Eyes Without a Face (1994)

Eyes Without a Face (1994)
orig Gli Occhi dentro
aka Madness
Director: Bruno Mattei
Writer: Lorenzo De Luca
Cast: Antonio Zequila, Monica Seller, Gabriele Gori, Carlo Granchi
Giovanna is as a young cartoonist, who starts losing her sanity when young girls start getting killed in the style of her bloody comic book "Doctor Dark".

(Not Yet Rated)

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Gargoyle Wings of Darkness (2004)

Gargoyle Wings of Darkness (2004)
Director: Jim Wynorski
Writers: Ion Ionescu, A.G. Lawrence
Cast: Michael Paré, Sandra Hess, Fintan McKeown, Kate Orsini, Tim Abell
A rash of American kidnappings sends two CIA agents to Bucharest, Romania. When the kidnapper's body is found impaled on the spire of infamous Castle Orlock, the last thing they expect is for the disappearances to continue. Their investigation leads them to an evil that is darker and older than the town itself. An ancient Gargoyle, sealed for centuries in a subterranean catacomb, has escaped and is taking vengeance on the town.

'I've got to be honest I've a soft spot for Sci-Fi channels own movies, I know they're usually badly made but I can watch them with my sons and it's nice to sometimes watch a no brainer instead of something harder going. Gargoyles Wings Of Darkness is pretty much standard creature feature nonsense we start with a throwback to medieval Romania and a sect of priests trying to kill a gargoyle, they succeed by sending it down a big hole and covering it with a giant rock. Cut to present day and fbi agents Griff (Paré) and Jennifer (Hess) are tied up in an hostage situation, ending up chasing the criminals into a building one gets to the roof only for a Gargoyle to get him leaving a pool of blood, all this is out of sight of fbi man Griff who was chasing. How’s he going to explain this? Well later on we find out a local church as been built over the seal of the gargoyle and a crazy priest as let it loose. Can they manage to stop the beast along with the 100s of baby gargoyles from hatching eggs that its laid. Its all good silly fun the CGI isn't the best but it does its job as a couple of good scenes my fave was a crying kid and drunken dad on a ferris wheel. Also nice to see old action b-movie man Michael Paré, if you take it for what it is a simple easy viewing 90 minute TV movie there’s fun to be had.'

(5 out of 10)

Crazy Desires of a Murderer (1977)

Crazy Desires of a Murderer (1977)
aka The Morbid Habits of the Governess
orig I Vizi morbosi di una governante
Director: (Peter Rush) Filippo Walter Ratti
Writer: Ambrogio Molteni
Cast: Corrado Gaipa, Roberto Zattini, Isabelle Marchall, Annie Carol Edel, Gaetano Russo
A weird character, driven to madness the day he found his mother being romped by the gardener, finds solace in embalming his victims and removing their eyes for his collection... Returning home after a round the world trip, Ileana telephones her elderly, wheelchair-bound father, the Baron de Chablais, to let him know she is safe and is also bringing some friends with her to the family villa. Before he can voice his opinion on the matter, father is surprised by the bloody handed figure who has been creeping through the chambers and passageways of the place. That night another one of the group, Elsa, is stabbed to death and has her eyeballs removed, introducing an unwelcome complication for Bobby, Pier-Luigi and their criminal associates in the form of a police investigation...

(Not Yet Rated)

The Girl Next Door (2007)

The Girl Next Door (2007)
aka Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door
Director: Gregory Wilson
Writers: Daniel Farrands, Philip Nutman, Jack Ketchum
Cast: Blythe Auffarth, Daniel Manche, Blanche Baker, Graham Patrick Martin, Benjamin Ross Kaplan
Jack Ketchum's disturbing novel moves to the screen with this horror film. A young boy develops a crush on his new neighbor, but he soon realizes that she is being tortured by the woman who was entrusted with her care.

(Not Yet Rated)

Werewolf The Devil's Hound (2007)

Werewolf The Devil's Hound (2007)
Directors: Gregory C. Parker
Christian Pindar
Writers: Gregory C. Parker, Christian Pindar
Cast: Kirsten Babich, Christy O. Cianci, Michael Dionne, Phil Gauvin, Adam Loewenbaum
Kevin had it all: An exciting pyrotechnic job, a caring family, and a beautiful wife. That is until a late night encounter with the savagely bloodthirsty Christine prompts him to slowly turn against his family and co-workers. Now, with the help of the quirky and questionable werewolf hunter Kwan, two familes from two different cultures will unite for one common cause. Will Kevin betray the ones he loves in favor of the one he lusts? From its first bloody death to its last explosion, WEREWOLF: THE DEVIL'S HOUND draws you into a blood bath of beastly transformations and unbelievable gore. The film's unexpected and outrageous humor is the chaser that helps quench any gorehounds thrist for horror.

