Summer B Movie Madness With Daniel: It Lives Inside

Every summer, i especially take some time to watch independent horror films. I have always had a tradition, that summer time match so well with low budget horror films, no matter if we are talking about grindhouse horror, slasher films, creature horror, i welcome all genres. One of the reasons why i have such a big passion for independent horror, is that these films actually create something interesting, compared to big budget CGI effect films. They have a limited budget that makes their job a little bit more difficult ( not saying that big budget films are difficult to make, but at least they have a bigger budget to spend than independent horror ), so i really respect independent horror directors who try and make films with mostly practical effects. Speaking of CGI effects, they do show up in some scenes in some independent horror films, depending on what kind of story that´s being told, and CGI effects may be included for a certain reason. And i am ok with that, as long as the CGI effects are not too bad. Unfortunately, some independent horror films rely too much on CGI effects, and try and make their films scary, when the bad CGI effects cause more damage instead. A perfect example of this is the 2019 horror film Demon Eye ( i have written a review of this film in my blog, feel welcome to check it out ). Demon Eye does have an interesting story, and this film could have been good, if the right elements were used correctly. The downfall for Demon Eye are the horrible CGI effects, and those who know me personally know that i can accept bad CGI, if it´s done with passion. But there is no passion in Demon Eye, they wasted a potential good film idea. I can not recommend Demon Eye, but i will say this, if anyone wanted to remake a film, then i do believe that this film could possibly turn out to be a great choice. I was sitting down recently and going through a list of B movies that are avaible to check out for free on YouTube, and i came across a film called It Lives Inside. Not knowing anything about this film, i decided to check it out and review this film to my segment Summer B Movie Madness With Daniel. Is this a fun independent horror film that is surprisingly good, or is this just as bad as Coolio´s album El Cool Magnifico from 2002?

The Man ( Rett Terrell ) is injured, and having problems with his relationship with his partner The Woman ( Alissa Ford ), and they have a baby called Kaleb. Problems within their relationship seems to be getting even worse, when she discover that Kaleb have bruises on his body, and confront her partner about it. He have no idea what happened to Kaleb, and things are about to get even worse when he starts to drink more, as he starts to believe he is seeing dark shadows.

Going into a film such as It Lives Inside, i think it´s important not to hold too high expectations. This is a low budget horror film that does not deliver something fresh, or original. I would say that this film does have an interesting plot, but i have to be honest. This is one of the most boring horror films i have seen in quite some time. It takes a very long time until something happens, and when it finally does, you won´t feel that interested anymore. One of the biggest issues i have is actually lead actor Rett Terrell. This is the first film i have seen him acting in so far, even if i noticed on IMDB that he have done several films in the past. Unfortunately, he is not a good lead actor in It Lives Inside. He does not show much emotions at all, or you don´t feel engaged in his character. One of the few actors that at least make some kind of effort, is actress Alissa Ford as the partner to the lead character. Even if she does not give a strong performance, she does a better job portraying her character than actor Rett Terrell. So is there anything positive to say about It Lives Inside at all? Very few details, such as when the lead character believe he is seeing shadows. Interesting idea, but the bad CGI effects makes those scenes feel laughable instead. The ending of the film may actually be the best part of the film, that´s actually alright. It Lives Inside does not even try to be a good horror film, they just make everything as easy as possible. If it wasn´t for actress Alissa Ford, i have a feeling this film would have gotten my lowest grade. Directors Sean Bingham and Jeff Hall ( they needed two directors two make this film? ) could have made a good horror film with the plot for It Lives Inside, but they make absolutely no effort to make this film effective in any way. If you got nothing to watch, go to the YouTube channel Watch Movies Now! and have a look around. I am pretty sure you can find a better film to watch than It Lives Inside.

Rating: DD

If you still want to watch It Lives Inside on the YouTube Channel Watch Movies Now!, here is the link to see this film:

