Berdella (2009)

This low-budget film is based on the relatively unknown 1980’s Kansas City serial killer Bob Berdella who raped, tortured and killed at least six men before he was apprehended. Not much attention has been given to Berdella, perhaps because he looks like David Cross playing Tobias Funke in Arrested Development (just LOOK at that mustache in the poster!) or maybe homosexual killers from the ‘80s just aren’t in style anymore. Whatever the case, I wish filmmakers Bill Taft and Paul South had left Bob Berdella in the closet, because their film on him is one big bore.

The film follows the odd Berdella, who acts more of like a socially maladjusted Dungeons and Dragons geek rather than a serial killer. We see him hocking his wares at his flea market stall “Bob’s Bazaar Bizarre”, hanging out in gay clubs, scoring drugs for the local junkies, stringing up victims in his basement, beating them and then beating off, extolling the virtues of sandwiches and on and on…

Yup, this film drags on and on, showing more of Berdella’s “normal life” rather than showing his disturbing perversions of raping and killing. In fact, most of the torture and death occurs off-screen and on the whole the film isn’t all that gory. Where gore is shown (we see the aftermath of a dude’s eyes that have been gouged out) it is so amateur that it doesn’t have a strong effect on the viewer. The film’s promise of “shocking and bizarre” certainly doesn’t apply to the actual film.

And then there’s the acting…goodness, how the actors are either over-the-top ridiculous or otherwise stiffer than a board! Perhaps it’s the stupid dialogue they are forced to speak or just their delivery of it, but the acting here, while certainly not the worst, is still pretty bad.

With so many other better serial killer movies out there, I find it hard to recommend anything about Berdella. The only neat-o thing they have going for them is some cool looking promo materials (stickers that read “Bobey,” a parody of the “Obey” street art campaign), but the actual film is a big, boring let-down. I thought that at least it would be a good examination of the psychology of a gay serial killer, but they didn’t really delve all that much into the psychology of Berdella, instead giving us a rather static view of his everyday life. Zzzzzzzzz…

Sorry kids, but this serial killer is a real snooze.

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The Curse of Micah Rood (2009)

The Curse of Micah Rood is a short film based on an old and true Connecticut legend of cursed apples that have a pattern that looks like a blood stain in their center. The legend dates back to 17^th century Connecticut, and the variety of apple was available up until the 1930’s.

Filmmaker Alec Asten has stayed true to the original legend of Micah Rood and constructed an eerie short film on the supposed true events.

The film begins in 17^th century Connecticut and hard-working farmer Micah Rood. Rood is obsessed with his apple orchard, which yields some of the sweetest fruit in New England, and he is convinced the townspeople are stealing from him. Because of this, he distrusts pretty much anyone and has become a recluse. His suspicions are further aroused when a traveling peddler comes to his farm and seeks shelter. He seems overly interested in Rood’s apples, putting Rood on the defensive. The next morning Rood discovers that the peddler has stolen apples from him and exacts swift and brutal justice underneath his prize apple tree. Obsession and madness soon follow when the apples are discovered to be tainted in their middles with blood-like splotches.

Filmmaker Alec Asten has crafted a taut and intriguing short film that is also visually rich. The unique story, with the screenplay by Nick Checker, is one that hasn’t been explored before and it makes for an eerily haunting film. The fact that the film is based on a true story makes it that much more interesting. The Micah Rood apple, with its distinctive bloody spot in its middle, mysteriously appeared in conjunction with the legend, but the last known variety of the apple tree was destroyed by a hurricane in the 1930’s. Still, its strange markings have never been scientifically explained and there have never been any other apple varieties like it.

Besides the rich story, the film is wrapped in an ominous tension that keeps building until the startling finale. The cinematography by Marc Wishengrad is filled with stark tones, flickering shadows and splashes of vibrant color, all which help build suspense and create a spooky atmosphere. I especially loved the shots of blood dripping from the apple trees.

The acting was also surprisingly good, especially for a low-budget film. Ron Palillo, best known for playing “Horshack” in the ‘70s show Welcome Back Kotter, does well playing Micah Rood, though sometimes the character’s thick Scottish accent gives the short an unintentionally comic feel. Some of the dialogue feels a bit heavy-handed and melodramatic at times, but other than those two problems I enjoyed this short very much.

