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moviesrotbrains · 3 years

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FREAKY slashes up a piece of that horror-comedy pie

Hey, let’s remake FREAKY FRIDAY, but this time it’s about a middle-aged serial killer who swaps places with a 17-year-old girl. That simple yet ridiculous premise is the main plot behind a surprisingly perfect, and fantastically gory, horror-comedy.

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FREAKY is one of those movies that could have failed hard. It’s a brilliant idea that could have fallen apart in the wrong hands. Many films have tried to balance genres and get lost along the way. FREAKY is NOT one of those fails. It’s one of those films that had me rooting for it from the first 5 minutes and still had me pleasantly surprised throughout. In addition to being a great body-swap flick, it’s also an engaging horror flick. It’s like someone shoved your favourite FRIDAY THE 13TH scenes in a blender with MEAN GIRLS. It shouldn’t work… but it does. It’s an ode to 80s slashers, but it’s also an ode to high school-centred comedies? And it does all this while keeping hardcore horror fans pleased by giving it a hard R rating?!? And it’s actually really funny?!?

When they first announced this film, I was expecting a fun PG-13 flick in the vein of HAPPY DEATH DAY, and I was okay with that. I really liked HAPPY DEATH DAY (as with FREAKY, also directed by Christopher Landon). HAPPY DEATH DAY, was a smart spin on GROUNDHOG’S DAY that it did a lot of cool things while also being able to do so with a PG-13. It wasn’t trying to be MANIAC, nor did I ever expect it to. I’m an annoying purist, but I’m ok with light pop-corn horror if done right, and that film did it right.

So with that in mind, I was utterly blown away by the very, very R-RATED kills in the opening 10 minutes. It was a brutal onslaught of gore. It was Landon’s way of saying, “Relax, horror bros, I got you.” It was like a Greatest Hits from decades ago but with a fresh spin on it. Slashers got a little lazy in the last few years, and this film just let it all hang out in that opening scene. It was ballsy as all hell, and I was totally on board. And luckily it didn’t just stop there.

This one has all the tropes of classic stabby fright flicks. Huge emotionless killer? Check. Ominous mask? Check. St upid teenagers getting in trouble? Check. Inventive kills that make you cackle “Holy Shit”? Check. Twists and turns? Check. A growing body count? Check. Final girl? Check. And let’s throw in an occult artifact in the mix that swaps that final girl with that emotionless killer and that’s where you get something new and different!

And if you’re coming into this one from a comedy perspective, this one has all the tropes of classic high school movie. Insecure lead going through an awkward time? Check. Supportive comic relief friends? Check. Parents that just don’t understand? Check. Villainous teachers? Check. Mean girls? Check. Huge awkward misunderstandings? Check. And let’s throw in an occult artifact in the mix that causes said misunderstandings and that’s where you get something new and different!

That new and different wouldn’t be what it is without the standout performance from the two leads, Vince Vaughn & Kaythryn Newton. Vaughn is the aforementioned creepy masked killer. He’s wonderfully cast here as a towering, silent brute. Vaughn of course might be known for his comedic work, but he’s actually got an impressive range that’s very rarely utilized (see BRAWL AT CELLBLOCK 99 for more details). Here he excels as the Butcher. Effective, brutal, and cold. He’s been on a killing spree lately, which we see a bit of at the beginning, and he’s definitely looking to kill some more. And it looks like he found a spooky looking occult dagger

Newton, known to genre fans from her recurring role in SUPERNATURAL, is very likeable as the main lead, Millie. Having recently suffered from the loss of her father, Millie is currently dealing with the ongoing depression that the loss put on her mother, as well as her own struggles to return to normality. Can she survive a day at school from the usual trials, tribulations, bullies, and high school crushes, let alone a serial killer lurking nearby?

And thus their two paths meet in the most unexpected (or very expected) of ways. We soon witness a thrilling chase, very reminiscent of the best Michael Myers and Jason hunts-- in fact this whole chase actually takes place on the eve before Friday the 13th, a very knowing wink to the genre that birthed this film. And soon the Butcher, with Millie in his grips, claims his latest victim… only he doesn’t… darn those occult daggers!