'Originally made as Lycan and now been re-titled Werewolf: The Devil's Hound for the dvd market, it’s a film that’s very much done in two halves. The first half made me go ohh dear ohh dear what was Lionsgate thinking about trying to release this junk even lower grade labels like BrainDamageFilms or Troma may have sat back on. The plot is about some escaped European werewolf women Christy (Hofferman cute redhead) trying to start a new family in the States. She picks out Kevin (Dionne lowrent Johnny Depp) who works in a local FX/Stage workshop as her mate, and by hiding under his car while he leaves work she claws him. Thinking it’s just a dog bite he thinks nothing of it till the day after when the wound as healed and he no longer needs his glasses and has gained super powered hearing. Later that evening while in a club with his girlfriend he as a transformation (though a dream) in a toilets and slays a man. Then in the club he dances & kisses the werewolf women Christy (who when not a wolf is as mentioned before an hot redhead). His girlfriend sees this and drags him out dumping Kevin near his place of work . End of the 1st half, I can forgive a lowbudget film a lot in FX and acting but the thing about it all up to this point is it as such a lack of humor. Thankfully this all changes a little in the 2nd half as we are introduced to German werewolf hunter Kwan (Lance Atrik Hallowell) who’s aided by Christys father and her brother. It all goes a little gory and goofy here on in as they alongside Kevin’s fellow FX workers have a showdown with with the wolf women. It does have a few great scenes my fave one as a part transformed Kevin doing a summersault over an FX nerd and rips his head off. The FX are hit and miss worst is the female werewolf herself she looks like a cross between captain caveman and a yeti. I’m a sucker for werewolf films right back to Universals Wolfman to that gem that came out earlier this year Big Bad Wolf I love ‘em, it’s a very hard subgenre to crack and not having a big budget doesn’t help either. Werewolf is certainly below average but fans will get a laugh with the last 20 minutes.

(4 out of 10)

The Brutal Hopelessness of Love (2007)

The Brutal Hopelessness of Love (2007)
Director: Takashi Ishii
Writer: Takashi Ishii
Kitajima takes on the role of a popular actress married to another actor. Concerned about her husband cheating on her, she spends every night in town posing as a prostitute.

(Not Yet Rated)

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Butcher House (2006)

Butcher House (2006)
Director: Christopher Hutson
Writers: Christopher Hutson, William Langlois
In the 1960's at Arthur Kingston's old butcher house blood and guts were routine. That all changed one night when the blood spilled was human. At the hand of a murderous, rampaging butcher, two workers and the owner's son were killed. The factory was shut down. Decades pass. The massacre became a legend, but the abandoned butcher house still held the evil in its halls. As six teenagers explore the old butcher house, they unleash the horror that lies within.

(Not Yet Rated)

Sedmikrasky (1966)

Sedmikrasky (1966)
aka Daisies
Director: Vera Chytilová
Writers: Vera Chytilová, Ester Krumbachová, Pavel Jurácek
Two teenage girls, both named Marie, decide that since the world is spoiled they will be spoiled as well; accordingly they embark on a series of destructive pranks in which they consume and destroy the world about them. This freewheeling, madcap feminist farce was immediately banned by the government.

(Not Yet Rated)

The Hot Pearl Snatch (1966)

The Hot Pearl Snatch (1966)
aka The Perilous Pearls of Pauline
Director: Ron Mart
A movie as wild as its title! A sleazy bar denizen tells a diver about a lesbian who searches for a fortune in pearls on a tropical island. The diver sets out to find the "hot pearl snatch" for himself, ignoring the part of the story regarding a curse! Pauly Dash, Jody Baby and Loralie Lee star in this softcore epic.

(Not Yet Rated)

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One Hell of a Christmas (2002)

One Hell of a Christmas (2002)
Director: Shaky González
Writer: Shaky González
"One Hell of a Christmas" is a dark and action packed comedy that takes place in a modern city as well as in a fearful underworld. When Carlitos is released after doing 2 years of "hard time", he attempts to redeem himself and sets an example for his 5 year-old son. However, when a friend confronts him with a very dark and horrifying scam for some quick dough and good times, he declines, but never the less he soon finds himself entangled in a web of sex, drugs and Christmas carols.