The Curse of Micah Rood is an excellent short film that relies on psychological thrills as opposed to copious blood and gore. If you dig historical horror stories that are based on true legends, The Curse of Micah Rood is a very engaging film to check out!

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Book Review: Creeping Shadows - Three Dark Tales

Creeping Shadows is a novella anthology that contains three different stories from authors Alan Draven, Brandon Ford and Jessica Lynne Gardner. The novellas differ from historical supernatural horror, to a story based on recent true events to a tale about an ancient Aztec curse. I loved the variety of the stories and how they each offered something completely different to readers!

The first story, Vengeance is Mine by Alan Draven, re-envisions the the tale of Jack the Ripper. The infamous Whitechapel butcher, whose actual name is Vincent Fowler in this story, starts off attending the prestigious Royal Academy of Surgeons of England but gets kicked out for a distasteful prank as well as his low social rank (his mother was a prostitute and he feels the Academy has always looked down upon him for that shameful fact). After traveling to America, Fowler returns many years later to seek his vengeance on London and begins killing prostitutes. Yet, as much as he relishes spilling their blood and bodily organs, he begins to be haunted by a specter of one of his victims…and this ghost just won’t quit until she gets revenge!

I really enjoyed how masterfully Draven wove true facts throughout his fictional story, even paying attention to the little details! The whole class war aspect of the Jack the Ripper case, in which he was supposedly trying to draw the attention of the aristocrats the the poorer areas of London, was even explored! And his hatred of prostitutes is very well established as his own mother was one. As someone who is very much interested in the macabre Jack the Ripper case, I definitely appreciated Draven’s careful following of the facts in the case and how his own interjections fit squarely into the facts as well.

Furthermore, the novella was very quickly paced and a very exciting read. It was interesting to get to take a peek inside Jack the Ripper’s head and see exactly what he might have been thinking. Plus, the gory killing scenes were quite shocking, even if you already knew all about the case and its victims. The inclusion of the supernatural was an added treat!

The next novella, Merciless by Brandon Ford, was probably my least favorite and didn’t seem to quite fit within the other two novella’s supernatural themes. It is based on a true story about two young high school girls abducted by a madman. They are brutally raped and beaten within an inch of their lives, but they work together to try and escape the madman’s clutches, even as he drives them further and further away from anything familiar.

There is no doubt that Merciless is a horrifying story, but its unfortunately something we read about in the news every day (the original story it is based on is here) and I don’t necessarily want to read about it in my leisure time. While the story is well-written, it just doesn’t offer anything new or original like the other two stories contained in this anthology. Still, this is more personal preference and there is no denying the talent of Ford’s writing…I just wish the subject matter had been a bit more engaging.

The last story, Sugar Skull by Jessica Lynne Gardner, is probably my favorite of the anthology. Someone or something is killing Latinos with a rare poison that the police can’t track down. The victims all had a sugar skull shoved down their throats coated with what appears to be a Central American poison. When Annabel’s father is also found dead, she, with the help of her mother and a forensic specialist, must track down the killer, who appears to be tied to an ancient Aztec curse.

Sugar Skull was a fantastic story that I just couldn’t put down! More so than the other novellas in the anthology, I found myself glued to the pages of Sugar Skull, rooting for the characters to solve the supernatural case! I really loved the uniqueness of the story and appreciated that the author used Dia De Los Muertos and Aztec legends as the backdrop for the tale. I also thought that the villain turned out to be very frightening! I still get the heebie jeebies when I think about it! I also enjoyed the tragic backstory of the villain and the sacrifice it took to finally stop the killings.

Creeping Shadows is an extremely engaging, creative and worthwhile anthology. It definitely lives up to its title and you will definitely be checking over your shoulder after reading the stories contained in Creeping Shadows! I highly recommend this book to pretty much all horror fans, because it definitely has something for everyone!

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Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)

A little while ago I lamented the lack of modern-day horror movies filmed as period pieces. It seems that the rich superstitions of the past, coupled with the lack of technology back then, would make period horror flicks a no-brainer. Yet, because I think horror fans are continuously underestimated, the studios keep pumping out horror films that feature a bunch of modern-day teens fighting for their lives against a masked killer. Those kinds of films are all good and fun, but sometimes I want a film that delves deeper and has some history behind it.