And that’s when the two leads really showcase their acting chops. Vaughn is now a frazzled high school student, and Newton is the silent and sinister stalker. Both take on their new roles excellently and they both embody (heh) them flawlessly. Vaughn is awkward and fragile and Newton is menacingly fierce as fuck. Newton utterly transforms into someone else and her performance is a total triumph. Vaughn is adorable.

Seeing them both re-interact/meet with their friends (and foes) in their new forms is endless fun. You see Vaughn run like a girl and Newton go on a homicidal spree. You see Vaughn give off his best flirty eye and Newton’s best glare of doom. They both seamlessly fill their new roles.

But it’s not quite the seamless exchange for Millie and the Butcher. Millie clumsily gets used to their bigger and stronger frame… and the Butcher realizes they are not as strong as they once were. A lot of what works about this ride is seeing how they both adapt to their new struggles and use it to their advantage. The Butcher has a new mask, and Millie soon finds confidence in herself in her new self.

The supporting cast is used with great effect, too. They all get us to where we need to be. Everyone serves a purpose. From the mom, to older sister/cop, to the comic relief, to the love interest, and classmates of varying degrees of douchebagginess. Everyone is either likeable or unlikeable as they should be. There’s even a nice nod to previous academic farces with a cameo from FERRIS BUELLER’S Alan Ruck as an asshole shop teacher.

Director Christopher Landon is really slicing out a nice niche of off-kilter spins in the horror genre, and it’s reassuring that he knows what he’s doing. It truly is a well-crafted film. Not just as a horror film, but also from a technical standpoint. The pacing is dead perfect, every joke hits, the story beats and setups are well orchestrated, and not a moment is wasted. It’s tense when it needs to be tense, gory when it needs to be gory, and legit laugh out loud moments when it needs to have those LOL moments.

It’s such a great spin to the body-swap comedy genre, a genre that feels like there’s an endless amount where they all sort of felt very “samey”; especially in the 80s, where at one point three different body-swaps came out within 2 years of each other! This one takes the better elements of those, relishes in them, carves new ground, and adds a bit of Tom Hanks’ BIG in for good measure.

But homage to a decade old cinematic fad aside, at no point does it ever stop delivering on the humour and slasher content. It’s tight, daring, and keeps you enthralled throughout. Whether you’re a horror junkie, or into well-written oddball comedies, or even into clever thrillers, the end result has you covered.

There’s a great message in there too, as the film tackles school killings, social media, pc culture, and the general malaise many of us experience after the loss of a loved one. It’s about grief and acceptance and moving on… yet it’s very light-hearted. And you still get ample buckets of blood and splatter.

Yes, fans, there’s so many gruesome and cool looking on screen deaths your morbid heart’s desire. Amazing uses of wine bottles, tennis rackets, chainsaws, and industrial equipment. A creepy serial killer flophouse complete with creepy mannequins and various implements of torture. Possibly a severed head in a bloody toilet? Yeah, this film has that too.

You can currently rent this one on various VOD services. Hopefully this one hits the majority of streaming services soon, since it had the misfortune of opening late last year during the pandemic. It definitely needs a wider audience because it’s another one of those instant classics. It’s easily my favourite current horror-comedy, and I’m looking forward to more from Christopher Landon. A film that’s both goofy and gory with just enough twists to keep your attention and please jaded genre fans? That’s freaky.

#horror #horror movies #blumhouse #freaky #kathryn newton #vince vaughn #Christopher Landon #Slashers #movie reviews #film reviews #body swap #moviesrotbrains #movies rot brains #universal

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moviesrotbrains · 3 years

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DANIEL ISN’T REAL... but I’m so very glad this film exists.

After dealing with increasing anxiety and fearing a grip on reality, a college freshman turns to his childhood imaginary friend for comfort and confidence boosting… only to realize that his much cooler and carefree pretend buddy has an unsettling violent darkness about him. Could Daniel possibly be something more than a figment of his imagination?

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DANIEL ISN’T REAL is an utterly surreal fever dream, channeling the best in cosmic horror, body horror, and psychological horror while also taking a bold look at deeper issues. It comes from Elijah Wood’s SpectreVision imprint, the same company that gave us such gems as MANDY, A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT, and COLOR OUT OF SPACE... and this one’s right up there with those modern classics. And you can watch it now on SHUDDER!