(Not Yet Rated)

Isabella (2006)

Isabella (2006)
Director: Ho-Cheung Pang
Writers: Ho-Cheung Pang, Kearen Pang, Kwok Cheung Tsang, Chi-Man Wan
On the eve of Macau’s handover to China, police officer SHING (Chapman To) is having the worst time of his life. Suspended for suspected corruption, he tries to find solace with an elfin creature by the name of YAN (Isabella Leong) whom he just picks up. As he tries to smooth-talk her to bed, she suddenly snaps back with the biggest turn-off imaginable: that she is the daughter he never knew existed! While Shing desperately tries to hold himself together, his bachelor life inevitably falls apart as Yan insists on living under his roof. Together the two of them start roaming through exotic Macau, tracking down Yan’s missing puppy and striving to acquaint with each other. No sooner has Shing grown into his new role as a father than he finds his hands full: when Yan is not fighting with his girlfriend KATE (Meme Tian), she is being bothered by her dorky classmate FAI (Derek Tsang). Will the newfound father and daughter, who have given up hope along the way, be able to find the true vocation of their lives at last?
(Not Yet Rated)

Exodus (2007)

Exodus (2007)
Director: Ho-Cheung Pang
Writers: Goo-Bi GC, Ho-Cheung Pang, Chi-Man Wan
Cast: Simon Yam, Annie Liu, Nick Cheung, Irene Wan, Maggie Siu
A cop discovers a worldwide women's secret society, which determines to kill all men on earth, and his wife might be one of them..

'Not a film I was in much of a rush to watch, partly due to not having seen anything by it's director before and the fact I've stacks of unwatched Asian films to catch up with by directors I had heard of. What a mistake on my part as it's a wonderfully unique story, got to be said it’s got a very pedestrian pace but one that rewards the patient with an original clever twist. The opening shot of a photograph of the queen in a narrow hallway slowly being panned away to reveal the slightly humorous sight of frogmen beating a man up. It's all done in slow motion while classical music plays reminded me so much of Lindsay Anderson's style of absurd film making. It's not until much later do we learn anything about this scene. The core plot starts when a police officer trying to pass the paper work to a routine peeping tom case on to a duty sergeant Tsim (Simon Yam). As he takes an interview from the pervert he gets told he’s not really a sex maniac but really filming evidence of a plot by women to slowly kill men. Only when the statement gets lost and needs to be done again this time the man says he was really a pervert after all. Not believing this Tsim starts to dig deeper and bodies start to pile up. I highly enjoyed this film was so stylishly filmed and story is peeled away nice and slowly, now I've got to hunt more Ho-Cheung Pang down.'

(8½ out of 10)

Chill (2007)

Chill (2007)
Director: Serge Rodnunsky
Writer: Serge Rodnunsky
In this horror retro-style chiller, Sam an aspiring writer, gets a job as a clerk in a Los Angeles inner city grocery mart owned by a mysterious Dr. Munoz, a former research scientist who claims to have a rare skin condition that confines him to live in sub-freezing refrigeration. Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's macabre tale "Cool Air".

(Not Yet Rated)

Like A Dragon (2007)

Like A Dragon (2007)
Director: Takashi Miike
Writer: Seiji Togawa
Prepare for one very hot, very action-packed night in Miike Takashi's Ryu ga Gotoku, a.k.a. Like a Dragon. Based on the hit PlayStation 2 game, the film delivers with all the violent, fast-paced fisticuffs and wry, loony gusto one could hope from the maverick director. With madcap gangsters, silent snipers, and a plethora of colorful characters running around, Ryu ga Gotoku is a bewilderingly entertaining throw 'em up mix of hardboiled drama, giddy action, black comedy, and pure Miike magic - all squeezed into a feverishly layered story that plays out over one night in the sleepless streets of Shinjuku. Kishitani Goro (Returner) and Kitamura Kazuki (Samurai Commando Mission 1549) star as feuding gangsters, along with a superb supporting cast that includes Korean actor Gong Yoo (My Tutor Friend), Arakawa Yoshiyoshi (Yaji & Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims), Shioya Shun (Pacchigi!), and Aikawa Sho (Zebraman). In the sweltering heat of Tokyo summer, the night begins with a bank robbery and the disappearance of 10 million yen belonging to the Tojo gang. Meanwhile, yakuza Majima Goro (Kishitani Goro), decked in a gold suit and with more than a few screws loose, is out to fight rival gangster Kiryu Kazuma. The somber and seemingly indestructible Kiryu, however, has just left his gang and has in tow a little girl (Natsuo), whose mother he is trying to track down. In another part of town, Satori (Shioya Shun) and his girlfriend (Saeko) decide to start holding up stores for fun, and mysterious Korean hitman Park (Gong Yoo) haunts the streets looking to off the culprit behind the bank robbery. As the night passes, Majima and Kiryu cross paths repeatedly, in a series of increasingly bloody and bombastic stand-offs that bring them straight to the top of the Millennium Tower.

