It's going to be impossible to discuss this film without revealing spoilers so if you have to see it and don't want to know important plot points quit reading now and go find something else to do.

Okay, since you're still around lets discuss THE HAPPENING.

I had heard mainly bad things about this film while it was in its theatrical run and never took the time to head out and see it.  I'm kind of kicking myself for that decision right now because I watched it last night and I have to say that I completely bought into it and found myself transfixed by the interesting albeit rather silly story line.

In a nutshell and without giving away any more then I have to the film is about a nice sunny day when everything in the world changes.  We enter the film in a park with a couple of ladies sitting around small talking when suddenly every one kind of freezes in place and then one of the ladies stabs herself in the neck with a hair beret.  Next we are at a construction site where all the workers take a header off the building they are working on and so THE HAPPENING begins.

We meet up with all the principals and are quickly whisked into their world as this day gone mad unfolds and changes all of their lives forever.  Panic ensues as the events seem to be spreading from town to town and no one is sure what is going on.  Rumors and misinformation are everywhere but one thing that seems certain is that it is the high population areas that appear to be targeted so our little band of friends leave the city for the assumed safety of the countryside.  They are on an train which ends up stopping in the middle of no where Pennsylvania and they all head to a local diner where even more panic and misinformation ensue.  It is also where they meet up with another couple who are the first to introduce the rather interesting idea of what may be the cause of THE HAPPENING. 

The idea that plants and trees can produce toxins to fight off threats the they deem may be harmful to them.  Yep, trees and plants.

It is dismissed at first but as other events unfold it soon becomes apparent that this rather silly notion may actually be true.  But things is once you buy into it what can really be more scary than that.  Freakin trees and plants are everywhere and if they did suddenly release some kind of gas just exactly what the hell would we do about it.  Sound about coming out of left field.

All of a sudden though the most terrifying thing is something as simple as the wind blowing.  If you can imagine fearing the wind, that would suck.

A lot of press was made about this being M. Night's first R rated feature, which it is but the film is still pretty tame by most horror fans view.  There is some rather disturbing imagry in the film, case in point a scene where a bunch of yard workers are found hanging from the trees by their garden hoses.  Actually looked pretty damn creepy.  All in all though not much blood but there is enough to peek the interest of most gore hounds.

Eventually the film ends up being about taking care of the planet that takes care of us and about how you really can't trust anyone at any time for any reason.

Interesting, creepy, topical and well made THE HAPPENING is very much worth your time.  Don't take other so called "horror reviewers" take.  Watch it and judge for yourself.  A horror film doesn't have to be blood drenched and have a masked madman to be effective.  Sometimes its the most mundane of things that you should fear the most.

The disc itself has the usual assortment of special features.  Gag reel, making of short, etc.  All well produced and not so long as to numb your brain.

All in all a very enjoyable few hours that not only entertains but provokes thought and asks a few important question.

You can do a lot worse then that.

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Man, John Gulager is one messed up dude.

I was a big fan of FEAST and I had a feeling that we had only scratched the surface of the twisted minds behind the film and boy was I right.

Written by the same guys as the original and directed again by Gulager FEAST 2 is a non stop perverted ride into mind numbing horror.  This film attempts to and in most cases succeeds in offending and horrifying just about every person who could possibly watch this film.  We've got midget wrestlers, strippers, bikers, elder abuse, racial tensions and just for fun cannibal monsters.

Only a couple of folks return from the first film.  Of course only a couple people survived the first film so that makes sense.  Back for the ride this time is horror vet Clu Gulager as Bartender in a stand out perfromance.  Also back doing battle this time are Jennifer Wade and Diane Goldner.  All performances are top notch over the top horror grandness.

While the original FEAST was fast paced and unpredicatble it could in no way prepare you for what John and Co. has for you this time.  The gore and dark humor are ramped way, way up in FEAST 2 and it works like a charm.

A couple of stand out scenes involve an inpromptu disection of one of the creatures that leaves everyone covered in blood, shit, piss, vomit and semen.  It is one of the most disgusting and funniest scenes I have seen in a long time.  The baby rescue scene is another one that is just wrong on just about every level possible. But it all works.

Oh, keep an eye at the end of the film for the granny catapult scene.  Sick, hilarous shit.

Gulager is a true talent.  His camera angles, framing and lighting are nothing short of artistic while his dark humor and love of all things strange make his films edgy and surreal. 

I strongly urge all of you to head out and pick this sick little gem up.  It has "cult classic" written all over it and you're going to want to be able to say that you knew about this little move way back when no one else knew it exsisted.

FEAST 3:  Happy Endings was filmed at the same time as this film so we know that we have at least that yet to look forward to from Gulager and I'm hoping that the films do well enough that we can be watching his work for years to come.

FEAST 2: SLOPPY SECONDS is available now, so go get it.