Full review and some seriously kickass poster art below:

Directed by Adam Egypt Mortimer (and based on Brian DeLeeuw’s book, In This Way I Was Saved), DANIEL ISN’T REAL is a wonderfully fantastical ride through fucked up subject matter. It tackles mental illness, trauma, dual nature, identity, male toxicity, and empathy… with a good amount of Lovecraftian madness and trippy, yet terrifically disgusting Cronenberg-esque visuals thrown in for good measure.

It’s an engaging story too, about a young man, Luke, overwhelmed with life as his mother’s mental health condition worsens. He’s dealing with that on top of everything else college kids go through, lack of confidence, anxiety, etc. There’s also a fear of his own sanity. He keeps hallucinating and blanking out. His therapist suggests that maybe he should try to tap into that creativity he had as a child, where he’d regularly play for hours on end with his imaginary friend, “Daniel”. Only things got very weird and unsettling the last time he played pretend with his fictional playmate.

Once Daniel re-enters his life, things start to change. Luke’s mother issues get better. Luke suddenly feels more confident in life. Luke is finally doing well with girls. Luke’s getting creative again with photography... and all of his problems seem to go away… Only Daniel seems to want more credit and recognition. And Daniel seems to be getting angrier. And that’s when things get really fucking messed up.

This film is wonderfully acted by a mix of up-and-comers and veterans of the scene. Luke is played by Miles Robbins (HALLOWEEN 2018) and gives that immediate likeable and kind, yet also meek, portrayal that perfectly conveys what kind of a person that Luke is. There’s a lot of range in emotion in this performance, from hurt and confused to confident, to something else entirely. I always get a kick at seeing an actor completely flip their performance and style midway and totally embody something else, and this film has that and more.

Contrasting that likability and meekness is Daniel (played by Patrick Schwarzenegger, SCREAM QUEENS), the titular imaginary friend who’s pure Freudian Id. He’s cool, slick, charismatic, and always knows the right thing that Luke should say, or do, to get ahead. He’s helpful… when he wants to be… but he also has a lot of darkness. A scary darkness that seems to stem from… something else. Patrick excels when he taps into this dark alias. He’s evil as fuck. There’s a sinister glee in his manner. Epitome of “Chaotic Evil”. He’s such a great asshole. He really kicks it into gear when the audience fully know what we’re dealing with…

Yet even then, nothing is over explained. And that’s the beauty of this film. There is no expository dialogue or wasted scene. Everything is laid out there and the actors just bring it. This film lives in a world of it’s own and the audience is a passenger for the unholy ride. It’s a very slick flick full of world building and the kind of outstanding performances that really make everything shine.

Rounding out the supporting cast is Luke’s troubled mother (veteran Mary Stuart Masterson, who powerfully played a similar and memorable role in BENNY & JUNE), Sasha Lane (HELLBOY) as the love interest, artist, and really, the heart and soul of the film, and Hannah Marks (DIRK GENTLY) as the other girl faced with Luke’s dark side. again, all perfectly played and perfectly cast, giving a much needed balance in this heavy film.

And it’s a very heavy film. The story was a deeply personal one for Mortimer (as he explained to us in 2019, when he brought the film to the Montreal FANTASIA film fest). The director drew from his own experiences from his youth, when a friend was similarly dealing with mental health issues. Mortimer had to help him, because his friend was “falling off the rails”, with no one around really helping him out, “not friends or professionals”. He talked of his friend’s life being in ruins, and how it just “spiraled off into mania”.

That experience deeply impacted Mortimer. It was from this that Mortimer wanted to make a film about empathy and compassion for people going through severe mental illness issues. While Luke’s troubles stem from something more, the parallels are still there to people in real life going through non-otherworldy issues. The overall sense of helplessness, and a desire to be understood and taken seriously, is still there, and still a universal theme. Especially right now.

This film also tackles a lot more than just matters of wellness. Mortimer also wanted the film to deal with the “increasing danger” young men are in these days. “The Dangers they face and the danger many are to themselves”.

Mortimer talked about them, “Living in a world where men have been driven insane by society. A society where many men are both the product and the villain of it.” A lot of this is seen on film when Luke battles for control with Daniel. Daniel representing that alpha and that Id. Luke grasping for control and trying to be that voice of compassion and reason. It’s a wonderful character study that is only heightened by the horror elements that come into play.