https://youtu.be/XVFXaq-L-uA

Painkiller

I remember back in 1992, i was at the rental store, checking out VHS films ( as i did every weekend basically, i loved going through VHS releases ). I was 15 years old, and so happy that i could rent any violent films i wanted, since they had a 15 years age limit to horror, thriller and action films. This was during the late autumn, and i was talking a lot to one of the VHS rental store owners called Micke. I remember he was opening a box of new arrived horror films, as he said:- These ones are going to be rented out in no time. Since he could see how happy i was that i could rent any film i wanted, he picked out a couple of titles that might be in my interest. One of the films was Stone Cold, a biker action film with Brian Bosworth. I also remember that he picked out a horror film called Puppet Master 2, that turned out to be a great choice. The third film was a film called Into The Sun, an action film with actor Michael Paré ( this was the first time i have seen his name on a VHS cover ). So i rented these three, just to see if any of them were any good. It turned out that Stone Cold was a lot of fun, just the way i like it. A really fun action film, with a lot of big guns, naked women and funny cheesy dialogue. Puppet Master 2 turned out to be fun as well, as a simple puppet killer film. The classic story of André Toulon and his puppets, still worked in this sequel, that included some nice kills. Into The Sun turned out to be an entertaining action film, maybe not on the same level as Stone Cold, but still fun enough. Especially thanks to actor Michael Paré, you could see he had a charming style in acting. I have seen at least 8 films since Into The Sun with Michael, and i especially remember a film called BloodRayne ( based on the video game ) from director Uwe Boll ( the only man who can make films based on video games correctly, right? ). It was fun seeing him in a film like this, considering that this film also have actors such as Ben Kingsley, Michael Madsen, Michelle Rodriquez, Kristanna Loken, Meat Loaf, Billy Zane and Udo Kier. If you enjoy sci fi action films with fun dialogue, pick up the 2005 film BloodRayne on DVD. I found myself going through a list of VOD films, and i came across a Michael Paré film called Painkiller. I knew nothing about the plot, but the poster looked like fun. An independent action film that seems inspired by Death Wish, is this a film better than i expected, or should you stay away from Painkiller?

Bill Johnson ( Bill Obest Jr. ) is a radio host for a show, where he let listeners call in to talk about their loved ones, or drug problems in general, how easy it is for people to use dangerous medicines. Bill lost his beloved daughter in an overdose, and he is in pain, every single day. He can´t bring his daughter back, but he can make sure that people who should be punished, will pay their prize. Bill dresses up in a mask as the vigilante Six Shooter, who execute pharmaceutical CEO´s, pill-pushing doctors and street dealers as well. The longer Six Shooter end these people´s lives, can he really help society, or is he just causing more damage?

I did not have any high expectations at all on Painkiller, and this is why i am pleasantly surprised that this film is actually better than i expected. One of the biggest reason of why this film manage to work, is the combination of a revenge story and the pharmaceutical industry issues that are brought up in the plot. I may have seen something similar in the past, but i actually think this is a great plot that feels really relevant in today´s society. There are too many dangerous medicines out there, that people actually are killing themselves with. Pills that they can get their hands on through certain doctor´s or people who sell these pills. And this is a worldwide problem, that never seems to stop. The fact that this film actually manage to show this problem, while throwing in some inspiration from films such as The Purge, is a clever idea. I think it is good that an action film on a limited budget, tries to do a different approach on the medical issues of society. Legendary actor Michael Paré as Doctor Alan Rhodes deliver a performance that matches well with the story. The strongest acting performance comes without a doubt from actor Bill Obest Jr. ( who i reviewed recently in the independent horror film The Parish ) as the radio host Bill Johnson. This specific character is especially the reason why Painkiller is an effective revenge story. Imagine being in his shoes, where drugs killed his daughter, how do you go on with life after that? Can you find comfort to go on, or is it impossible? There are some issues surrounding the medical industry , that comes up through out the film, where you might begin to think, how we could handle this in a different way, and actually help people instead. That does not mean i think the revenge killer is doing something right, but you can understand why he kills people that he have chosen. Each person have done something terrible in society, and they need to pay for their sins. Director Mark Savage is a well known name in the independent film industry, who i especially remember from his film Purgatory Road. I feel that Mark have managed to balance this film in a solid way, with such an important message about the medical problems in society. With a good cast, and a story that does have something important to say, Painkiller is a wake up call for everyone, that we need to do something about dangerous pills in society. Definetely worth a watch, especially if you appreciate independent films that are trying to be a bit more serious, Painkiller have no problem getting an important message out.

