Final Women

Cutting Class Cutting Class stars underrated genre goddess Jill Schoelen as Paula Carson; it also features Martin Mull, Roddy McDowell, and a baby faced Brad Pitt in one of his first (credited) feature film rolls. Revolving around a series of murders that take place at Paula's high school after the return of outsider Brian (Donovn Leitch) after a stay in a mental hospital, Cutting Class is unfortunately too silly to work as a straight horror film but not really over the top enough to work as a parody. Still for horror fans, there's a lot to enjoy in this late 80's slasher, particularly Schoelen who always makes for a likable lead. Pitt fans will also want to check it out, if only to see the star before he made it to the A-list. Popcorn And Jill Schoelen's back in the significantly more effective, Popcorn , which works better than Cutting Class as both a slasher and as a humorous love letter to horror cinema. While it is often silly and requires some serious...

Blood Theater The oldest movie reviewed here today is 1984's Blood Theatre, which involves a former theatre where a mass murder occurred being revamped years later into a cheap-o cinema. Quite frankly, I really should have reviewed this film right after I watched it, because just a few days on, I've already forgotten most of it. I could honestly tell you very little about the main plot at this point; I'm even kinda vague on how it ended. I do clearly remember one sub plot of the film though, as it involved Mary Woronov (Terrorvision), genre goddess and Andy Warhol Factory member. She plays the assistant to the owner of the movie theater chain that the titular "Blood Theater" is being added to. She's also the only competent actor in the entire movie. Her scenes are a delight to watch, and she provides the film with its few intentionally hilarious moments. If you like low-budget trash from the 80's (like-me), go ahead and check this one out in full. Otherw...

Okay, I haven't been writing much lately, but I'm back and hopefully in it for the long run, so I thought I'd start afresh with briefly reviewing a few films I've watched recently. The Witch in the Window One of the spookiest movies I've seen in years, this wonderful haunted house movie is marred only by what to me seemed an overly sentimental ending. That being said, my boyfriend was not perturbed by the ending in the least, so maybe that complaint only pertains to me and my occasionally black and bitter heart. Otherwise, I thought The Witch in the Window was the best horror movie I'd seen in quite some time. I don't want to give away the plot here, as a lot of the fun lies in figuring out exactly what is going on. I will tell you though, if you watch this, keep a sharp eye out. In the earlier parts of the film, the titular crone pops up when you least expect it in silhouettes and reflections that are easy to miss. And when she does show her face, she...

The third (and final - for now!) part of my list of favorite oft overlooked horror movies. 1. Campfire Tales This horror anthology has some big names (Christine Taylor, Ron Livingston, James Marsden, etc.) in it and came out during the post- Scream teen slasher boom, so I'm surprised it's not more widely known. Especially because it's also a lot of fun and boasts some seriously creepy scenes, particularly in the first two segments. 2. Zombeavers This ridiculous film is so freaking great! I could watch it over and over again. In it, mutated beavers attack a group of annoying college students spending a weekend at a cabin on a lake. Whenever anyone gets bitten by one of the beavers, they turn into a crazed human/beaver hybrid, intent on chowing down on anybody nearby. Zombeavers is cheesy in the best way possible, and I recommend it to anyone who likes their horror a little on the ridiculous side. 3. Dog Soldiers Neil Marshall may have made it big with his...

Part 2 of my list of lesser known horror movies that deserve a wider audience, even within the horror community. 1. Cherry Falls A subversive entry in the post- Scream teen slasher wave that somehow never gained the success of many similar (and often less clever) films of the time, Cherry Falls is a whole lot of fun if you like your humor dark and can stomach a little sleaze (even the heroes' behaviors are often seriously sketchy). Featuring a young, vulnerable Brittany Murphy, an older, grizzled Michael Bien, and a somewhat out of place seeming Jay Mohr, this movie has the gall to switch up the formula from the usual teen stalk and slash film, with its killer targeting virgins. 2. The Weekend Murders This delightful giallo (bet you never thought you'd see a giallo described that way) is much more lighthearted than its Italian kin, and that alone makes it worth a watch for the curious. It is not without it's darker aspects, but this English manor house murder m...

There are a lot of good horror movies out there that while beloved by fans, go largely unnoticed by the general public. Then there are more good movies that even horror fans seem to ignore or forget about. I wanted to cover some of those movies in today's entry. I hope it helps you discover some new gems, or maybe some old favorites that you'd forgotten. 1. Haunted This one is a personal favorite. Considering the stellar cast and the fact that it's based on one of James Herbert's most popular novels, I'm not sure why it isn't better known. I discovered it when I was just a kid - it was shelved in a local video store's drama section, weirdly enough. I assure you though, it is most definitely a horror film. Check out the book as well. It's a bit different, but equally eerie. 2. Ghost Story (a.k.a. Madhouse Mansion) Okay, it has admittedly been a long time since I've seen this one. Found on VHS at the same video store mentioned above (under...

Happy New Year! How did you celebrate? I rang in the year with some champagne and a couple of seasonal horror movies, Bloody New Year and the absolutely awfully titled New Year's Evil. Bloody New Year I don't recall this chick actually being in the movie. Actually, despite the title, Bloody New Year doesn't really take place on New Year's. It actually takes place in the summer when some "young" people wash up on an island shore after their boat sinks. They find a hotel on the island that is decorated for Christmas/New Year's and promptly make themselves at home. (I mean, I know every time I wander into a strange building, the first thing I do is take a bath and dress myself in someone else's clothing, but some people might find that kind of behavior a little weird). Strange things begin happening, like ghostly foot prints, laughter, a banister attacking a character, and a seaweed monster appearing out of nowhere. Apparently this is all due to...