(Not Yet Rated)

Big Bang Love (2006)

Big Bang Love (2006)
aka Juvenile A
Director: Takashi Miike
Writers: Ikki Kajiwara, Hisao Maki, Masa Nakamura
An unknown future. A boy confesses to the murder of another in an all-boy juvenile detention facility. More an exercise in style than storytelling, the story follows two detectives trying to uncover the case. Homosexual tension and explosive violence drives the story which delivers some weird and fascinating visuals.

(Not Yet Rated)

Displaced (2006)

Displaced (2006)
Director: Martin Holland
Writers: Martin Holland, Carol Anne Strange
Stel, a humanoid alien played by Mark Strange, teams up with a British soldier Private John Marrettie (Malcolm Hankey). They engage on an action-packed adventure to find a top secret file which holds information on advanced energy production, captured space crafts and their alien pilots including Stel's missing father, Arakawa, who's been shot down and imprisoned on Earth by Core - a human paramilitary group.

(Not Yet Rated)

Meridian (1990)

Meridian (1990)
aka Phantoms
Director: Charles Band
Writers: Charles Band, Dennis Paoli
Two American students go to Italy after graduating from art school, one to work in restoration of paintings, the other because she's inherited her father's castle. When the restorer visits her friend at the castle, they invite the players of a traveling sideshow to dinner, and are slipped drugs, leading to an orgy of abandon. The woman who owns the castle keeps having visions of a young woman who has been stabbed in the castle. After talking to her nanny, she finds that the "vision" woman is her father's sister, who was murdered brutally as the consequence of a 15th Century curse put on her family, and that she is the next in line, and the troupe they have entertained is a part of the curse.
'While it may not be full moon pictures most entertaining feature it’s easily their most accomplished and fully realized. Chas Band has for a change managed to assemble a good central cast, both Sherilyn Fenn as Catherine and Charlie Spradling as Gina make for beautiful eye candy as do the Italian locations. The plots a modern erotic version of Beauty and the Beast with so many memorable scenes like the hypnotic drug rape by magicians, also has a carnival sideshow midget. The creature fx are good but the real selling point especially when I was a teen was the naked Fenn & Spradling.'

(7½ out of 10)

Midnight Blue (1979)

Midnight Blue (1979)
aka Sexy Blue
Director: Raimondo Del Balzo
Writers: Raimondo Del Balzo, Candido Simeone
3 girls go to spend a weekend at an isolated beach house and end up getting humiliated and raped by 3 young guys. They will soon get bloody revenge... We are proud to bring you this ultra-obscure, Italian LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT rip-off that will definitely appeal to fans of sleazy films such as TERROR EXPRESS or LAST HOUSE ON THE BEACH.

(Not Yet Rated)

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The Monster of Florence (1986)

The Monster of Florence (1986)
aka Il Mostro di Firenze
Director: Cesare Ferrario
Writers: Cesare Ferrario, Fulvio Ricciardi, Mario Spezi
Gory & nasty giallo, based on the real-life killings that shocked Italy! The killer here enjoys slaying couples that make love inside cars. This is actually one of the 2 films which were made at the same year (the other one is THE KILLER IS STILL AMONG US!) with the intention to exploit those shocking murders! Needless to say these films prompted anger from the victims' families.
'Like David Finchers 2007 movie Zodiac this film is based on a set of murders that hadn't been solved before the film was released. It starts with a brutal slaying of a couple sleeping in a tent the police and press don't have enough to go on and its not long before the killer strikes again this time with a couple having sex in a car. The killings attract the interest of a writer who tries to piece together what's happening, forming a profile on the voyeuristic killer and why he kills couples outside. Not being able to speak English and not having a subbed version means some of the details of what's going on slipped me by, though it seems pretty much a standard true-crime biopic. All the deaths are by handgun other than a throat slashing in the 1st one due to the victim running.Does seem a bit trashy with one or two scenes resorting to being exploitative during car sex scenes. Nice looking females though and the film as a really creepy scene a home alone kid gets out of bed to close the eyes of a doll. All ends up with b&w footage of a man standing trail'

(5 out of 10)

The Detective (2007)