Rating: DDD

The Arbors

I have been asked by different people, how is it living in Sweden? I would say that it is very quite here. You see, swedes love to hide in their homes, drink coffee all day long, and if someone unexpected shows up, they arm themselves with a crossbow weapon, or an axe, because you never know if it could be a Norwegian ( we never trust anyone from Norway, that is the basic rule here in Sweden ). So what if it is just the mailman delivering your letters? Usually, the swede stands behind the door with their crossbow, and wait for the letters to be dropped down their mailbox. And if they are suspicious about one specific letter, they might shoot the mailman. I realize that this might seem barbaric, but trust me, Swedish people are not as dangerous as we might seem. Usually we will run out naked on the highway, picking flowers, sing Swedish folk songs, and hope to see a lot of maskrosor ( the favourite flowers in every Swedish home, every house have tons of them, in every room ). So yes, i do believe swedes are very charming people. But i do believe we could learn something from Denmark, and that is that the Danish have a wonderful potatoes marathon called Kartoffellob. The idea behind this marathon race, is that you run naked on the beach, with a sack of potatoes, and run as fast as you can, and when you can´t run anymore and fall to the beach, you won the race. Not the first one that falls of course, you have to try and pass everyone. This is the best marathon race ever created, and proves why Danish people are some of the most intelligent humans ever created. So well done Denmark, you always come up with brilliant ideas. Since it is still summertime in Sweden, and im planning to enjoy some films, while tasting some wonderful Hell Or High Water Rum, i thought it would be nice to check out an independent horror film that i have not seen so far, and i came across a film called The Arbors on VOD. The poster looked really cool, and the plot seemed interesting as well. Is this a must watch this summer, or is The Arbors not as good as i was hoping it would be?

Ethan Daunes ( Drew Matthews ) live a very quite life in a small Southern town, working as an locksmith and is living by himself. The only close relationship he have is with his younger brother Shane Daunes ( Ryan Davenport ). One night as he is driving home from a birthday party, Ethan discover a road-killed deer with a strange creature inside. Ethan bring the spider-crustacean hybrid-looking monster to his home. However, the creature escape, but not before biting Ethan. When a string of deaths begings to plague the town, Ethan suspects the monster may be to blame.

When ever i find a film that feels a bit different than most independent horror releases, i feel pleased. And this is exactly how i felt watching The Arbors, since this is definetely a different film, than most films in this genre. To be able to make a film like this work, you have to have a plot that feels interesting, and make sure that the twist feels solid enough to work. Even if this film does have a few issues, i still feel that The Arbors is trying to go in another direction, and i really appreciate that. Let´s talk about the acting for a bit. This is where i feel we have a very divided acting, that some actors deliver a performanc that works, while some feel less engaged into their characters. Lead actor Drew Matthews ( who i especially remember from the really good TV series Mr. Mercedes, i wish he could have been in more episodes ) as the mysterious character Ethan Daunes, is seriously the best character in this film. Ethan is a very lonesome man, and you don´t really know if he have mental problems, or if he is actually seeing this creature. I feel that Drew manage to bring out a performance that match really well with the character, and he seems to have found a balance to portrait a man, who barely have any friends, and live a very lonesome life. This is a really good character to have as the lead character, since it makes the film far more interesting. I know that some people have critizied the CGI effects, and i can understand why. The creature effects may have some issues, but i see no bigger issues with the effects. I think the creature design of a spider looking creature, actually works pretty good. This is a horror film that takes it´s time to build up tension, so if you have no patience to wait for revealing details, this is not the film for you. But i actually appreciate this film, not relying on a lot of blood, and focuses more on the mystery surrounding Ethan. Director Clayton Witmer have made a very interesting directorial debut full feature film, wich proves that he may be one of the most interesting directors to look forward to, if he continue to make interesting films such as The Arbors. If you are a fan of independent horror films, you should check out The Arbors. Definetely one of the more odd films i have seen this summer, and this is why i appreciate this film, finally something different to experience in independent cinema.

