Final Caller

Physcial media stores are the best place to be, where you can pick up movies in many different categories. There are a few physical DVD / VHS / Blu Ray stores still trying to survive across Sweden, but they are not as many as i would like them to be. Stores like this have been with me since my childhood, and i will always support these kinds of stores ( i would not be surprised if you find me dead in one of them, a perfect location to spend your last living hours ). I try to visit some different ones when it´s possible in different cities, to check out what they have on their shelves. Let´s go back for a moment to the year of 2001, when i was visiting the Swedish capital city Stockholm ( where we hope to have a statue of Dolph Lundgren, the greatest swede ever ). I was there with a friend of mine ( who also collected a lot of films ), and we both decided to check out VHS stores and DVD stores. We visited 4 of them, and for each store we spent hours in there. I remember buying at least 15 DVD´s and 7 VHS films. And my friend picked up at least 12 DVD´s, so we definetely had a good weekend there. In one of these stores i especially remember one VHS cover that looked really interesting, and that was a VHS release of a low budget film called The Shivers. This film looked like a lot of fun with bloody practical effects, and i noticed that the film was directed by Todd Sheets. This was actually my first time seeing one of his VHS releases in a physical media store. I did not pick it up unfortunately, but i do remember the movie store owner said:- This is one funny B movie, you should check it out man. I still to this day remember that VHS cover of The Shivers, and i hope that whoever owns it now, still enjoy the film. Over the years i have seen several films from director Todd Sheets, and reviewed some of them as well, such as Sleepless Nights, Hi-Death ( where he directed a segment called The Muse ) and Clownado. I think it is very clear that director Todd Sheets is a big fan of practical make up effects, and practical effects in general. Recently he released his latest film called Final Caller. When i heard that title it felt like it could be sequel we always wanted of the 2000 film Hanging Up with actors Diane Keaton, Lisa Kudrow and Meg Ryan. I decided to check out the film, to find out if there is a connection between these films. Is the latest Todd Sheets film The Caller one of his best releases so far, or does it not reach the same quality level as Clownado did?

Radio host Rolan Bennett ( Douglas Epps ), who runs the radio show On Through The Night, is taking phone calls from listeners, to discuss any subject that is on their mind. He gets a phone call from a man who calles himself The Outsider ( Jack McCord ), who seems to be torturing women and want to be respected live on radio. At first Rolan does not care about The Outsider, but as he keeps getting more victims, something needs to be done. If Rolan and his team can use their radio platform to stop him, they at least have to give it a try.

If you were hoping that this was the official sequel to Hanging Up, i can tell you that this is not a sequel in any way, or a remake of Hangin Up. However, you can feel elements of the Diane Keaton film Hanging Up in here. We do have some wonderful phone calls in Final Caller, just like they had in Hanging Up, so clearly director Todd Sheets knew that this would be appreciated. The characters may be a bit different in Final Caller as well, but the one thing where i feel the Hanging Up connection in Final Caller. And that is the scene where actors Douglas Epps and Jane Plumberg discuss a divorce live on radio, and i don´t think we could have been any closer to the 2000 film Hanging Up than that. So how is this film from previous Todd Sheets releases? This is quite a different film in many ways, because there is a bigger psychological perspective in this film, since we are dealing with a very disturbed serial killer. Speaking of the serial killer, this is one of the highlights of this film. Actor Jack Mackord ( who played Sheriff Morgan in Clownado ) plays the serial killer The Outsider. If you want to see a really crazy acting performance, i guarantee you will find it here from Jack McCord. I especially love the torture scenes, where he makes sure that each victim get their bodies ripped up. There is one scene that really works well, and that is the scene where The Outsider start taking his clothes off, dances around to opera and attack his victim Security Guard ( played by wonderful actress Dilynn Fawn Harvey ). Since i mentioned Dilynn, i have to tell you how amazing she is. In the scenes that she has, you would not find anyone doing her character as good as she does. It is like director Todd Sheets knew that she was perfect for this role. I would have liked to see more of her, since i have a feeling she would have brought something special for the plot, with her character. The funniest character is without a doubt radio host Roland Bennett, played by actor Douglas Epps ( who played the character Nic Stone in Clownado ). I have to say, he is the best radio host i have ever heard in my entire life. The way he communicate with each caller is so wonderful, and no one takes his job more seriously than he does. I especially love when he gives a lady advice, regarding a Bigfoot subject. That is when you know you have a radio host, who really care about his listeners. Final Caller is a film filled with brutal kills, funny characters, and funny dialogue as well. I have to say that they did a great job on the practical make up effects, i love to see big flesh wounds. Director Todd Sheets delivers another quality film, and clearly shows why he still knows what the audience want, a nice cozy film with classic ingredients. If you had some wonderful lovely dreams lately that Final Caller would be the worthy sequel to the Dianie Keaton film Hanging Up, you at least get some nice influences that reminds us of that film, and deliver some tasteful treats as well. Finall Caller is definetey worth checking out on VOD or DVD. Who knows, maybe one day director Todd Sheets will let me be in a cameo role in one of his future films? 

Rating: DDD