Gross Movie Reviews #73

Posted by Tim on November 12, 2006

Gross Movie Reviews #73
By Tim Gross

Freak Out (DVD) – Unusual in my opinion, but this low budget film from overseas got a two-disc special edition release! But I guess if “Dust Devil” can have a special five-disc edition, why can’t this have a two disc edition? But anyway, we have two huge horror fans that find a person trying to be a serial killer. So the two take it upon themselves to train him to not only do house work but become the best serial killer around. The movie plays for laughs through the end and does it well. Go find it now because I give 3 ½ stars!

Nacho Libre (DVD) – The film that surprised the box office earlier this year with Jack Black starring as a man of the priesthood in Mexico, who becomes a luchador or masked wrestler at night to make money for food, to feed the kids better! It’s a great family film with most of the laughs shown in the trailers. I was expecting more Mexican wrestling but got more storyline about the kids he was trying to help as the movie was based on true events. The extras are many on the disc and also include a very brief but informative feature about luchador wrestling in Mexico which is very popular not only in Mexico but some cities in the US where they run local wrestling shows. I give the movie 2 ½ stars.

An American Haunting (DVD) – A disappointing ghost story about a father who raped his daughter and is haunted by the fallout from it. Based on true events and set in the late 1800’s. The unrated edition runs 85 minutes!? I would hate to see how much shorter it was in the theaters. Even with great Hollywood stars Sissy Spacek and Donald Sutherland could save this horrible movie about a ghost but it’s actually suppose to be a parallel between haunting and a rape. Way too much plotline for a mainstream crowd or the horror crowd! I give it 1 ½ stars.

My Dying Bride (DVD) – Another short film from Kipp Poe who gave us: “Dreadful” and “Dark Wind Woods”. He gives us this time a two and half minute film that goes more for symbolism than anything. I give the short film 3 stars.

Nightwatch (DVD) – A Russian vampire film that is suppose to be the first in a trilogy from Russia the next few years that happen to break all box office records also in Russia. It is outrageous sci-fi/fantasy/horror film that runs close to two hours and is great every minute of the way from the special effects, to the storyline between the light and the dark, to the acting. It is a beautiful fantasy film that you wish you could see come out of Hollywood on a regular basis. So get your ass out there and rent this DVD as “Daywatch” the second film is done already! I give this DVD 3 stars.

The Roost (DVD) – A low budget film with an appearance by Tom Noonan is about four people traveling to a wedding get lost on some back roads on Halloween night. First question, why on Halloween are you going to a wedding? Well they are not the only ones lost that night on the back roads as it seems some bats with the ability to attack and transmit some weird virus to their victims are near and about to attack them and whoever else is in the area. Now, I could go into how many questions the raised while watching it and completely destroy the film, but I except it for what it is; killer bats that make people into zombies, and in the end its all good bloody fun! I give it 2 ½ stars.

The Fear (VHS) – A student decides to do a controlled experiment that has people face their worst fears and finds out his about a wood demon as a kid still haunts him. Wes Craven makes a special appearance as a psych professor in this sort of unknown 1994 film. It’s worth the couple buck rental and your time, I give the movie 3 stars.

Slither (DVD) – James Gunn redeems himself with this project that combines about 4 to 6 horror films from the 80’s and stars Michael Rooker that is just a 95 minute fun horror movie ride. It has slime, monsters, zombies, gore, bad country accents, it is a film you grab a six pack, some friends and have fun watching. The DVD is loaded with extras from a commentary from James Gunn to a behind-the-scenes special with Lloyd Kaufmann who has a small part in the film that gets cut out! The movie was very good and allows me to forgive James Gunn for his bastardization of “Dawn of the Dead” but I will still be keeping an eye on him! I give it 3 ½ stars.

Any comments please send to: LAN_EMAIL_SUBS or www.myspace.com/slasherfilmfan and you can also find more reviews in a book I wrote called, “Gross Movie Reviews Volume One” that is available at: www.lulu.com/grossmoviereviews, if that doesn’t work just go to www.lulu.com and search in books, “Gross Movie Reviews”! And now don’t forget to check out my website www.bastardsofhorror.com for horror news and other related items plus check out www.bloodtypeonline.com for articles I write exclusively for that website! Remember folks if you are renting from Blockbuster you are not renting from the best! Support your local independent video store! It will keep horror alive………