Rating: DDD

Tom Clancy´s Without Remorse

I remember back in the early 90´s, when my grandfather gave me a book by author Tom Clancy. The title of the book was Patriot Games. I knew about author Tom Clancy from our local library, and i did see the film The Hunt From Red October, based on the novel of author Tom Clancy. But the book that my grandfather gave me, was going to be released into a film with legendary actor Harrison Ford. I think he knew that i would be interested in this novel, since the main character Jack Ryan seemed to be the kind of hero that i loved in films, so he definetely knew what kind of books i enjoyed. The novel Patriot Games tells the story of history teacher Jack Ryan, who intervenes a kidnapping attempt on the Prince and Princess of Wales and their infant son at the Mall of London. Jack incapacitating one of the attackers, Sean Miller, and killing the other, John Michael McRory. Ryan is shot in the shoulder, while Sean Miller is arrested. While recovering from his wounds, Ryan is honored by the British government and is knighted. Meanwhile, Sean Miller manage to escape while he is being transported to a maximum security prison in the Isle Of Wright, as he vows revenge on Ryan. Even if it was a long time ago i read this book, i remember that i thought it was really good, and especially the character of Jack Ryan. I did see the film adaptation, also called Patriot Games, with legendary actor Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan. Even if this film turns 30 years old next year, Patriot Games from 1992 is one of those classic 90´s films that will continue to entertain audiences. I did read that author Tom Clancy was not pleased with the film adaptation of Patriot Games, for a number of reasons. I still think the film turned out to be great, so i accept that Tom had his own opinions, we have to be able to speak out how we feel. Tom Clancy continued releasing more novels, and i only read Patriot Games. There are several films based on Tom Clancy´s novels, and we have a new film adaptation from the novel Without Remorse. I have no idea if the book is good, but i did became curious to see the film adaptation, when i read that actor Michael B. Jordan ( from the really good 2013 drama Fruitvale Station, and the Creed films of course ) was cast as the lead actor. Considering that he have been really good in both Creed films as well, seeing him in an action film would be interesting. Is this one of the best film adaptations from a Tom Clancy novel so far, or is Without Remorse a proof that this genre is no longer as interesting as it used to be?

In Aleppo, a team of US Navy SEALs, including Senior Chief John Kelly ( Michael B. Jordan ), rescue a CIA operative taken hostage by a suspected pro-Assad paramilitary group. The situation escalates as the SEALs discover that the captors are actually Russian. Three months later, several members of the SEALs team are killed by Russian FSB operatives. One night John´s wife Pam Kelly ( Lauren London ) is killed as well, including their baby ( who was still in her belly ). John is shot down but manage to survive. His world have now fallen apart, with his family murdered. He only have one thing on his mind, hunt down the responsible and make sure they pay the prize.

If you enjoyed the 90´s films Patriot Games and Clear And Present Danger with legendary actor Harrison Ford, i have some good news for you. Tom Clancy´s Without Remorse feels like an old school action film, that have all the right elements to make it a fun ride. You can feel the Tom Clancy atmosphere in this film, and you have all the classic ingredients that you recognize from previous films. Of course, this film is a bit more updated into the world today, and that is actually good. The plot itself is in no way original, or refreshing, but since since we are talking about a film based on a novel of author Tom Clancy, you want that classic formula that worked in the films of the past. So how is lead actor Michael B. Jordan in the role as John Kelly? He have no problems at all portraying a man who seeks revenge on the men who killed his wife and child. The thing i especially like about Michael is that he actually looks very serious in this role, and that fits well with the portrait of John, as he is grieving the tragic death of his family. If you want a film like this one to be effective, you have to make sure you have a serious portrait of the main character. We have other great performances in this film from legendary actor Guy Pearce and Jamie Bell ( who does not remember him from the British war horror movie Deathwatch? A must see, pick it up on DVD ). I have to mention actress Jodie Turner-Smith as the character Karen Greer. The scenes with her and Michael B Jordan, includes some of the best dialogue conversations, and i feel that Jodie really tried to give an honest portrait of this character. The action scenes are well made, and when the speed finally kicks in, we do get some fun violent moments, that especially fans of Patriot Games and Clear And Present Danger will enjoy. I would say that there are Jack Ryan vibes in this film, even if the story is different. Director Stefano Sollima ( who have directed several Italian crime TV series, including Sicario 2 ) manage to bring back the classic Tom Clancy story telling that we are familiar with since the 90´s. This may not be the best film adaptation of the Tom Clancy books so far, but i am actually surprised how well this film works as an action film. If you enjoy the novels and the previous film adaptations, then you should check out Without Remorse on Amazon Prime. Definetely a great choice this summer, especially if you are fed up with all the latest Hallmark films, and need some bigger balls.