The disc is a little bare bones but the commentary track is a huge plus in my book.  Here's the official word from Dimension on the release:

Synopsis

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Damn I enjoyed this disc.  I really did.

Rob Zombie's take on the HALLOWEEN mytho's has been a lightening rod for controversy since the day it was announced it was going to be made.  Some fans have embraced it, others have fought and are still fighting the fact that anyone would dare touch John Carpenter's masterpiece.

Truth is, Rob Zombie's HALLOWEEN is not a bad film.  It's a different directors vision of similar story situations and in my opinion Zombie pulls off a completely different film that while embracing the same concept and characters manages to effectively pump life back into a franchise that has found itself kind of wandering mindlessly through sequel hell.

RZ's HALLOWEEN kind of returns the characters to square one.

Although I don't fully agree with all that Zombie did in this film I have to give the man credit for making Michael Myer's scary again and not pulling any punches when it comes to violence.  HALLOWEEN is a dark, scary film that is more then worthy of your time and money.

Yes, it has already been released on DVD and I'm sure you wondering why I would possibly recommend you going out and spending your hard earned money on another edition of the film.

The answer is easy.  DISC 3.

Disc 3 contains what just well may be the single best documentary on the making of a horror film ever made.  Titled MICHAEL LIVES: THE MAKING OF HALLOWEEN this 4 1/2 hour behind the scenes look at the shoot is mesmerizing, entertaining and an absolute must see for all horror fans.  Even if you find Zombie's film to be the most vile piece of crap ever there is no way in hell that you can say MICHEAL LIVES is anything short of near perfection.

Very, very complete the documentary outlines the shoot in amazing detail and takes us behind the scenes in real "insider" fashion.

I can't recommend it enough.

This must have set is available now everywhere so grab your debit card and go get it.  You won't be sorry.

Here's the official pitch:

Arriving with 4 ½ hours of additional content, the madman behind the mask is back in director Rob Zombie's terrifying re-imagination of the original slasher film Halloween.  Available October 7th from Genius Products and Dimension Films, Collector's Edition includes 3 discs on standard DVD. Zombie's Halloween delves into the troubled childhood of anti-hero Michael Myers, a psychotic but silent killer who escapes from a mental institution, dons a haunting guise, wields a kitchen knife and wreaks havoc on his hometown. 

Taking the lead in a bone-chilling performance as Myers is former World Champion Wrestler Tyler Mane (X-Men, Troy, The Scorpion King).  The film also features suspenseful and thrilling performances from Malcolm McDowell ("Entourage," "Heroes"), William Forsythe (The Devil's Rejects, Freedomland), Danny Trejo (Grindhouse's Machete, Once Upon A Time In Mexico) and Sheri Moon Zombie (The Devil's Rejects, Grindhouse, House of 1000 Corpses). 

The Halloween Collector's Edition features an unrated Director's Cut with 11 extra minutes of footage, plus an all-new four and a half hour documentary from Director Rob Zombie, deleted scenes, bloopers, casting sessions and more.  The Halloween Collector's Edition DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $24.95.

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After sitting through almost a full hour of JACK BROOKS I was ready to pack it in and call it a night.  I was thinking "what the hell is wrong with all these folks that for month's have been claiming this one could be the film of the decade."

And then it happened.  The final half hour of this film is pure 100% horror gold.  The monsters are amazing (and all practical effects I might add) and the gore and humor is to such a degree that has not been seen in quite a long time.

Let's talk about the flick a little.

As the film opens we meet Jack Brooks a young well adjusted boy out on a camping trip with family.  Singing, dancing and sharing a night under the stars when suddenly and shockingly his parents and sister are attacked and eaten by a horrifying creature hiding in the woods.

Jack escapes the incident but spends the rest of his life attempting to escape from the horror of that night.  We flash to Jack Brooks as an adult now a messed up, angry at the world plumber who for the life of him can not get his life together.  His girlfriend is a pain in the ass his job sucks and his therapist can barely stand to look at him.

A lot and I do mean a lot of this film is spent making sure we get the fact that Jack is angry.  Mad, mad, angry.  Over and over again we watch as Jack attempts to deal with one mind numbing occurrence after another.  Be it an annoying moment with his girlfriend or having to deal with the dolts that attend his night college class that he takes a few nights a week.

Once we get past all the BS the film really picks up the pace and becomes a fantastic creature feature that features an amazing performance by a horror great Robert Englund.

Seems Robert is in just about every indie horror film released these days.  He pops up everywhere.  He was in BEHIND THE MASK and 2001 MAINIACS just to name a few.

His performances in those films although great pale in comparison to what he is up to in JACK BROOKS.  He reminded me in this film why I am a fan of his work.  He is great.  I always knew that, this film just brings it all home again.