The Detective (2007)
Director: Oxide Pang Chun
Writers: Oxide Pang Chun, Thomas Pang
Tam is a private detective. One day he gets an offer to find a woman named Sum. However every trace he gets ends up with a series of suicide...How does Sum link up with all the victims?
'Coming after 2 dull films Diary/Forest of Death and before the release of the big budget US versions of Bangkok Dangerous/The Eye the Pang bros manage to fit The Detective in. It's an entertaining but relatively light Thai based thriller starring Aaron Kwok as Tam (here showing a hansom cool almost like an Asian Brad Pitt). The plot for the first hour or so is one wild goose chase, private detective Tam is visited by a dying man to help track down a missing girl who later we learn is called Sum, all leads seem to be none helpful and the ones that maybe would have helped seem to be dead. Its not until the killer fears Tams getting too close and starts to try bump him off do we get any real tension. Its never boring but nothing like the hard modern day thrillers we've become used too its almost comic melodrama until the final, its very much dir. Oxide Pang clearly aiming for the mass market. In its credit does have a few neat ideas like the use of photos (though I could of lived without seeing Nokia products being so blatantly advertised) one great scene we pan around one during being taken only to find the rear of the people in the shot are white like the back of a photograph, I also liked how Tam almost always appeared in the shot alongside a clock to clearly point out he’s running out of time, I also loved that his detective agency is in an old run down cinema. Fun for what it is but its starting to feel like the Pangs are spreading their self too thin and pumping out anything, they're clearly choosing quantity instead of quality.'

(6 out of 10)

Eastern Promises (2007)

Eastern Promises (2007)
Director: David Cronenberg
Writer: Steven Knight
The mysterious and charismatic Russian-born Nikolai Luzhin is a driver for one of London's most notorious organized crime families of Eastern European origin. The family itself is part of the Vory V Zakone criminal brotherhood. Headed by Semyon, whose courtly charm as the welcoming proprietor of the plush Trans-Siberian restaurant impeccably masks a cold and brutal core, the family's fortunes are tested by Semyon's volatile son and enforcer, Kirill, who is more tightly bound to Nikolai than to his own father. But Nikolai's carefully maintained existence is jarred once he crosses paths at Christmastime with Anna Khitrova, a midwife at a North London hospital. Anna is deeply affected by the desperate situation of a young teenager who dies while giving birth to a baby. Anna resolves to try to trace the baby's lineage and relatives. The girl's personal diary also survives her; it is written in Russian, and Anna seeks answers in it. Anna's mother Helen does not discourage her, but Anna's irascible Russian-born uncle Stepan urges caution. He is right to do so; by delving into the diary, Anna has accidentally unleashed the full fury of the Vory. With Semyon and Kirill closing ranks and Anna pressing her inquiries, Nikolai unexpectedly finds his loyalties divided. The family tightens its grip on him; who can, or should, he trust? Several lives - including his own - hang in the balance as a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution reverberates through the darkest corners of both the family and London itself.
'First off I must confess to being a life long fan of Cronenbergs so the views given in this comment may sway a little in the great man's favour. You know when he’s a film due it’s going to be one of the treats of the cinema going year, oddly though I went in with a touch of dread with it being a crime thriller knowing even if I do enjoy the film as I did with his last History Of Violence I’d be secretly wishing for him to make a return to his more familiar genres of horror & fantasy headfuck films. Anyway as expected I loved Eastern Promises even though it’s slightly left of center as far as your standard studio crime thrillers go, for Cronenberg it was pretty much by the book and without a question his most accessible film since his hit science fiction horror The Fly. Eastern Promises is also notable as being the first film he's shot entirely outside of Canada. Set in London though slightly reminiscent of the Richard Burton film Villain, it’s a London we’ve not seen on screen before choosing to base itself around the bars, restaurants, saunas and prostitute dens of the migrant Russian mafia the film looks almost like it was shot in the 1960s than 2000's. It starts with a young badly bleeding and clearly beaten pregnant woman being rushed into an hospital to give birth, she dies though the baby lives we later find out her name was Tatiana. With having no English form of ID she’s unable to be recognized though she has with her a diary in Russian, on duty nurse Anna (Naomi Watts) takes the diary knowing her uncle Stepan (well played by Jerzy Skolimowsk) will be able to make some sense and hopefully find out who the poor girl was. This leads to a local Russian restaurant run by mob boss Semyon (again superbly played by Armin Mueller-Stahl) who alongside son Kirill (Vincent Cassel) and driver/thug Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen) run the local Russian crime scene. These 3 central characters are all played to perfection, really is one thing we’ve got used to over the years by Cronenberg are his strong male leads. Anyway back to the plot as Anna slowly gets the diary translated (done in the voice over of the dead girl Tatiana) she unearths more about the extent of how bad Tatiana was treated. I won’t destroy any of the surprises but as expected the film as its share of brutal scenes , the plots pretty simplistic really it’s the attention to detail and mood the film carries that really lift it above most modern crime dramas. Oddly though I was left feeling a bit deflated at the ending everything fit into place, but the last 10 minutes felt like they’d run out of funds and forced to give what they had filmed some resolve instead of the well crafted ending it deserved. This has sparked a lot of debate on the possibility of a sequel or continuation on the characters. All said and done though it was a great movie Viggo Mortensen and Vincent Cassel turned in magnificent performances. As with all Cronenbergs films its highly recommended and comes with a cultDB sticker of approval on.'