And yes, it’s an absolute horror fan’s delight and it’s visually stunning to boot, mixing psychological & psychedelic horror together. It felt like I was watching HELLRAISER again for the first time, but if that film was shoved in a blender with FIGHT CLUB, JACOB’S LADDER, and copious amounts of mind altering drugs. But comparing it to anything else does no justice to the wholly original eye-gasmic feast set before us. I keep saying this, but it truly is an utterly wonderful surreal fever dream. It’s so very layered and out there.

It’s refreshing to see new films like this come about with something to say and looking as great as it does. Yes, this film looks very different from most things that are currently out there, with it’s violet texture throughout, and otherworldly feel. Mortimer, who came from a music video background, wanted his second feature to have a distinct look to it, saying that the “violet hue throughout had a very futuristic and contemporary colour about it”. He wanted to create the feeling of a manic episode, and overwhelm the viewer with colours and density.

And he totally does. It’s such a beautiful looking film, and one you’ll definitely go back to just to soak in the wonderful hypnotic visuals. Much like MANDY, from the year before, DANIEL is a cinematic treat for your eyeballs.

And there’s also some deeply messed up visuals that mix in with that beauty. The FX on a whole are amazingly bizarre. There are visuals that are so jaw-droppingly good that you’ll permanently have them etched in your brain. It’s the kind of film where you’re watching and you immediately want to rewind and see that scene again.

From faces being merged into each other in a pink tentacled mess of VIDEODROME-esque flesh, to other visages literally being mangled like putty! Pure body terror. People crawling into other people’s mouths– I could go on, but I don’t want to spoil it. It’s icky and wonderful all at once.

And I can’t go on about the FX without mentioning the nightmarish and hellish creature design by Martin Astles (who also worked on the brutal and classic nightmare fuel that is EVENT HORIZON). The creature FX are so fucking out there, each very distinct and very memorable. The kind of things that if you confronted them in real life you’d be quick to claw them out your own eyes.

One beast looks like a hellish death beast with a fleshy castle for a head-- an absolute architectural artifice. Mortimer said they attempted to convey that a whole universe was in its face, and it existed outside space and time. Another Face looking like piercing bullets poking through the flesh and protruding from his cheeks, like a moment frozen in time. They’re all so freakishly creative and disturbing. I can’t even describe them right. I’m not sure I want to, but they’re seared into my mind. Body Horror and Cosmic Horror at their best.

In addition to the visuals, this film also brings it on the sound design and score front. It’s got an incredible score by Warp Records act Clark. It contains synthy goodness along with manipulations of actual orchestral pieces. And it was Clark’s first time working on a film score, something Mortimer preferred.

He wanted someone that wasn’t used to working on horror films, or films in general, so they’d throw everything they had into it from the get go. Mortimer told Clark to make it sound like Bernard Herrmann got stuck in some horrible industrial accident. A relentless sonic assault that tries to capture that same feel that Clint Mansell did with REQUIEM FOR A DREAM. The results are a superb original work of music that completely enhances and already spectacular looking film.

I was a fan of Mortimer’s SOME KIND OF HATE when I caught it six years ago at FANTASIA FEST, but DANIEL is an entirely different beast and next level filmmaking. He’s easily grown as a filmmaker and I’m totally on board to see more. I can’t wait to see what he tackles next, because DANIEL was easily one of my top Fantasia picks for 2019.

DANIEL ISN’T REAL is one of those dark films that will most likely be seen as a cult classic in a few years, right up there with DONNIE DARKO and movies of a similar ilk. It’s full of so much imagination and gusto, all while tackling important issues and core themes. All that and it remains highly watchable and engaging. It’ll satisfy any horror junkie while also winning over fans of thought provoking art. Daniel isn’t real, but I’m glad it exists.

-Theo Radomski, Movies Rot Brains

Seriously how fucking awesome are these posters? Why can’t more horror films hire the people that made these posters? Why can’t film in general hire these people to make better promo art?

This article was previously seen on Mobtreal.com

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moviesrotbrains · 3 years

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THE MORTUARY COLLECTION gives horror anthology junkies a macabre fix

A spooky mortician tells a newly hired employee horrific tales on how the various dead, the very corpses that populate the mortuary, met their terrifying end. That simple premise is what starts off one of the best Horror anthologies in recent memory, and a hell of a gem on Shudder.