Rating: DDD

Midnight In The Switchgrass

Through history, we have a lot of serial killers, who have taken so many innocent lives. These sick individuals have no remorse, and only care about their own needs. I can never imagine how difficult it must be to catch a serial killer, especially at a time when there was no DNA research to be made, and they had to find other evidence, to find the killer. Since there are quite a lot of serial killers out there in history, let´s bring up one of the most classic serial killer cases. And that is of course the case of Jack The Ripper, the brutal serial killer who terrorized London in the year of 1888. Known as Whitechapel Murderer, he is one of the most well known serial killers in history. 5 women are known to be the victims of Jack The Ripper, between 31 August and November 9, in that year of 1888. One of the most interesting details about the serial killer Jack The Ripper, is that we still don´t know who he really was. There are a number of different theories out there, that he could be could be a member of the British royal family, or he could be a doctor. I have been to London 3 times ( so far ), and last time i was there i actually planned to visit the locations where Jack The Ripper killed his victims. Unfortunately, we had to skip that tour for different reasons, but i plan to visit in the future. There is a really good film, based on the Jack The Ripper case, that is called From Hell from 2001. Directed by The Hughes Brothers ( directors of classics such as Menace II Society and Dead Presidents ), this film tells the story of Whitechapel Police Inspector Frederick Abberline ( played really well by Johnny Depp ) investigates the mysterious murders in Whitechapel. From Hell is a really well made slasher horror film, that may not follow all the information about the serial killer case, but definetely give an interesting presentation of the case. There are a number of great acting performances in this film, from legendary actors such as Robbie Coltrane, Ian Holm, Ian Richardson, Jason Flemyng annd many others. If you are interested in the investigation of Jack The Ripper, you should watch From Hell on DVD or Blu Ray, and also listen to the very interesting commentary track. You do get to know some very nice details about the making of this film. Earlier this year i was hearing some news about a new serial killer film called Midnight In The Switchgrass. If i understand this correctly, this film is inspired by the story of serial killer The Truck Stop Killer, known as Robert Ben Rhoades. Since i am a big fan of serial killer films, of course i had to see this film on the premiere week. With a great cast, and a very interesting plot, is Midnight In The Switchgrass the film you need to see this summer, or is this a big pile of shit?

FBI agent Karl Helter ( Bruce Willis ) and his partner Rebecca Lombardi ( Megan Fox ) are very close to busting a sex-trafficking ring. When they realise that they have crossed path with a brutal serial killer, they team up with Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent Byron Crawford ( Emile Hirsch ), who have been investigating for several years on this case.

Considering that Bruce Willis have had some really bad releases over a couple of years ( especially his sci fi film Breach that i reviewed in May this year ), i will say that he is at least not as horrible as he have been in recent years. I want to hope he will return in good form, and maybe he will if he gets a good role, that includes a great script. That does not mean he is acting good in Midnight In The Switchgrass, but i have seen him do worse ( i wish he could have showed more emotions, but i guess you can´t have everything you wish for ). The biggest surprise of this film, when it comes to acting, is that actress Megan Fox actually deliver a performance that is better than i expected, and trust me, i have seen her weak acting in several films, so this is actually a pleasent surprise for me. She still have a few issues with her acting that needs to be improved, but this is definetely a step in the right direction. Actor Emile Hirsch deliver one of the most solid performances in this film, as agent Byron. This is one of the few characters that you actually care about, since he seems to struggle with his work, not knowing if he can go on. It must be very heavy. on a psychological level, to work on serial killer cases. How do you turn off your emotions off completely, seeing so many dead young women? Music artist and actor Machine Gun Kelly, is not as powerful as i was hoping for, he did a better performancen in the Mötley Crue film The Dirt, but i would say he is at least ok in this film. Lukas Haas as serial killer is actually quite good as the serial killer Peter Hillbourgh. So as a serial killer film, does this film manage to function with such a heavy subject? I would say for the most part yes, thanks to especially some of the actors who take their roles seriously ( except Bruce Willis ). You may not see a lot of blood, or kills, but i think the story still manage to work, especially since this is a serial killer film that´s actually different ( i don´t think i have seen any film inspired by The Truck Stop Killer before ), and that is something i appreciate with this film. Director Randal Emmett ( who is mostly known as a producer on Mark Wahlberg films such as 2 Guns and Lone Survivor ), have made a directorial debut film that may not be original, but actually brings something different into the serial killer genre, by telling a story that is similar to killer Robert Ben Rhodes. Is this film unique in any other way? No, but if you are a fan of serial killer thrillers, i think you should give this film a chance. Midnight In The Switchgrass may not scare you, but possibly entertain you, if you enjoy this genre. 