Enter Christophe Gans’ 2001 film, The Brotherhood of the Wolf. Based on the true story of the “Beast of Gevaudan” that terrorized the French countryside during the reign of King Louis XV, Brotherhood is an extraordinary film that not only shows us the terror of people that feel completely unprotected and vulnerable to a monster, but also shows us how superstitions, religion, beliefs and lack of technology of that time influence people’s assumptions of just what the beast was. It also manages to mix a straight-up monster tale with a period drama and adds some amazing Kung-Fu action as well!

In the film, the French region of Gevaudan has been terrorized by a wolf-like creature that likes attacking women and children. The beast has eluded any attempts at capture, so King Louis XV sends his naturalist Gregoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) to investigate reports of the beast and hopefully aid in killing it. Fronsac is accompanied by his “blood brother” Mani (Mark Dacascos), a Mohawk Indian who rescued Fronsac during the Seven Years War in America.

Through many hunts organized by the nobles of the region, Fronsac tries to discover exactly what the beast is and how it can best be killed. He is startled to discover evidence that proves the beast is not merely a large wolf, but something much more sinister…and that a man might be somehow controlling the creature.
As Fronsac is coming to his conclusions, he also begins to fall in love with Mariane De Morgangias (Emilie Dequenne), daughter in the affluent and influential family. Yet, he continues to visit prostitute Sylvia (Monica Belluci) until Mariane’s brother Jean-Francois (Vincent Cassel) alerts his sister to Fronsac’s infidelity.

With Fronsac being distracted from the hunt for the beast by thoughts of Mariane as well as his unusual findings suggesting that the beast is not a wolf, the King sends in his own lieutenant to dispatch the creature. The lieutenant kills a fairly large wolf and claims it to be the beast to appease the King and then coerces Fronsac to go along with the lie. Defeated in both hunting for the beast as well as in love, Fronsac returns to Paris and the King forbids him from ever returning or speaking of Gevaudan.

When the real beast strikes yet again, Fronsac defies the King’s orders and returns to the region to prepare for one final hunt…but nothing can prepare him for the true horror of what he finds.

Brotherhood of the Wolf is an absolutely stunning film in all respects. From its beautifully-filmed action sequences to the acting to the plot, it is as close to perfect as can be! The first thing I noticed about the film was the jaw-dropping cinematography, by Dan Laustsen. Each and every scene is just beautiful, whether it’s Fronsac inspecting a woman’s body laid out on fallen autumn leaves in the shallow end of a pond or it’s a shot of the tree-covered countryside swathed in snow. The film is just gorgeous! Director Gans certainly has an eye for the dramatic, especially in his exciting action sequences! Whether it was horses racing through the forest or Mani taking on a group of ruffians, the direction by Gans was near flawless and lets us see everything that was happening. I also appreciated how in a few scenes the action was slowed down so we could see it in all its glory! Simply breathtaking!

The story, written by Gans and Stéphane Cabel, was fantastic as well! I really loved how almost all of the characters (with the exception of Mani) actually did exist in real life and how the first third of the film is faithful to true events. The story also isn’t a traditional “werewolf” tale, though it makes short mention of the possibility, instead taking a more intriguing path as to the genesis of the creature. I also enjoyed how it encompassed aspects of different genres like drama, romance, horror, action, martial arts and period piece. This worked marvelously well and made it feel like a more complete story.

The characters were also all fantastic, and we can never be sure who to trust or who to suspect. The intrigue between characters really helped to heighten the tension of the film. The actors all did a phenomenal job of bringing their characters to life, especially considering the large cast! Samuel Le Bihan was stunning as the swashbuckling Fronsac and Vincent Cassel put forth a very memorable performance as the suave yet creepy Jean-Francois De Morgangias. Monica Belluci added a mystical, noble air to her character of the prostitute Sylvia while Emilie Dequenne added some spunk to her innocent character of Mariane De Morgangias. I also enjoyed Mark Dacascos in his physically-demanding role of Mani, especially in his amazing fight sequences!