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Written and Directed by Ryan Spindle, THE MORTUARY COLLECTION (2019) is a fun throwback to old anthology horror flicks like TALES FROM THE CRYPT (both the Amicus and HBO versions), CREEPSHOW, and more recent fair like TRICK R TREAT or the V/H/S film series.

This film has all the staples that make a great anthology film. There’s a creepy host, plenty macabre moments, and stories that daringly walk that line between gory and goofy. It’s the perfect combo that made 80s horror great. You need that blend to give something to everyone, and this one certainly serves a varied menu of shocking tales.

Clancy Brown plays then head mortician, Montgomery Dark, at his absolute Lurch-iest best. Brown is one of these classic genre actors that has incredible range, but is usually playing the heavy in every major property you can think of, be it animated or live action.

Here he’s a tall ghoulish individual that totally sets the tone of this film. He’s the kind of host that totally makes the premise work, and he’s right there with the Cryptkeeper, or Mr. Sims from TALES FROM THE HOOD. He’s the perfect character to take us on this ride. Montgomery Dark screams total Big Death Energy. At times he made this film feels like a very colourful adaptation of the 1970s black and white Warren Publishing horror mags, Creepy and Eerie. Montgomery Dark totally feels like Uncle Creepy. And I’m totally okay with that.

Uncle Creepy by the great Angelo Torres (from some lucky reddit fan)

Yes, the comparisons to 70s horror mags, and especially the 1950s horror comicbooks, are unavoidable because this film perfectly captures that vibe. This film wears that influential stamp from EC Comic’s Tales from the Crypt, Vault of Horror, and Weird Fantasy, among many others, and that’s a great thing.

From the bright vivid primary colours, to the over the top gruesome deaths, to that whole morality tale vibe, this film just screams fright books. It’s as much as love letter to that genre that CREEPSHOW was in the 80s. This is a terrific tribute to that, and the countless imitators those stories spawned in both print and celluloid. It’s all about telling imaginative and deliciously devilish stories, and this one has that in droves!

In total, there are four segments that take place throughout various eras in the 20th century. What kind of stories are we dealing with?

Well, there’s the one about a pickpocket dealing with Lovecraftian eldritch beasts lurking in the bathroom. There’s another about an oversexed fratboy experiencing a rather painful post-coitus experience. There’s a frazzled husband reaching his breaking point in dealing with his wife’s debilitating illness. And finally a babysitter dealing with a deranged murderer on the loose. That last one even features a film within a film, with a pitch-perfect riff on John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN, right down to a late 70’s sounding synthtastic score and a beautifully grainy film print.

There’s indeed something for every horror fan in this one. Every story has a unique bend to it. The babysitter one in particular, the definite anchor to this film, as you’ll see why upon watching, has a wonderful spin on a few classic urban legends. It’s thrilling, with a perfectly WTF end that’s fitting with this film’s fiendish tone.

The wraparound bits with Dark and the new employee, Sam, are also diabolically fun, and at a near 2 hour run time, you need that. The enthusiastic Sam is a great counter point to Dark’s hulking, yet brooding presence, and that dynamic is felt throughout.

A good host segment with an ongoing narrative is always that cherry on top of the dessert in these kind of films, especially if it has a compelling story of its own. This one in particular, involving the would be employee, Sam (played by Caitlin Custer), does not disappoint at all. In fact, at one point it features a memorable and horrific scare involving-- actually, I won’t spoil that for you. Just watch it and get back to me.

This film is such a treat. It’s got some particularly nasty bits of gore and wonderful creature FX throughout. It’ll definitely fill any horror junkie’s vice, which admittedly was surprising since the first few opening shots led me to believe it would have an entirely different tone. I was totally wrong, and I love that it did that. The way it dived into the blood and gore and absolute weirdness, totally hit this cranky and jaded horror fan in the face.

I didn’t expect to love this one as much as I did. I actually think I love this one more than some of the classics. Anthologies are notorious for being a mixed bag, with at least one clunker in the bunch, but EVERY one of these segments hit the spot. This is easily one of the best damn horror anthologies out there, and what’s absolutely incredible is that every story is written and directed by one one person! That’s a hell of an achievement. It’s like Al Feldstein writing most of EC horror line in the 50s. Seriously, keep an eye on Ryan Spindell, because he’s very quickly becoming an important voice of Horror.