(8½ out of 10)

Trance (2006)

Trance (2006) aka Transe
Director: Teresa Villaverde
Writer: Teresa Villaverde
Sonia, a girl from St Petersburg, decides to seek a better life in western Europe. She first gets a job at a car dealer in Germany. But she is suddenly kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery. She will be dragged from country to country and resistance will only bring her misery and humiliation.

(Not Yet Rated)

!None English Trailer!

Control (2007)

Control (2007)
Director: Anton Corbijn
Writers: Matt Greenhalgh
(Based on Deborah Curtis autobiography "Touching from a Distance")
A profile of Ian Curtis, the enigmatic singer of Joy Division whose personal, professional, and romantic troubles led him to commit suicide at the age of 23.
'Music now and then perfectly seems to fit it’s location as much as it does the times, like 1960's sun drenched California had the Beach Boys. 1970's gloomy industrial Manchester had Joy Division. Control is the story of that bands lead singer Ian Curtis and his decline into depression largely thanks to the medication he was taking for his epilepsy and his failing relationships. Filmed in glorious black and white Anton Corbijn skillfully makes the film as vibrant and stark as joy divisions music was. Sam Rileys performance as Curtis is nothing short of jaw dropping, hes no stranger to Manchester music movies having already played Mark E Smith in 24 Hour Party People, he just gets the movement and dances down so well. Likewise all the actors playing the band members do fine jobs, making the live and studio performances so thrilling. Also turning in note worthy performances are both Samantha Morton as Ian’s wife and Alexandra Maria Lara as Annik Ian’s Belgian love interest. My fave bits though was Craig Parkinson as the bands label owner Tony Wilson who signs the band in blood while telling them he believes in the republic of Manchester way to go old fella, and Toby Kebbell as the bands manager Rob Gretton who delivers the best line of the film by saying "Chin up Ian could be worse, you could be the lead singer of the Fall". The films highly moving and honestly tells Ian's story, painfully bringing home how sad a loss the 23 year old singers life was to his family, band and music fans everywhere. Being a Manc myself and growing up with Joy Division/New Order and factory records I knew the story and had heard most the anecdotes before but it didn’t stop me thoroughly enjoying this film. RIP Ian mate thanks for the music.'

(8½ out of 10)

In the Spider's Web (2007)

In the Spider's Web (2007)
Director: Terry Winsor
Writer: Gary Dauberman
While trekking through the jungles of India, a backpacker gets bitten by a poisonous spider. His group enlists the help of Dr. Lecorpus (Lance Henriksen), an expat living in the local village. But things go horrifyingly wrong in this creepy-crawly thriller as they learn about the doctor's dark secret and a terrifying ritual at the heart of the village.
'Lance! Lance! Lance! what the hell you doing in so many junk acting roles, in the space of a few weeks he's turned up in this and the equally dire Bone Dry. Here he plays the slightly voodoo style Dr. Lecorpus who lives in a spider shaped hut in the jungle. The story's about backpackers one of whom gets bitten by a spider, they hear about a man who can cure spider bites so go to seek his help, only he's really some kind of voodoo priest. The scenery is lush and its nice to see so many movies lately being filmed in interesting beautiful locations, the sets are also of a high standard for a TV movie, its when you get to the plot and the characters it really fails. And the spiders are mostly substandard cgi only showing real spiders in close ups. Sorry its short but I struggled to keep awake to the end of this, and feel I’ve wasted enough time by watching it to waste anymore typing about it. It really is dire crap even the most harden bad movie fans (which I used to think I was one) are going to struggle to the reach the end of.'

(3 out of 10)

Return Of Ghostbusters (2007) !FANMOVIE!

Return Of Ghostbusters (2007) !FANMOVIE!
Director: Hank Braxtan
Writers: Hank Braxtan, Scott Douglas
The mile high city is rocked when an ancient Egyptian menace comes to town, and the Denver Ghostbusters must return to save the universe once more. In this sequel to the internet cult hit Freddy VS Ghostbusters, the boys in gray find themselves up to their eyeballs in spooks, as a greater threat looms on the horizon...A talented cast and crew made up entirely of volunteers (see also: fanatics) worked over the internet and across borders for over two years. Featuring dazzling special effects, an original score, and an engaging story inhabited by quirky characters, this feature length film is a truly one of a kind fan made experience.