Rating: DDD

Fear Street Part Two: 1978

The 70´s created some really wonderful horror films, that still stands just as strong today. Depending on what kind of horror film you like, the 70´s offered a big variety for horror fans, where you could find some really wonderful titles. There are several films that you should check out, if you have not seen them. Such as the 1977 horror film The Hills Have Eyes from director Wes Craven, the 1976 film The Omen, and of course the 1978 cult classic Invasion Of The Body Snatchers. When we enter the slasher genre in the 70´s, there is especially one title that i think most horror fans can agree is one of the best. And that is the 1978 film Halloween, from legendary director John Carpenter. When ever i hear especially young people today, who have no idea what film Halloween is, i roll around the floor out of frustration. This is one of those films that you need to know about, or i would not call you a true horror fan. This film tells the story of a young boy called Michael Myers, who murder his teenage babysitter. For the next 15 years, Michael is incarcerated at Smith´s Grove Sanatarium. On October 30, 1978, Michael´s psychiatrist , Dr. Samuel Loomis ( Donald Pleasence ) and his colleague, Marion Chambers ( Nancy Stephens ), arrive at the sanatarium to escort Michael to court to a hearing. But Michael escape, steals a white mask from the hardware store, prepared to kill anyone who gets in his way. Halloween is a very effective classic slasher horror film, where legendary director John Carpenter brought us one of the most iconic horror slasher characters to the big screen, known as Michael Myers. This was also the film that really gave legendary actress Jamie Lee Curtis a lot of respect as the character Laurie Strode. Halloween is a must see film, and i still see this one as one of the better films in the slasher genre. Some of the sequels are alright ( except for Halloween: Ressucrection, really bad ), and i suggest you at least see the first film. Netflix released a trilogy called Fear Street this summer, that are supposed to tell the story from 3 different time periods. I enjoyed the Netflix film Fear Street Part One: 1994, that i reviewed this month. So here we are with the second film in this trilogy, where we go back to the year of 1978. Is this sequel even better than the first film, or is Fear Street Part Two: 1978 a big disappointment?

In 1994, Deena Johnson ( Kiana Madeira ) and Josh Johnson ( Benjamin Flores Jr. ) restrain Samantha Fraser ( Olivia Scott Welch ), Deena´s girlfriend who is possessed, and travel to C. Berman´s ( Gillian Jacobs ) house for help. She survived the Camp Nightwing massacre in 1978. Berman is not sure about letting them in, but agree eventually, where she tells the story of what happened at Camp Nightwing that year.

If you read my review of Fear Street Part One: 1994, you might remember that i noticed that they didn´t really try hard enough to capture the 90´s look, and even made some mistakes with the soundtrack, including songs that did not even exist in 1994, but was released later. In Fear Street Part Two: 1978, they finally got things right. This film does not only capture the feeling of the 70´s with the right colors, the soundtrack match better as well to the time period, and the costume design looks like the late 70´s. The summer camp looks really good, especially capturing the right look of a summer camp, at that time period. And i am so happy that they really tried harder on this film, to capture the 70´s, because that helps the film become more interesting. One of the things that works better with this sequel, is that the characters are actually more interesting in this film. Not that the characters in the 1994 film are not interesting, but in this sequel you actually feel more connected with the main characters, and what they are going through. Now, we have to talk about the actors for a while. Actress Sadie Sink ( who plays the character Maxine "May" Mayfield in Netflix TV series Stranger Things ) is really good as the bullied girl Ziggy Bearman. Ziggy is one of those personalities i think a lot of us can relate to, at her age. We all went through some rough times in our teens, and some of us might have had some really rough moments. So to have a character like Ziggy in this film gives this story a lot more depth, than the first film. Actor McCabe Slye ( who is also in the first Fear Street film ) as Tommy Slater, shows us what a talented actor he is. To be able to turn from a camp leader, to a brutal killer and give us a completely different look, shows that this guy could be one of the better actors in a younger generation of actors. I am really looking forward to see what he does next. The brutal kills reminds me of the Friday The 13th franchise, and this also makes this sequel become even more fun. The conenction to the witch Sarah Fier becomes even more clear in this film, and the mystery surrounding her is explained better in this sequel. Fear Street Part Two: 1978 is not only a better sequel than the first film, it is also a really fun slasher horror film as well. I have to applaud director Leigh Janiak for making this sequel even more entertaining than the first film, that does not happen very often when it comes to sequels. If you enjoyed the first chapter of Fear Street, you have to see this film as well. I have a feeling you won´t be disappointed.

