it looks really cool. Other than that i actually had no idea what the film is all about, so i went into this film with an open mind. Is this one of the better independent horror films i have seen this year, or is The 11th Hour even worse than i predicted?

Steven ( Steven Cole ), a young teenage boy, is found in a cosmastoe state deep in the woods several months after his kidnapping. The man that kidnapped him is still at large and Steven is the only person who witnessed and survived the ordeal. Now, Steven have been brought to a Doctor, who specializes in PTSD patients. Using his technology to guide his patients through their traumatic event, he is hoping to help Steven to bring him out of his coma.

One specific detail about The 11th Patient that makes this film unique, is that there is basically no dialogue in this film ( there are just a few words said, but other than that there is no more dialogue ). So it is all about telling a story with body language and using the right kind of cinematography ( who Derek Cole have managed to do effectively ). This is actually something you do not see very often, a film that dare to do something different and not use the same clichés. And for that i have to appreciate the effort that The 11th Patient have tried to do, by trying a different path. So the question is, does this film deliver anything else that is interesting? Actually yes, because the plot manage to bring up the subject of PTSD, and how this can impact your mind, especially if you have been through something very traumatising. The dream sequences feels almost inspired by A Nightmare On Elm Street, without any connection to Freddy Krueger himself. I have to mention that i really appreciate the wood tunnel structure, where this film takes place in the beginning of this film. These wood tunnels are actually quite effective, and give you a claustrophobic feeling. When it comes to characters, this film have a limited amount of actors on screen time, and if there is one character you will especially be interested in, and that is the character known as Steven ( played by actor Steven Cole ). His dreams are really bizarre, and disturbing as well. Director Derek Cole ( who actually worked with visual effects on the Dwayne " The Rock " Johnson film Rampage ) have made a independent horror film that clearly shows, that you can do something good on a limited budget. He use some very simple ideas, and manage to balance them in a surprisingly effective way. The 11th Patient is a film that may never find a large audience, but this is a film for those who appreciate a horror film that tries to do something different. Are there any flaws? Even if i probably could find some problems, i don´t care. I enjoyed this film for being original and interesting as well, on such a limited budget. I suggest you pick up this film on DVD, if you are a fan of odd horror films, just as myself. The 11th Patient deserves some respect for going in a different direction.

Rating: DDD

You can find The 11th Patient on DVD on the following web adress:

https://www.amazon.com/11th-Patient-Derek-Cole/dp/B07Y4MXZGD