The action sequences, as I’ve already mentioned time and time again in this review, just left me speechless. Whether it was someone fighting off the beast or Mani fighting a gang of ruffians or Fronsac’s final battle, I just couldn’t rip my eyes away from the screen! And these action-sequences aren’t that far and in-between either…they happen pretty often throughout the film and it’s just a thrill watching every single one of them! The martial arts Kung-Fu action used works surprisingly well in Brotherhood and I think the way these scenes are shot make them an appropriate fit into the context of the film. The glimpses of the beast also work very well, letting us see a bit more as the film progresses, but never quite revealing just what it is until the end of the movie.

I could wax poetic about all the merits of Brotherhood of the Wolf, but for time’s sake I will cut it short! Brotherhood of the Wolf is an exciting, luminous film that left me in awe. I am a sucker for period horror films, and this is certainly one of the best (if it isn’t THE best) I’ve ever seen. It utilizes its setting for optimum effect, using the superstitions of the 18^th century as well as a true story to build its premise, then adding dashes of martial arts action and its own conclusions as to the identity of the beast to round out its awe-inspiring tale. If this review hasn’t convinced you to run out and watch it, let me reiterate by saying – GO! Watch it NOW!

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Stuck (2008)

When I first sat down to watch Stuck, I must admit I was skeptical of the film.  Surely director Stuart Gordon is a master of horror, having filmed such films like Reanimator, Castle Freak and Edmond, but a film that features a guy stuck in a windshield for most of its running time sounded rather dull to me, though the true story that the film is based on is downright chilling. Just see the Wikipedia entry on it below:

Chante Jawan Mallard is an African American woman from Texas who was convicted and sentenced to 50 years’ imprisonment for her role in the death of a 37 year old homeless man, Gregory Biggs.

The incident occurred on October 26, 2001 when Mallard’s car struck him; at the time Mallard was believed to have been driving while intoxicated by drugs and alcohol. The force of the impact sent Biggs flying through the windshield, lodging him there.

Mallard then drove home, leaving the injured Biggs stuck in her windshield, and parked her car in her garage. She then went inside, had sex with her boyfriend, and over the next day or so checked on the man still stuck in her windshield. After the accident Mallard did not notify the police or get Biggs any medical attention. 

The film follows the true story pretty accurately with the exception of characters changed and a very different conclusion to the true life tale. Brandi (Mena Suvari) works in a nursing home and is on the verge of a major promotion. She goes out that night to celebrate with her drug-dealing boyfriend and best friend, but parties a little too hard and while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, hits down-on-his-luck Thomas Bardo (Stephen Rea), who is crossing the street. Bardo crashes through her windshield and remains lodged there. Panicked, Brandi heads home and leaves the bloodied Bardo stuck in her windshield for the night…Though she promises to get help, Brandi tries to figure out a way to get rid of Bardo while Bardo tries to escape.

Stuart Gordon is back to fine form with the exquisitely gripping Stuck. It is a suspenseful and horrifying film that is unrelenting from its first few scenes to its explosive finale. I didn’t have high expectations of this film going in, but it thoroughly impressed me with its conflicted, well-developed characters, stellar acting and fast pacing.

First off, the characters are very well rounded out and presented as extremely sympathetic. First, you have Thomas Bardo who is currently unemployed and has been kicked out of the skeevy hotel he was staying at. At an employment office he waits for hours for an appointment before being told he isn’t in the computer so they can’t help him. With no place to go and no money, he tries to sleep on a park bench but he is kicked out by a police officer. As if his day couldn’t get any worse, he is then hit by Brandi and sails through her windshield. While Brandi is set up to be the villain in this film, we can’t help but feel for her too. She is genuinely sweet to her patients at the nursing home and really cares for them. When she hits Bardo she has the very human reaction of covering up her mistake instead of ‘fessing up to it. We also feel bad for her when she is reprimanded by her slimy superior. When Brandi and Bardo go head-to-head, you really are at a loss as to who to root for, because both are sympathetic characters. Of course, Bardo wins our sympathies in the end because Brandi is basically just letting him die.

As for the acting, that is the absolute highlight of the film. I’m not a big Mena Suvari fan and I wasn’t diggin’ the whole ghetto-fabulous-wannabe/corn-row look, but she played the character of Brandi just right, with the perfect balance of sweetness and venom, cluelessness and resolve. The actor that really stole the show, though, was Stephen Rea as Thomas Bardo. Without him, I don’t think the film would have been as effective. He absolutely captures the forlorn desperation of Bardo and makes it easy to root for him.