(Not Yet Rated)

This is a none profit fan movie, youtube trailer below
download full film = return of the ghostbusters film

Glory to the Filmmaker! (2007)

Glory to the Filmmaker! (2007)
Director: Takeshi Kitano
Writer: Takeshi Kitano
Takeshi Kitano plays a version of himself in which he's a struggling director cycling through a number of different genres in an effort to complete his latest project.
'In a unique turn the audience on its head style Takeshi Kitano debases his own film career. It starts with a life-size Kitano doll having a brain scan, because he's too depressed to even go for it himself. The scene perfectly paints out how our directing hero is down on himself. He’s then joined by the doll as we are shown through film clips the reason the once great director is feeling so down. As each clip ends we see the doll in a different form of suicide. The films kick off by showing a clip in the style of his earlier gangster hits after which Kitano vowed never to do another violent mob movie. So turns his hand at various other genres such as the romance and period arts films, all failing to be successful he then tries his hand with various cult genres. First is an horror comedy called NOH Theatre a dumbed down ghost yarn about an ancient head hunting kabuki ghost, its played pretty much for laughs. Then a martial arts movie Blue Raven 2 which is by far the most entertaining segment it’s a cheesy ninja tale in the mould of low rent 80’s vhs kung fu films. He even tries doing a cgi sci-fi film Promised Day but it’s too goofy to grip film goers. All his attempts fail to work out so he then turns his hand towards a comedy which is then the bases for the rest of the movie. It's all highly entertaining packed with so many odd moments and twists my fave scene was a mock wrestling match between 1950's kids. Recommended mostly to Kitano’s fans or to those who love goofy Asian cinema, casual viewers may find the plots a touch sycophantic. Kitano proved to me back with the sex comedy Getting Any he can do comedy. Anyhow though it’s nowhere near his best work I really enjoyed it.'

(7½ out of 10)

Cadaver (2007)

Cadaver (2007)
Director:Duloisit Niyomkul
Writers: Rapeepimon Chaiyasayna, Sakchai Deenan, Dunyasit Niyomluk, Amnat Taengsombun
Mai is a medical student who has a scary experience while working with an experimental cadaver while doing her anatomy research. After this, she becomes haunted by a woman ghost that keeps following her everywhere. While Mai is terrified of the fearsome ghost, her teacher, Dr. Prakit, is the only person who is willing to try and help her. But, when she deeply discovers the truth behind this unknown cadaver, it leads her to find a horrible story of a girl called Dawan who is somehow linked to the cadaver.

(Not Yet Rated)

Fallen Angels (2007)

Fallen Angels (2007)
Director: Jeff Thomas
Writer: Jeff Thomas
Seven demons representing the seven deadly sins rise up out of the ground and torment a CSI team who are investigating an old prison in this feature-length thriller. The team discover the remains of several murdered children in the basement of the building, and this appears to be linked to the demonic activity which is swamping the area. As the events escalate the team members face a desperate quest for survival.

(Not Yet Rated)

Aquanoids (2003)

Aquanoids (2003)
Director: Reinhart Peschke
Writers: Mark J. Gordon, Eric Spudic
Seventeen years ago, a group of undersea monsters emerged on a small coastal town, slaughtered a handful of citizens, and returned to the ocean--never to be seen again. Vanessa, an oceanographer who also happens to be the daughter of one of the victims, has a feeling that they will come back. She urges the mayor to keep people off the beaches for the upcoming Fourth of July weekend. He will wish that he had listened to her.

(Not Yet Rated)

Battlespace (2007)

Battlespace (2007)
Director: Neil Johnson
Writer: Neil Johnson
Originally airing on the USA Network in March, 2007, this Aussie offering, from UK writer-director Neil Johnson set in a dystopian future where our galaxy has been destroyed, a female military colonel attempts to evade a militaristic race of modified humans. Stranded on an inhospitable planet, she discovers that a powerful weapon is set to blow up her home world in less than 42 hours. Can the use her skills to save everything she cares for?

(Not Yet Rated)

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Epitaph (2007)

Epitaph (2007)
aka Strange Tales
Directors: Jeong Sik, Jeong Beom-Sik
“In a modern hospital in 1941, doctors witness weird events and learn DEATH is the sole healer.” In 1979, Dr. PARK receives an old photo album from his twenties in 1941 when mysterious things befell him and his colleagues. PARK was bound by his parents to marry a girl whom he never met, but fell in love with a dead woman who happened to be his arranged marriage. Meanwhile, a little girl who was apparently the only survivor a car accident was haunted by ghosts every night. After two doctors (a married couple) involved in these two stories return to their hospital from Tokyo, a series of serial murders occurs around them.