Rating: DDDD

The Parish

There are a lot of things in this world that can be scary. Some people are afraid of clowns, while some people are afraid of Jehova´s Witnesses ( i am one of them who are scared when i see Jehovas, i run as fast as i see them ). I am sure they are wonderful people, who are carrying axes and a chansaiw, that probably means they are just going working in a forest ( i did not see many trees though last time i saw them knocking our door, that´s a bit odd? ) There are very few things that actually scare me in real life, and for those who knows me personally knows what will really scare my pants off. And that is the 2004 music solo album Asshole, by Kiss member Gene Simmons. I will explain why this is one of the things that scare me most, and that is because this album have some of the worst songs i have ever heard. And i really mean that, this is an album that should be avoided at all cost. Just the idea that Gene Simmons made a cover of The Prodigy´s big hit Firestarter, probably gives you an idea of how bad it sounds. So if you plan to scare kids on Halloween this year, my best advice is to give everyone a copy of Gene Simmons solo album Asshole from 2004, and i guarantee they wont sleep for the last 3 years. Speaking of scary, who else thinks that nuns are really scary? I am pretty sure most of us do, and perhaps we should thank The Conjuring 2 for that, when we were introduced to the demonic nun figure, that would start of quite a lot of independent horror films with nuns included. I recently had a look at a list of nun horror films, and i noticed that there are a lot of titles that i have not seen. One independent horror film i did see, wich does include a killer nun, is a horror film called A Nun´s Curse. A surprisingly good low budget film from director Tommy Fairthcloth, and if you want to know more, check out my review of this film in this blog. All i can say is that you should check that film out on DVD. The distribution company Uncork´d Entertainment is known for releasing a lot of good independent horror films over the years, in many different genres. One of the films i have wanted to see since this spring, is a film called The Parish. An independent horror film that actually includes a nun, what could possibly go wrong with that combination? Is this one of the better independent horror films to pick out this summer, or is The Parish a film you don´t need to waist your precious time on?

Liz Charles ( Angela DiMarco ) lost her husband Jason Charles ( Ray Tagavilla ) in war. She have a young daughter Audrey Charles ( Sanae Loutsis ), and they both struggle with the loss of Jason. Liz make the decision to move to a smaller town with her daughter, to start a new life. But as Audrey begin her new school, something does not quite seem right, as if she have found a new friend, that not even the school knows about. And that´s not the only secret....

I am actually quite surprised over The Parish. This is a film i knew very little about, and i am glad i did not even see a trailer. This is a low budget independent film that is quite more serious than most films in this genre. You have the relationship between a mother and her young daughter, who both struggle with the loss of dad / husband. You also have the secrets that daughter Audrey ( played by wonderful young actress Sanae Loutsis ) carry with her, We have to talk about the acting from lead actress Angela DiMarco ( who i am excited to see in the new upcoming film The Rectory ). Considering that this is a film on a limited budget, her performance is actually better than what most actors are in films such as The Parish. And i am very pleased to see that she goes into her character, with such a serious performance. I would have to say that she gives one of the better performances i have seen, in similar films to this one. One interesting detail that is worth mentioning, is that Angela is also the executive producer of The Parish. Actor Bill Oberst Jr. ( who fans of the 2012 low budget film Abraham Lincoln Vs Zombies will recognize, where he played Abraham Lincoln ) plays the character Father Felix. Bill manage to portrait a character, that match very well with the story in The Parish. I also have to mention actress Gin Himmond as Sister Beatrice, who capture the look, and behavior of a creepy nun. The cinematography from Domenic Barbero looks great, and i have to say that Domenic does a really good job, especially capturing the bright colors in certain scenes. The horror scenes may not offer a lot of violence, but what this film does right is skip all the jump scares, and focus more on delivering old school horror instead. It is more about the atmopshere, and the mystery surrounding Sister Beatrice. The CGI effects may be a bit cheesy in certain scenes, but i understand that they had a limited budget to work on, so i can accept that. Director David S. Hogan ( who fans of the TV horror series Z Nation will recognize ) deliver a horror film that may be simple, but actually works thanks to the characters, and the story. Sometimes it is better to use simple methods to make a horror film work, and this is exactly what David does. The Parish is not groundbreaking in any way, but if you love nuns in horror films, this could be a good choice for you this summer. After all, who does not want a demonic nun to make your summer more fun? It sure sounds like a great combination to me.

Rating: DDD