Microbudget filmmakers Dillon Brown and Michael Rock are back with a follow-up to their $800 Bigfoot mockumentary, Tahoe Joe 2: The Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Conspiracy has slightly larger ambitions than the first film and admirably builds on the story. This time out, Brown and Rock worked with a relatively bigger budget of $5500. I’m highlighting the financial element here because I think it’s an essential component of how we should experience a film like this.
Read MoreFaceless After Dark (2023)
Faceless After Dark emerges from the depths of indie horror with a concoction of chilling effects, dynamic lighting, and a standout performance by Jenna Kanell. Directed by Raymond Wood and boasting Kanell as both co-writer and lead actor, this film ventures into the treacherous realm of parasocial relationships and the dark underbelly of fame in the digital era. Kanell's portrayal of Bowie, a horror star grappling with the repercussions of her niche fame, is a testament to her versatility as an actress.
Read MoreOver the Edge (1979) #RetroReview
I’m always on the lookout for movies that reflect the experiences of Generation X, being a member of that forgotten generation, myself. Jonathan Kaplan’s Over the Edge from 1979 is a coming-of-age teen drama infused with a massive amount of ennui, alienation, and rebellion. It also focuses on characters aged around 13 to 15 years old, making it an early look at Gen Xers. May 18th marks the 45th anniversary of the beginning of the film's limited theatrical release, so let's take a look back!
Read MoreMad Max: Fury Road (2015) #RetroReview
I doubt I’ll ever get tired of watching George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road from 2015. I’m definitely a fan of the whole series and after what was probably my sixth or seventh watch of the film, I’d still place it firmly as second best of the franchise after 1981’s Mad Max 2 aka The Road Warrior. The film is something of a throwback, with its reliance on practical effects and invoking of classic Western genre imagery, but that’s part of why the film is so damn good.
Read MoreThe Coffee Table (2022) #DVD
The Coffee Table isn't your typical horror film. In fact, it's far from it. Director Caye Casas takes a simple household item, a coffee table, and turns it into the centerpiece of a harrowing, unforgettable cinematic experience.
Read MoreThe Return of Swamp Thing (1989) #RetroReview
My love for DC Comics’ Swamp Thing began in the mid-’80s when I started picking up Alan Moore’s run on the series from my local newsstand. I was probably too young to be reading some of that stuff, but I suppose that was par for the course in a Gen X childhood. By the time Jim Wynorski’s The Return of Swamp Thing debuted in 1989, I was already a full-fledged Swamp Thing fanatic.
Read MoreF'd: Tales from the End Times (2024)
A couple of years ago, writer/director Ash Hamilton impressed me with his micro-budgeted feature-length debut, Holes in the Sky: The Sean Miller Story. So, when he popped up on my radar again, touting his involvement in an anthology horror flick, my ears pricked up. F’d: Tales from the End Times teams Hamilton with writer/directors Dillon Brown, Joshua Brucker, Michael Gregory, and Ben Harl.
Read MoreNo Escape (1994) #RetroReview
Seemingly forgotten, Martin Campbell’s No Escape from 1994 offers up dystopian thrills on a medium-sized budget. Prescient in its discussion of private prisons, the film also seems like a bit of a throwback, taking inspiration from ‘80s action films and ‘70s exploitation fare. Seeing as how it’s celebrating its 30th anniversary on April 29th, I thought I’d take a look back!
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