It’s definitely not for everyone, and I’m totally biased when it comes to anthologies and shorts, but if you like those films you’ll probably love this one. If you’ve read this far, you’re definitely going to like this one. Actually, just stop reading and watch it already.

THE MORTUARY COLLECTION is the perfect for any horror fanatic who needs a late night fix that’s creepy & kooky with a mix of creature features, slashers, and copious amounts of blood. I was so glad that I go to see this at FANTASIA FEST last year (via the socially distanced iteration of that Montreal staple). I was ecstatic that this actually did get a wide release in time for the Halloween season, because this is destined to be a seasonal fave.

Then again, everyday is Halloween if you want it to be, so just watch this one tonight and have creeptastic time full of macabre and mirth.

-Theo Radomski, MOVIES ROT BRAINS

an earlier version of this review appeared on mobtreal.com

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moviesrotbrains · 3 years

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PSYCHO GOREMAN is a friggin’ bonkers ride through cinematic WTF-ery!

An evil, overly violent, intergalactic warlord finds himself in league with a bossy, little earth girl. Will this Psycho Goreman learn a valuable lesson from his tiny, new friends, whilst dismembering equally powerful alien foes and wreaking wanton havoc on earth? Frig yes, he Heckin’ will!

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Now on VOD through Raven Banner Releasing (and select cinemas, if you live in a lucky part of pandemic infested Canada) is PG: PSYCHO GOREMAN, one of the funniest and oddest festival darlings of the last year. It’s a “huge battle between evil and worse evil” where every moment just gets stranger and stranger.

Perhaps the perfect remedy for quarantine, and the general hopelessness that we’re finding ourselves in, is this thoroughly bizarre film full of batshit-crazy visuals and uproariously hilarious, absurdist dialogue.

It’s the kind of film you’re eager to subject your friends to once quarantine ends and public gatherings among friends are the norm again. I’m talking about instant cult-classics like EVIL DEAD 2, THE RE-ANIMATOR, or STREET TRASH. Off-kilter, indie genre cinema from everything and anything by TROMA films to more recent gems like THE FP or DEATHGASM . You know, just weird-ass, genre cinema.

PSYCHO GOREMAN is like one of those instant cult-classic films of yesteryear. It even feels of that era. It’s the kind of movie where for 90 minutes you can just shut your brain off and laugh at the acid-trip tribute to 80s junk cinema and cartoons made to sell action-figures. Marvel at an era full of metal riffs, freaky rubber-suits and puppets, and gross-out splatter FX. This film lives and breathes that wonderful, wonderful What-The-Fuckery.

Or should I say, What-The-Friggery? Because above all, the core of this oh, so violent film, are two little kids: the bratty and bossy Mimi, and her older brother/frequent target of her harassment, Luke.

We first meet Mimi and Luke as they’re playing CrazyBall, one of those stupid games that kids invent full of convoluted rules and nonsense. It’s after this very, muddy game that Mimi, as winner, directs Luke to dig up the yard– because kids! Buried in that yard is a powerful space gem that unlocks the imprisoned nameless entity, known to some as the Archduke of Nightmares, a powerful despot hellbent on destruction. The kids soon learn that whoever possesses the gem controls this giant space warlord… and chaotic hilarity ensues!

They rename him Psycho Goreman, PG for short, (renamed as such because “Tyranosaurus Flex”, and “Darklord of Wonderful Smooches” didn’t make the cut) and he soon finds himself at the whim of Mimi’s commands; forced to play games and do her bidding! To make matters worse he’s also hunted by other space creatures… all in midst of family drama brewing between brother and sister!

This is all especially complicated because all PG wants to do is conquer the galaxy, and strike down all that was good and just in the universe. And you know, have revenge on Pandora and the Templars, his interplanetary captors… which is especially tough when you gotta play drums in the kids’ band, take part in all manner of childish hijinks, and compete in CrazyBall with a constantly melting cop and a giant, sentient brain creature… yeah, again, this film gets really, really fucking weird.

PSYCHO GOREMAN is such a perfectly insane film that it’s refreshing that it doesn’t care how perfectly insane it gets. I can’t stress how off-the-wall and fucking crazy this movie is. It’s a great parody of the various films, comics, games, and toys that inspired its making. It’s like E.T. if E.T. could rip you in half, change the very fabric of reality, and alter your being. It’s like TERMINATOR 2 if John Connor was a little girl and a total dick.