I'm always concerned about giving you all to much info and ruining the viewing for you so I am going to stop short of filling you in on all the blood spurting, limb ripping fun that awaits you in this film.  I just want to stress that you have to wait for it.  Give this one time, don't give up on it.

You will be rewarded well if you just wait for it.  And no cheating, watch the whole film.  If you don't some of the stuff at the end won't be some rewarding.  Good things come to those who wait.

As far as the special features Anchor Bay has done their always amazing job of making this one a fan friendly experience. 

The usual line up of special feature abound.

We've got the commentary tracks, the making of docu, the world premiere video but the best segment by far is the making of the monsters clip.

Remember the name David Scott, he's the FX man on this one.  Not sure where he has come from but his work is amazing and we will be hearing lots more from this talented artist.

So, bottom line.  JACK BROOKS: MONSTER HUNTER although far from perfect is still the best creature feature to hit DVD in a couple of years.  If you like your horror old school with no CGI but plenty of blood, guts and laughs then JACK BROOKS is for you.

JACK BROOKS: MONSTER HUNTER hits DVD on Oct. 7th and will be available every and anywhere DVD's are sold.

CLICK HERE to head on over to the ANCHOR BAY site for a trailer or to purchase the DVD directly from them.

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"Stand away from the meat"


Oh, it is really hard for me to refrain from the Gene Shalet-esque one liners here. I could write that MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN, based on a short story by Clive Barker and directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, is 'One hell of a ride!' or that 'This movie is off the tracks!' but out of respect to this entertaining movie, I won't.

This one has had a hard time seeing the light of day. All the red tape and politics behind the scenes can sometimes call time of death on a movie before it even has had a chance. Ultimately, in the end, it is the horror fan that suffers for it. Luckily though, the great people over at FEARnet have given MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN the debut it deserves on their cable OnDemand channel, complete with Clive Barker giving it a proper send off.


Leon Kauffman (The extremely likeable Bradley Cooper) is a struggling photographer who is in need of a showcase to give his tame pictures of New York life a chance to be seen. You like Leon right away because he isn't your average struggling protagonist. He doesn't carry a heavy burden and he doesn't have a tragic backstory. Yeah, he and his girlfriend Maya (Leslie Bibb) are trying hard to make it financially but he hasn't let it get to him. He answers a refreshingly honest "No" when Maya asks him if he is OK, he happily accepts her request to "make her and himself feel better for an hour" with a roll in the sack and he isn't upset or emasculated when she takes it upon herself to set up a meeting between he and famed gallery owner Susan Hoff (Brooke Shields) in an effort to further his career.

The gallery owner ends up liking his work but feels it lacks an edge. Yes, the picture of a bum sitting next to a business man in a three-piece suit is striking, but the New York gallery set need to see the "filth" touching the clean. So, Leon goes out at night in an effort to capture all that is wrong with the city on film. Enter killer Mahogany (Vinnie Jones), a tall and menacing figure of a man who Leon happens to catch going on a subway train late at night. Leon quickly becomes obsessed with the man, following him to his home and to his work where he works as a....wait for it....butcher. Mahogany knows he is being watched and you get the feeling that he almost wants to be.

Finally, Leon follows him on the train one late night in a 'no turning back' moment and begins to take pictures of the slaughter. Our leads seem to be forming a connection of sorts. Leon needs to be taking edgy pictures and Mahogany needs to kill. Despite the "connection", Leon is quickly attacked by the butcher but awakes alive in the meat packing plant after hours, perhaps it was an initiation of sorts. Leon becomes obsessed with Mahogany turning the apartment he shares with Maya into a palace devoted to the butcher, complete with maps with little stick pins representing all of the victims and several candid shots of the big lug taped on the walls.


His sunny and sweet girlfriend isn't really fitting into his newly found hardcore lifestyle so she and a friend decide to play Nancy Drew and break into the butcher's motel apartment to find out exactly what is going on. While it isn't all that hard to connect the dots, the ending is something I wasn't expecting. Our little blonde hero seems to be the only one who can piece it all together but you get the feeling this isn't the kind of movie that is going to end with a nice and tidy happy ending. In fact, it has a slight feeling of David Fincher's SEVEN to it but at the same time it is its own film.       

The violence and gore is, of course, plentiful but the scenes are shot beautifully, almost like a symphony. Instead of violins and harps you have mallets and knives. Jones is effective as the killer, he barely has any dialog so he "speaks" mostly with his face. He is 6'2" of brooding, evil insanity and it works. Cooper and Bibb have an honest chemistry with each other that feels very real. They even manage to bring a sense of loving and tenderness to a sex scene where Bibb is aggressively bent over a counter and that is not easy to do.

MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN, in my opinion, is going to be a cult classic. What is viewed as a stigma in not getting a proper and deserved release will turn it into the little engine that could so to speak, everyone loves and roots for the underdog. Luckily, this one has the bite to back it up.


MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN is currently playing on FEARnet  

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