Single White Female Called, It Wants Its Script Back.

May 29, 2011May 29, 2011 Slasher StudiosRoommate

Some movies are just bad. Born bad without an ounce of originality or depth. Without a single imaginative scene or performance of note. “The Roommate” WISHES it were one of those films. This is easily one of the worst movies in recent memory.

The film starts with our bland heroine Sara (Minka Kelly) moving into college and getting used to living the dorm life. Her roommate, Rebecca, ends up being an awkward young woman who becomes increasingly weird and possessive of Sara. Rebecca does more and more harmful things to the people she’s trying to “protect” Sara from. Rebecca also finds ways of manipulating Sara to keep her from leaving once Sara starts becoming uncomfortable. Until this final act, Sara doesn’t even really show she’s scared or uncomfortable with Rebecca. It ends up escalating (although there’s no real escalation) to the point of the lame ending.

The Roommate is poorly done in every way possible. Everything from showing that Sara was an innocent, ignorant young lady from a small town (who really goes to a frat party and thinks they’re just serving punch?), to the all too obvious ending that never properly showed the escalation where it would get to that point. The escalation in violence is small, inconsistent, and boring. Nothing massive to the point you’d be creeped out, scared, or even just made uncomfortable, happens. The story is stupid and unoriginal. The directing seems passive, and the actors don’t seem very interested in anything that is going on around them. And don’t get me started on poor little Cuddles.

Everything about The Roommate is terrible. The acting, directing, casting, music, cinematography all feel very “made for tv”ish. There is no entertainment value and no reason to watch this movie in any fashion. Avoid at all costs.

“Obliquity: Imagery of the Unknown”

May 26, 2011 Slasher Studios*Horror

We here at Slasher Studios are always excited to hear about other new horror filmmakers and their projects. We are excited to bring you one of those filmmakers today. His name is Anthony Rory Tran and his newest film is the exciting “Obliquity: Imagery of the Unknown”.

The synopsis: “The world has began to change in mysterious ways. For Tiffany Hayes, society has shown selfishness and departure from all things pure; even her own friends don’t seem to understand what she is going through. In a community college, a sleep deprivation study assignment is given to Tiffany so that she can understand her mind on a whole new level. What she begins to see are layers beyond common reality. A new group of students are then given the same assignment after learning what she’s been through to see if she was just a little crazy, or if these forces truly exist. During the 3 days they stay awake, they are exposed to different parts of their mind, and what they discover, is more than they could ever imagine.”

Tran adds, “What is interesting about Obliquity is that I’m including dark experiences faced in my life and the life of people I’ve met. The story stays very down-to-earth, whether it’s the way people talk in the movie, or how the story unravels, the exposure of forces layered unseen will be a breath-taking journey you won’t want to miss being a part of.”

Tran is quite passionate about the project. Here he speaks about what the project means to him:

Below is a link to the teaser trailer of “Obliquity: Imagery of the Unknown”:

We wish Tran and his cast/crew the best of luck with their film and we are excited to see what they come up with next.

A New Beginning for Jason?

May 24, 2011June 30, 2011 Slasher StudiosFriday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning

Wait a second…you mean Corey Feldman’s Tommy didn’t actually kill Jason with his own machete in “The Final Chapter”? I guess not. Well, for those of you keeping track, “A New Beginning” begins 10 years after killing the goalie hockey-masked killer Jason Voorhees. Tommy Jarvis has grown up in various mental hospitals unable to get over the nightmares about Jason’s return. When Tommy is sent to a rural halfway house in California for mentally disturbed teenagers, a series of grisly murders begin anew as another hockey-masked killer begins killing off all people at and around the residence. Has Jason returned from the dead to re-start his killing spree? Has Tommy decided to take over the reign of Jason, or has someone else?

Not a whole lot really works in “A New Beginning”. This one is played with a murder-mystery element. Guess what? SPOILER ALERT! Jason isn’t the killer in this installment. It’s some crazy ambulance driver who’s son was attacked at the halfway house that Tommy is now staying. I’m sorry fillmmakers but a whodunit doesn’t work when the character that is playing your killer only appears on screen for less than one minute. It is all pretty kinda dumb but I do give props to the filmmakers for at least TRYING to do something different. It’s all kind of silly but more fun than Part 3 or 4.

Nonetheless, there are two characters that save “A New Beginning” from being utter trash. Those two characters are the punk pop princess Violet who does a killer robot dance to “His Eyes” by Pseudo Echo that is pretty damn amazing. The other is a white trash princess named Ethel that spews out more profanity than any other character in Friday the 13th history. This film is almost worth watching for these two alone. As it stands, the film isn’t bad but not particularly good. It’s like the cheeseburger you eat after a long night of drinking. It fills your stomach and gets the job done but you might regret it in the morning….

