DVD Review: Haywire
by Karl Madsen, Editor
Remember the first time you see a movie that’s told in a non-traditional fashion? For many in the movie viewing public, it was the classic Tarantino flick, Pulp Fiction that indoctrinated us to the alternate story telling styles. Now, the Steven Soderbergh thriller, Haywire, uses an unusual style to tell the story of a black ops soldier on the outs with her company.
Haywire follows the last official mission of Mallory Kane (Gina Carano – Blood and Bone) that is meant to be her last mission, ever.
Blu-ray Review: The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence)
by Karl P. Madsen, Horror Editor
Fan – 1. enthusiastic admirer – an enthusiastic admirer of a celebrity or public performer. 2. Same as fanatic (noun)
The sequel to Human Centipede (The First Sequence), Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) is a unique format. Instead of building the second movie off the events, and timeline, of the first film, this sequel uses the First Sequence as the catalyst for the events of the Full Sequence. That’s why this film is 100% medically inaccurate instead of the first Human Centipede’s 100% medically accurate status.
Martin (Laurence R.
DVD Review: The Woman
(L – R) Peggy (Carter), Darlin (Molhusen), Belle (Bettis), Chris (Bridges), and Brian (Ran)
by Karl Madsen, Horror Editor
I usually start a review with a clever; at least I think they’re clever, introduction. Once in a while a movie comes along that defies clever, defies having the dark edge lightened, and for one reason or another defy definition. One of these movies is The Woman.
Chris Cleek (Sean Bridgers – Deadwood) is a successful small town lawyer with a wonderful family and an idyllic country home. His wife Belle (Angela Bettis – Scar), daughter Peggy (Lauren Ashley Carter – The Prodigies), son Brian (Zach Ran- film debut), and youngest daughter Darlin’ (Shyla Molhusen – film debut) are all very supportive of Brian and his interests.
Geek Gift Guide 2011: Karl’s Metal Music Top Five
There has been some interesting music released this year that includes re-masters, new material from established bands, and new bands that will knock your socks off. Here’s our guide for the metal lover on your list:
Comic Review: IDW’s Crawl To Me
by Karl Madsen, Media Editor, Horror
In the comic world, much like all other forms of entertainment, we are constantly being offered the next big thing, event, story, character, or genre. Recently we were offered the next big horror series from Alan Robert, creator of Wire Hangers, and lead singer for New York punk band Life of Agony, as well as creator, writer, illustrator, and letterer of his newest scare fest. This new series is from San Diego’s own IDW Publishing and is a new horror offering titled Crawl to Me.
DVD Review: After Dark Originals Scream of the Banshee
by Karl Madsen, Media Editor, Horror
One of the sure fire ways to find a monster or demon, or to release a curse is to work for a museum, or a major educational institution. More importantly, you have to be a researcher at a school or museum – anyplace that has lots of creepy old stuff, that’s not your mother-in-law. Scream of the Banshee takes place in just that type of setting.
Blu-ray Review: Stake Land
by Karl Madsen, Media Editor, Horror
Every once in a while you get a movie where the main antagonist isn’t the most dangerous. That’s the case with Stake Land, a vampire movie where the bloodsuckers are the obvious bad guys, but are by no means the most dangerous.
In Stake Land there has been an outbreak of vampirism, and humanity has been splintered into lone travelers and small communities. The communities operate on a barter system and rely on the travelers to bring in food, medicines, tools, and luxury items. And everyone waits for confirmation of the safe zone in the north, New Eden.
DVD Review: YellowBrickRoad
Follow the Yellow Brick Road, oh my.
by Karl Madsen, Media Editor, Horror
Urban legend and the chance to prove, disprove, or to simply solve the mystery, is the stuff that horror films are made of. Joining the ranks of Event Horizon, Blair Witch Project, The Cave, The Legend of Hell House, and any number of ‘find out what happened’ flicks is YellowBrickRoad.
DVD Review: [REC] 2
by Karl Madsen, Media Editor, Horror
What are some of movie watchers biggest gripes? How about foreign movies with completely unknown actors? Most viewers are really irritated by subtitles, especially in an action movie. And of course there’s the questionable sequel to a flick that seems to have a plausible outcome at the conclusion of the first movie. Well [REC] 2 fits these descriptions, and breaks the mold as well.
DVD Review: After Dark Original’s Fertile Ground
by Karl Madsen, Media Editor, Horror
You know what’s worse than going on a vacation in a foreign locale, meeting new people, and meeting an untimely, and usually painful and messy, demise? Why, it’s moving into a house with a bad reputation, especially if it’s an ancestral home. And if you’re moving in because of financial problems, to win a bet or you need to make a fresh start, and it just happens to come available at a most opportune time.
And in Fertile Ground, Emily (Leisha Hailey – The L Word) and Nate (Gale Harold – Hellcats) do just that. The film starts out with a pregnant Emily having a miscarriage, and in her depression gives up her lucrative clothing design business.
DVD Review: After Dark Originals Seconds Apart
Double your pleasure, double your fun?
by Karl Madsen, Media Editor, Horror
“Can you feel it?”
“No.”
“But all the elements are there.”
“Then why can’t we feel it?”
“The project takes time.”
“But everyone else feels it.”
“I feel it.”
“Liar.”
“Seriously.”
“There, the way he tilts his head.”
“No. It’s in his eyes.”
“Well, maybe next time.”
If this exchange sounds creepy, imagine it with twins talking.
DVD Review: Forget Me Not
by Karl Madsen, Media Editor-Horror
Remember all your friends from school? Can you remember all the schoolmates you dated, partied with, cruised and hung out with? Or have you forgotten a few acquaintances? I’ll look at a yearbook and my sister will have to remind me “You dated her in your sophomore year”, or “You were best friends’ senior year”. But what if your friends start to disappear, time is altering, and no one remembers them except you.
Blu-ray Review: Some Like it Hot
Josephine and Daphne looking forward to warmer climates.
by Karl Madsen, Media Editor
What do you do when you and your musician friend just happen to be in a Chicago garage on Valentine’s Day 1929? And while you’re there some people stop by. People with bad intentions. With guns. And lots of bullets. Any you’re witnesses. My first choice would be to dress as women, join an all girl orchestra, and head to Florida. But that’s just me.
Oddly enough that’s what Joe (Tony Curtis – Spartacus), and Jerry (Jack Lemmon – The Odd Couple) decide to do when the witness a mob hit by Spats Colombo (George Raft – Johnny Angel) in Some Like it Hot.
DVD Review: After Dark Originals Husk
by Karl Madsen, ComicsOnline.com
The indians call it maize.
Vacations and horror go together like unicorns and glitter. Usually the horror starts with the vacation. And usually the horror starts because the vacationers do something illegal, erotic, silly, or downright stupid. And sometimes the horror starts before the festivities begin, and anyone has the chance to be a bonehead.
In the After Dark Originals film Husk, five friends, Scott (Devon Graye – Dexter), Chris (C.J.