While I thought this film’s storyline would be its weakest point, it actually impressed me. Gordon paces the film so that it’s packed with suspense and there isn’t a second to be bored. There’s always that tug-of-war between Brandi and Bardo that keeps things tense, but other characters added to the mix, like Brandi’s boyfriend Rashid (Russell Hornsby) and her friend Tanya (Rukiya Bernard), really give the movie additional depth and complexity. There is also plenty of black humor that will have you chuckling throughout the horrifying ordeal.

And horrifying it is…the fact that the story is rooted in reality adds to the ugly truth of human nature and shows us just how nasty we can get when it comes to our own preservation. Not only that, but there are several cringe-worthy scenes, including the car crash in slow motion, which shows Bardo’s leg snapping against the grill and him going through the windshield, many of which are drenched in blood. Though the film probably won’t satisfy gorehounds out for a cheap thrill, the gore portrayed is very realistic and works extremely well for the film.

Stuck is an unrelenting and thrilling cinematic horrorshow that shows us just how low people are willing to go to save their own skin and that your bad day can always get worse…

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Black Water (2008)

I’ve never really been a big fan of the “when animals attack” sub-genre. The characters in these films are usually stupid (and deserve to die) and they usually end up getting killed by an animal much smarter than them. I always hated how this far superior animal was simply killed in the end, even though the characters were so much less intelligent than it. It’s hard to enjoy or even be scared by a horror film if you hate the characters and can’t relate to their actions and are rooting for the “villain.” Yet, every once in a while a horror film in this sub-genre comes around that I particularly like…

How does the Australian film Black Water rate? You’ll have to keep reading to find out…

On holiday, sisters Grace (Diana Glenn) and Lee (Maeve Dermody) and Grace’s boyfriend Adam (Andy Rodoreda) take a road trip into the Australian countryside. They visit a crocodile farm before deciding to take a fishing tour on the flood-swollen river. Their guide (Ben Oxenbould) takes them out in a small metal motorboat, taking them all the way to an isolated mangrove lagoon. Before you can say “Gone Fishin’,” a big croc capsizes their little boat. Adam and Grace scramble for a nearby tree, but Lee gets stuck on the top of the overturned boat. The massive crocodile pokes its behemoth head out of the water to say hello, then dives back under to try and knock Lee off. Soon, the three friends realize that the croc has dragged off their guide and that they are miles away from anything and anyone. Can the three friends escape the croc’s clutches and make it out in one piece as opposed to in pieces?

For a killer croc movie, Black Water is a surprisingly tense and taut picture! It’s got high production values, great direction, likable characters and a scary crocodile! It’s based on a true story (read about it http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,,2241705,00.html) and actually stays pretty close to it. It’s also interesting to note that the filmmakers used real crocodiles for the majority of the film instead of CGI or other special FX. This lent a level of realism that was downright frightening! When I was watching the film, I marveled at the realistic-looking crocodiles, but it was only after the film did I find out that they were actually REAL!!

Speaking of the crocodile in the film, it takes on a persona all its own in the film. It is extremely menacing and seems to be psychologically playing with its prey and relishing their fear. In one scene it emerges from the water to show the survivors a chewed up corpse and the croc does it tauntingly, rubbing it in. In another scene, the croc pops out of the water to block the way of the survivors, kinda like he’s saying, “I don’t think so!” As for the rest of the characters, we really don’t get to know them all that much, besides the fact that one is pregnant. Despite the shallow characterizations, we still end up caring deeply for the trio. They are likable and their situation unimaginable, so it is quite easy to feel sympathy for them (yes, even when they do make stupid mistakes).

I thought all the actors did a good job with acting frightened, especially because for the first half of the film you don’t see the crocodile that often. Their confusion, panic and desperation feel very real, though I will say that some of the initial whining and crying gets old fast. Still, the actors did convey fear, anger, determination and more while still maintaining their believability.