Slasher Studios Present: Hollywood Horror Trends

May 24, 2011June 17, 2011 Slasher Studios*Slasher Studios Podcast

On this Sunday’s Slasher Studios Web Cast Kevin Sommerfield and Steve Goltz will be discussing the recent trends in Hollywood Horror. We will be talking about the Hollywood 3D craze as well as the remake controversy and the PG-13 vs R horror debate. Show starts Sunday night at 10PM central. Make sure to listen in so you can discuss with us live on the air how you feel about the recent trends in horror. Click on the link before for more information and to also listen to our previous shows.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/slasherstudios

A Slasher Studios Look at Upcoming Horror Movies

May 23, 2011June 17, 2011 Slasher Studios*Slasher Studios Podcast

A big thanks to everyone who listened in to our show last night. For those of you that missed it, we talked about upcoming horror movies and gave you our thoughts on “Final Destination 5″, ” Fright Night 3D”, “Mother’s Day”, and much, much more. Click on the link below for the archived show and make sure to listen again next Sunday at 10PM central from another brand new show. We are thinking we might do another commentary. Keep an eye out here for more information coming soon.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/slasherstudios/2011/05/23/slasher-studios-upcoming-horror-movies

Jason’s Dead? Think Again. “Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter” Review

May 20, 2011April 12, 2012 Slasher StudiosFriday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter

Let me start this review by saying that I know that there is a lot of love out there for “Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter”. I have talked to many a horror fan that feel as though this sequel is the best sequel of the Friday series. They love the effects, the love the “killing” of Jason, and they love Crispin Glover. Well, I must be honest and say that this love is not at all shared by me. Marginally better than the 3rd film in the series, I just don’t understand the passion for this film. Maybe someone out there can enlighten me? I’d LOVE to know. Honestly.

Anyway, back to “The Final Chapter”. Like Part 3, this film begins mere moments after its predecessor ended. After the confrontation with Chris, Jason presumed dead, is taken to the Wessex County Morgue. There he escapes killing an attendant and a nurse, making his way back to Crystal Lake Camp. Six teenagers rent a cabin next to the Jarvis’ in Crystal Lake. Soon Jason finds his way to eliminate all who trespasses his way, but not for long. There are two survivors left, a girl and her little brother, Tommy Jarvis.

Blah, blah, blah…Haven’t we been through this all before? And let me just say that filmmakers, when in doubt, NEVER have a child to be your lead character/hero. It almost never works and the child in doubt is usually obnoxious and painfully annoying (case in point here). Adding insult to injury, there isn’t even a strong final girl here. Jason is killed by a little boy?!!? C’mon…this is just lame. If anything saves this film, it is the competent direction and stylish killings. Everything else is ho hum.

Buy It Here: Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (Deluxe Edition)

Jason Takes on a New Dimension: “Friday the 13th Part 3” Review

May 19, 2011April 12, 2012 Slasher StudiosFriday the 13th Part 3

Something about 1982 just pisses me off. I don’t know what it is about the year but I do know that not a lot of great or even good horror movies were produced. Of course, by saying this, I know that I will get a message or a comment from someone reminding me of a hidden gem that I overlooked. To which I would say, you’re right, there probably are one or two. But one or two? In an entire year? At the peak of the slasher craze? Well that’s just unacceptable in my book. But, I seriously doubt that anyone would include “Friday the 13th Part 3” in this list of the great horror movies of 1982. It’s bad…really bad. Let me count the ways.

“Part 3” opens just moments after its predecessor ended. Potato sack Jason is died. Well, if you believe that, I have a Part 4, 5, 6, 7…to sell you. Well it turns out that Jason, having barely survived a blow to his shoulder from his own machete, is back to continue his revenge on all those that visit “his” woods. A new group of friends come over to party at an area close to the campsite. This time, Jason will be stronger than ever, and getting a hockey mask from the most annoying member of the bunch.

I really can’t say how much I dislike this movie. The 3D effects are lame, the characters are painfully bland, and the movie drags on and on and on. After the opening kill it is seriously at least a half an hour until the next death. You have the annoying fat kid, a group of bikers?!?!, and one of the most annoying final girls in Friday history. Yet somehow I still find some charm with this film. Maybe it is the fact that this is the only Friday shot in 2.35:1 widescreen (effects aside, the film looks great) or maybe its just all the cheesy goodness. I cannot in good faith recommend this film but it still isn’t the worst of the series.

Buy It Here: Friday the 13th, Part 3, 3-D (Deluxe Edition)

Jason Returns (for the First Time) in Friday the 13th Part 2

May 17, 2011May 19, 2011 Slasher StudiosFriday the 13th Part 2

How do you follow a groundbreaking horror film like “Friday the 13th”? Follow the same formula? Make it another whodunit? Have Jason’s mother come back from the dead to avenge her death? The answer with “Friday the 13th Part 2” is none of the above. “Part 2” takes everything that worked about the original (creative deaths, camp setting, horny teenagers, etc) and amps it up a notch plus it has something that the original doesn’t have….Jason.