(Not Yet Rated)

Rise of the Dead (2007)

Rise of the Dead (2007)
Director: William Wedig
Writers: Jeff Crook, Josh Crook, Kris Scotto
In the sleepy small town of Dudley, Ohio, a terrifying future awaits. Laura Childs (Erin Wilk) is almost raped by a normal lawyer who appears to have gone crazy. When her boyfriend, Jack Walther (Stephen Seidel) saves her by running him over with her car, the cops don't buy the story. Things get complicated when Laura's roommate is murdered and the local police (Chris Ferry and Peter Blitzer) start asking questions that Laura and Jack can't answer. Jack is held in jail and Laura learns of a loosely connected murder. When Laura's mother attacks her, Laura takes matters in her own hands and must uncover the terrible truth of the powers at hand. The powers that come from Laura's past and might just be more than she can handle.
'Straight to video horror that runs at just over hour and 10 minutes no doubt just enough to justify its status as a feature. Title and packaging would have you believe this is a zombie movie, but its actually about Laura Childs who when only 16 put her baby son up for adoption, now a good few years older everyone around her are starting to go crazy and kill people. Turns out the baby she got rid of died and has returned to plague those who wronged it. Its by no means the worst direct to DVD horror ever the deaths are bloody without really showing gore though oddly they’re speeded up, we even get a few sex scenes. The cast don't do such a bad job the goofy cop is fun and lead actress Erin Wilk as Laura Childs at least tries her hardest with the trite plot. B-movies fans are recommended to try stick with it till the end, it’s really rather sick and sleazy like something from the 70's. I wouldn’t urge people to rush out and see this, but least it was over quickly and there are so many worse STV genre films doing the rounds than this one.'

(4½ out of 10)

Catacombs (2007)

Catacombs (2007)
Directors: Tomm Coker, David Elliot
Writers: Tomm Coker, David Elliot
On her first trip to Paris, a young woman hits a party in the Catacombs, the 200-mile labyrinth of limestone tunnels under the city that's lined with the remains of 7 million people. Separated from her friends, she becomes convinced that someone or something is chasing her.
'Before the movie starts in what I guess is a way to form some real horror tone to the film, we are told due to space Paris was built on the biggest mass grave in the history of the world. Cut to present day and the hedonistic filled Paris youths don't care what lays beneath the city only what fun they can have. The film starts with moody anxiety ridden Victoria (played by the attractive actress Shannyn Sossamon) being picked up at the Paris airport by her sister Carolyn (played by pop star Pink) for what promises to be a party fueled trip. Only instead of going to some dull club Carolyn decides to take her sister to the ultimate party down in the catacombs of Paris. It's a regular youth bash that’s held in a different location somewhere within the supposedly 300 miles of skeleton filled catacombs. Instead of keeping with the core few hundred party goers Victoria & Carolyn break away with the charismatic party founder and his friends. Here they sit get wasted on absinth and tell spooky stories about the caverns many myths. One being about a sect called the black virgins who rumor says raised a boy born of incest on raw meat, he’s forced to wear a goats mask and is never let above to the surface in the hope he'll turn into Satan. Victoria rightly spooked wants to go back to the main party for fear of her getting lost Carolyn takes her back. Only they get lost and pursued by a goat masked killer, Carolyn's is the 1st to get attacked and killed leaving poor Victoria alone, She manages to fight the goat masked attacker off and somehow get back to the main party. Only the party as been crashed by the police, which causes 100s of youths to run riot trying to find an exit instead of being arrested, Victoria follows the masses only before reaching the exit she bangs her head and falls to the floor. She wakes up alone some time later, only the exit as now been shut by the police this is when the nightmare really starts can she find her way out ?. The tension and mood make up for the predictable story, the dark torch lit caverns which I'm not sure are real locations or sets but are highly reminiscent of first person video games like Doom or Wolfenstein. The use of light and ambient music helps greatly, also the films editing is classy. The slight let down was for a film so dark you couldn’t see your hand if you held it up infront of your face, you could see the ending coming miles off. Not that bad though sure the teen market will love it and as horrors go it had scares and was well acted, Shannyn Sossamon was perfect for this style of film. Not usually my thing teen survival horror, but as much as it pains me to admit its above average and I found myself on more than a few occasions thoroughly gripped.'

(7 out of 10)