Of course, some of the characters’ actions were a bit unbelievable. Why didn’t the group ever try and distract the crocodile by using one person as bait to lead it away from the boat while someone else went for it when the croc was preoccupied? And why did they always use the thinnest, most spindly branches to try and grab the boat’s rope? These and many other questions plagued the film, but the character’s sometimes silly actions didn’t ruin the entire film.

Overall, the film was nail-bitingly intense. Three people stuck up in a tree sure doesn’t sound like a very engaging movie, but the writing-directing team of David Nerlich and Andrew Traucki managed to create an ominous atmosphere full of tension. The two directors utilized several spectacular shots that put the viewer directly into the action. One scene in particular involved showing the point of view from a victim during the crocodile’s “death roll” – a roll that involves them biting their prey and dragging them underwater while the croc spins around several times, trying to drown its prey. I really thought this was an inventive and exciting shot that captured the ferocity of the predator. It felt like National Geographic on steroids! There are also lots of scenes of the murky swamp water that’ll have your toes curling imaging what lies in those depths.

I will warn you, though, Black Water is seriously lacking in the blood and guts department. All we get is a severed arm, a chomped-on body, a not-very-bloody croc bite, various scratches, etc., etc. There are no big bubbling pools of blood a la Jaws here, kiddies. In the context of the movie, though, the lack of gore works just fine. The tension and suspense are what really keep the film moving along.

Black Water is a pleasant surprise amidst the standard stupid “when animals attack” films. It delivers tension and suspense without having to resort to gore for entertainment and will put you on the edge of your seat!

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The Girl Next Door (2007)

Based on the Jack Ketchum book of the same name, The Girl Next Door tells of the horrors hidden behind white picket fence suburbia in the 1950’s. It is an unflinchingly brutal and heartbreaking film that stays true to the book’s narrative and manages to bring the book’s disturbing scenes to shocking life.

The film begins with every kid’s favorite time of year…summertime! A time of freedom, hanging out with friends and long summer days to do whatever you want. On a dead end street in suburbia, though, the summer of ‘58 will forever change the life of a young boy. David (Daniel Manche) lives next door to the Chandlers. The Chandlers consist of single mom Ruth (Blanche Baker), whose husband ran off with another woman years ago, and her three sons, Woofer (Austin Williams), Donny (Benjamin Ross Kaplan) and Willy Jr (Graham Patrick Martin). They have just adopted their two cousins, Meg (Blythe Auffarth) and Susan (Madeline Taylor), whose parents died in a car accident. Both girls were involved in the crash, and while Meg escaped with only a few scars, younger Susan has to now walk with leg braces and crutches. David and the other boys spend their days lounging around the Chandler house (Ruth has always been a cool mom and lets them drink and smoke). David gets a crush on Meg, but begins to notice how poorly Ruth treats the girls. She verbally abuses them, and things quickly escalate to physical abuse. Woofer, Donny and Willy Jr. quickly join in, and soon even other neighborhood kids are joining in to torment the girls. David seems powerless to do anything, even when things get so bad that Ruth has Meg strung up in the basement, blindfolded and just hanging by her arms. Meg’s torture only gets more and more sadistic and brutal at the hands of Ruth, her sons and the neighborhood kids. Can David do something to help or will he too fall victim to Ruth’s insanity and cruelty?

Book adaptations are tricky to pull off, but The Girl Next Door manages to recreate the intensity and horror of Jack Ketchum’s book. The horrifying events that take place in the Chandler household feel very real and watching the film you are very aware that this could possibly be happening right next door to you. It is, in fact, based on the shocking true story of 16-year-old Sylvia Likens, who was beaten, raped and tortured until her death by an adoptive family and the neighborhood kids in Indiana in 1965.

The real crime that was committed, along with the book that was inspired by it and this film are all examples of how vile, cruel and evil some people can be. The depravity in the film is shocking, and not just because it graphically shows the torture (it doesn’t). It’s the emotion (or lack of emotion) and mob mentality behind the actions of the Chandlers and all who joined in that will really chill your bones. I run a horror review site and I’ve seen some pretty messed up stuff in my day, but the cruelty portrayed in this movie actually brought tears to my eyes.