“Part 2” begins with our sole survivor, Alice, taking a break from Camp Crystal Lake. Emotionally troubled by what has happened, she is plagued with bad dreams. She believes that she is finally safe and ready to move on with her life. But there is just one problem. It turns out Jason never drowned in Crystal Lake and lived in the nearby woods as a hermit all this time. The day that Alice beheaded his mother, Jason saw everything and he is pissed. Two months later, Jason hunts Alice down and stabs her with an ice pick in the temple. Five years later, a new Camp Crystal Lake is built and the new counselors are soon picked off one by one. It is up to our new hero Ginny to stop Jason once and for all.

“Friday the 13th Part 2” is the kind of sequel that takes a lot of chances and most of them work. The film is well paced, well acted (big props to Amy Steel who does an incredible job as Ginny), and the deaths are effectively gruesome. Also, for what its worth, I’ll take potato head Jason over hockey mask Jason any day. This is a fun sequel that doesn’t exactly advance the series (the godawful Part 3 actually does more to define Jason than this one does) but doesn’t destroy its legacy either. The characters aren’t particularly memorable but they aren’t particularly annoying either. This is really the last point in the series were you actually still feel some affection for the characters. They aren’t quite stereotypes…yet. Furthermore, it contains the two best “jump scares” of the series and the ending is pretty damn scary. Sure the middle act drags a bit but don’t let that stop you, “Part 2” is a fine slasher film that does the series proud.

Buy It Here: Friday the 13th, Part 2 [Blu-ray]

Meta Movie Magic: “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare” Review

May 11, 2011March 21, 2012 Slasher StudiosWes Craven's New Nightmare

After the dismal “Freddy’s Dead”, Freddy seemed to be dead and buried for at least a few years. It, however, was in 1994 that Wes Craven came up with the radical idea of bringing Freddy back for another nightmare…a “New Nightmare”. Gone was funny Freddy and the fresh looking 80’s MTV teenagers and in was a concept so unique and groundbreaking that it just couldn’t work? Or could it…

But..let us start back at the beginning. In 1984, horror director Wes Craven created “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” It was acclaimed as one of the scariest movies ever made and made unknowns like Robert Englund, Johnny Depp, and Heather Langenkamp huge stars. Ten years later, Heather is living happily with her husband, Chase, and her son, Dylan. But her life has now been turned upside down because she is being stalked by a person who sounds like Nightmare villain Freddy Krueger. Chase has just been killed in a car accident after he accidentally fell asleep behind the wheel. Dylan refuses to sleep any more, and New Line Cinema has just offered her a part in “the ultimate Nightmare.” But some other strange things have been happening, including earthquakes and Craven being tight-lipped about the script. The ultimate truth is that Freddy Krueger is actually an ancient demon breaking out into our world, but in order to do that, he must go through Heather. And he knows he can get out by harming those near her.

Sound convoluted? Pretentious? Overly meta? Shockingly, no. “New Nightmare” is that rare horror film in which everything works. The performances are pitch perfect, lead by a tour-de-force performance by the amazing Langenkamp. The script is full of twists and turns and the movie is quite possibly the best looking of the entire series. What starts out as a maze of mirrors becomes something much more than your typical nightmare. The film examines the role film plays on those who watch it. Something that Wes Craven’s “Scream” would play out to great effect two years later. I really can’t say enough about this film and homages to the original are expertly placed. It is my favorite horror film of all time and a modern classic.

Buy It Here: Wes Craven’s New Nightmare

Freddy’s Dead: The Not So Final Nightmare

May 10, 2011May 11, 2011 Slasher StudiosFreddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare

posterfreddy — Best for last? Keep telling yourself that, New Line...

After a disappointing turn with “The Dream Child”, both creatively and financially, New Line Cinema decided it was time to give Freddy a proper burial. In 1991, saw the release of the supposed last Nightmare….”Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare”. The film had a bright upcoming screenwriter, a fresh new director, and cast of up-and-comers featuring the likes of Breckin Meyer. How could they go wrong?

freddy33 — "Consider yourself grateful that you don't have to be in the rest of the movie!"

“Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare” has everyone’s favorite dream maniac Freddy Krueger at a crossroads. He has finally killed all the children of his hometown. He needs to escape the city’s confines to hunt fresh prey. To this end, he recruits the aid of his (previously unmentioned) daughter. However, she discovers the demonic origin of her father’s powers and meets Dad head-on in a final showdown.

Sound stupid? You better believe it is. “Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare” is that rare horror movie in which nothing works. It sure as hell isn’t scary and the cameos by Johnny Depp and Roseanne come across as more desperate than funny. The deaths are awful as well. Killed by a robot hearing aid, killed by Freddy’s “power glove”, fallen from a parachute onto spikes placed by Freddy? Is this a Nightmare movie or a Looney Toons cartoon. Not only this, but Freddy himself doesn’t even get a cool or original death. They take the ending of the original and cheapen it and we are all worse for it. This film is a grim insult to Freddy fans everywhere.

Buy It Here: Freddy’s Dead – The Final Nightmare