Director Gregory Wilson films unobtrusively and lets the film unfold before our eyes. The audience is treated as a voyeur, and like David, there is nothing we can do to stop the evil occurring right before our eyes. We are stuck just watching the shocking torture that is happening to Meg and Susan. The direction is so unobtrusive that you actually feel that you are there, a trick that Jack Ketchum also pulls off in the novel.
Speaking of the novel, screenwriters Daniel Farrands and Philip Nutman did a fine job adapting the book and showing the heartbreaking emotions that Meg, Susan and David go through, as well as the hate that Ruth feels towards the younger girls. The confusion and conflict David goes through feels very real and is portrayed quite well by Daniel Manche. Blythe Auffarth does an amazing job in her portrayal of Meg. Meg’s strong will, even through extreme pain, is shown very well by Auffarth. I expect to see great things from this young actress in the future. Blanche Baker also does a great job as Ruth, really making the audience hate her.

My only complaint with the characters is that there wasn’t enough time spent on Woofer, Donny and Willy Jr. Their characters just weren’t fleshed out enough to truly buy their horrific actions. The book paints a much clearer picture as to who each one really is and what drives them to engage in such deviant and disturbing behavior. Still, with the time constraints of a film, I understand that some things needed to be trimmed down and the overall feeling of the book remains intact.

The Girl Next Door is definitely not a film for everyone. When faced with the true horrors of this world as opposed to the cartoonish and larger-than-life slashers and serial killers, most people will wet their pants after watching this film. It is a heartbreakingly brutal look at the vile nature of some humans and is packed with sincere emotion.

It’s also a film that must be seen.

Available from Amazon!

Zodiac (2007)

David Fincher's Zodiac in an engrossing look at the investigation into the yet unsolved Zodiac murders that occurred during the 1960's and 1970's in the Bay Area. The Zodiac killings are infamous even to this day. The Zodiac terrorized San Francisco and its neighboring communities with his random attacks, which had no clear pattern. He maddened the police force with his cryptic messages and illusive manner. To this day, authorities aren't even sure how many people he killed.

In the late '60s, the San Francisco Chronicle begins receiving letters containing cryptic ciphers by a man who claims to have murdered several people. He includes details in the letters that only the killer and police would know and prefers to be called "Zodiac." Boozing, pill-popping, coke-snorting yet charismatic crime journalist Paul Avery (Robert Downey, Jr.) begins to follow the case with the help of the Chronicle's cartoonist, Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), who has an affinity for solving the Zodiac's ciphers. Meanwhile, San Francisco Police investigators David Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and William Armstrong (Anthony Edwards) are assigned the case and begin to try and track the killer down. With multiple murder locations, different weapons used and no clear pattern to the Zodiac's targets, the case drags on for years, all the while the Zodiac taunts both police and reporters with letters and phone calls. The case takes a toll on each of the men as their lives are destroyed by their deepening obsession over the case while the Zodiac remains on the loose.

David Fincher has created a wonderful fact-based film that kept me entertained throughout its 150+ minute running time. With Fincher's sure-fire direction, 1970's San Francisco came alive. The atmosphere of the film was spot-on, drawing the viewer deeper and deeper into the film. It really felt like I was alongside Graysmith as the case takes over his life.

The cast did an amazing job in each of their roles. Robert Downey, Jr. was a joy to watch as the quirky reporter Avery as was Gyllenhaal as the timid yet determined Graysmith, whose Zodiac books this film is based on. The rest of the cast was astounding, with many familiar faces playing small and not so small parts, which included: Brian Cox, John Carroll Lynch, Chloe Sevigny, Elias Koteas, Dermot Mulroney, Donal Logue, Adam Goldberg and Clea DuVall.

With so many facts to cover, the script was handled brilliantly by James Vanderbilt. It moves between different storylines, yet manages to fuse them all together at the same time without having to succumb to sensationalism or fiction to make it all work. It instead focuses on the facts of the Zodiac killings, recreating the time and place where the action occurred. It also uses humor wisely to break up the dramatic tension of the film. There are many funny parts that had me laughing out loud, usually involving Downey's character.

I wouldn't classify Zodiac as a horror film, but that shouldn't stop you from watching it. There are some very unsettling moments in the film (check out the basement scene involving Gyllenhaal's character), not to mention it's about an infamous unsolved serial killer case. It is not, however, like Fincher's Seven or Fight Club films. Forget about grisly scenes (though I did flinch at some of the Zodiac's killings portrayed on screen) or nihilistic, violent philosophies because Zodiac features neither. Instead, it's a pretty straightforward crime thriller that actually manages to thrill!

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Black Dahlia Movie (aka The Devil's Muse) (2007)

January 15^th, 2007 marked the 60^th anniversary of Elizabeth Short’s (The Black Dahlia) horrific murder that, to this day, continues to captivate the world. Recently, there has been a slew of Black Dahlia movies, the most prominent being Brian De Palma’s film as well as Ulli Lommel’s Black Dahlia. I was uninterested in seeing either, but then I received a screener from Ramzi Abed for his film entitled Black Dahlia Movie. Much to my surprise, it was filmed way before either of the above mentioned movies. Ramzi Abed's Black Dahlia Movie is a genuine, gorgeous and surreal film that must be seen to be believed.

A serial killer is on the loose, reenacting the Black Dahlia murder over and over with victims who look like Elizabeth Short. Meanwhile, a movie is being filmed about the famous case. The director (Ramzi Abed) is in the process of casting for the lead role, the role of Elizabeth Short. Lisa Small (Kristen Kerr) auditions for the part and soon becomes immersed in Elizabeth Short’s life. Her descent into the seedy Hollywood underbelly leaves her feeling like she is reliving Short’s own tragically short life. These three different threads in the film are woven together to form a surreal, nightmare world.

This film was completely different than I expected it to be. Instead of another story of gumshoes trying to track down the murderer, this film is set in present day and really examines how women are still exploited in Hollywood, just as they were in Elizabeth Short’s day. I was impressed that Abed showed the seedier side of “making it” in Hollywood and what many women have to go through just to get their foot in the door.

Stylistically, Black Dahlia Movie plays like an art house film. Abed has a knack for contrasting the beautiful and the ugly, the new and the old. He creates a surreal, disjointed and uneasy atmosphere throughout the film, making it really feel like a waking nightmare. Macabre images are dispersed throughout the film and red and blue are used to portray strong emotions. Within a scene, the colors will suddenly go from natural to a blue or red tone. When shifting to the blue tone, it makes it feel like the film has gone back in time. These subtle changes give Black Dahlia Movie a style all its own, a style that works perfectly for the mysterious tale it portrays.

The acting in the film is superb, featuring many familiar faces of the Hollywood scene. The beautiful Kristen Kerr does an amazing job as the reincarnation of Elizabeth Short, effortlessly capturing how it feels to be a struggling actress in Hollywood. The rest of the cast includes Lizzy Strain, Masuimi Max, Gidget Gein, Trent Haaga, Sarah Scott, Julie Strain, Dame Darcy, Amie Decker, Robert Williams, Cinque Lee, Abby Travis, Courtney Cruz, Mark Borchardt, Lenora Claire, Caveh Zahedi, Charles Schneider, Bianca Abel, Lloyd Kaufman, Miss Santanica, Paul Bunnell, Will Keenan, Khris Kaneff, Eric Fleming, Casey Wickson, Michael Medaglia, Douglas Dunning and director Ramzi Abed, who all do a spectacular job of portraying Hollyweird.

This film is not, however, for everyone. Though it does feature some disturbing scenes of torture (disturbing in the sense that they are erotisized), it focuses more on the surreal atmosphere surrounding the killings, the film and Lisa herself. Patience is needed to view Black Dahlia Movie, but for me, it was well worth it. Abed creates a new experience for viewers, one that reminded me slightly of David Lynch's Blue Velvet.

A gorgeous and captivating film that captures the heart and soul, Black Dahlia Movie will leave you affected several days after watching it. It draws many parallels to the Hollywood of yesteryear and how it hasn't changed much today. A woman's sexuality is still exploited, and while some women embrace this and make it their own (like famous fetish pin-up/actress Masuimi Max) many others just become tragic victims like Elizabeth Short.

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Ted Bundy (2002)

Ted Bundy - Only amusing for the one line - "Act like you're dead!" - the rest of this movie is flat, dull and attempts to eroticize Bundy's killings. Lots of exploitative shots of women, which does nothing to raise the terror which should be felt during the killing scenes. A meandering mess of a movie.

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