Psycho Goreman himself is played perfectly like a classic 80s villain, with a very rich backstory, born in a “time before time, light years away from your own”. We see a glimpse of that world building in flashbacks, and it’s one of the main things that sets this film apart from the rest. It’s that level of detail and care that really sells the material.

PG looks like he’s cut from the same cloth as Cobra Commander, Skeletor or Mumm-Ra, with a bit of POWER RANGERS and Japanese Tokusatsu TV thrown in, too. He’s very rich in 80s and early 90 Saturday Morning aesthetic. He’s a very dark, brutal, immortal overlord. He has immense, off-the-chart, world altering abilities, and is absolutely full of seething rage… until he finds his match in that stubborn little girl. It’s like Thanos being relegated to being a child’s plaything. Which makes every scene where he threatens to bathe in his enemies’ blood, or wishes death upon the “brainless meat children” and their sitcom-esque parents, all the more laughter-inducing.

As for the brainless meat children, there’s Luke (Owen Myre), brother and perpetual victim of his sister Mimi. Luke is the voice of reason and heart of the the film. He’s in frequent conflict with Mimi (she bosses him around quite a bit), and has a key dynamic with PG, even if PG can never remember his name.

And of course there’s Mimi (Nita-Josee Hanna), the stand-out scene stealer of the film whose menace rivals PG’s own. Hanna amps up her performance to an 11 as the bratty kid and channels Nicolas Cage-calibre levels of crazy. I’m not even exaggerating. This character is on a whole other level of the “bratty kid” trope.

She’s absolutely delightful and infinitely quotable (to be fair the entire film is quotable, even the throwaway lines are hysterical— it’s that kind of a film). When the mom, Susan, mistakenly refers to her fave pastime as “kooky ball”, Mimi emphatically yells with such sheer, deafening and extended force, “IT’S CRAZY BAAAAAAAAAALL!” Full on wacky. Another time she belts out “CHAMPIONS DON’T EAT BROCOLI!” It shouldn’t even be that funny, but it’s the combination of the absurdity and the delivery.

I could go on with the quotes, but they need to be experienced on your own. It’s epic, exaggerated, and awe inspiring all at once. Mimi is constantly in tantrum mode and spouting lines right out of adverts, cop shows, and pop culture. It’s sometimes borders on surreal, but so perfect in the context of this film. Especially once she starts interacting with PG, and really let’s him know who’s in charge.

The exchanges between the two of them are perfect; her frequently dismissive of anything he’s saying. Mimi is so overly confident to a cartoonish degree, where PG does not even register as a threat, partly due to the gem, but probably also because Mimi is terrifying in her own right. Other moments involve Mimi taking PG shopping for in an inevitable fashion montage, Mimi teaching PG about hunky boys, and of course, about swearing.

Yes. Mimi teaches Psycho Goreman how to swear. But you know, the “rated PG” kind.

In a great juxtaposition of the over-the-top gore is that this film still has that kids movie vibe, where to kids, words like “heck” and “frig” are the worst! We see this culminate to the greatest degree in a spectacularly absurd musical number with the lines “I’m the heckin best. Frig all the rest” which really becomes one of the core theme to this film, and certainly gets stuck in your head. While it may never be a contender for “best song at the Academy Awards”, considering the last few years of nominations, it very well should be.

As for the Parents, well, they’re the typical loving and supportive “sitcom Mom & Dad”, but even that is askew. The father, Greg (played to gut busting perfection by ASTRON 6 regular, Adam Brooks) is so aloof in the going ons that he takes laziness to new levels. It’s like he’s the deadbeat dad that was too lazy to leave. There’s legit laugh-out-loud moments with Greg, often having some of the best lines in the film. He’s got a fun chemistry with his wife, Susan (Alexis Kara Hancey), the perfect comedic foil to his lethargy, which pays off in the end, because every character has a role to play in this story. Even school friend Alasdair becomes a fan favourite in this movie.

As for the other Aliens in this film, there’s PG’s old buds, the phenomenal ragtag group of fellow warlords, the Paladins Obsidian (with a RED LETTER MEDIA CAMEO by Rich Evans-- OH MY GOOOOOD!), and the Templars and the planetary alliance, including Pandora, PG’s central antagonist and this universe’s “hero”. At times Pandora rivals most Marvel Cinematic Universe villains as being memorable. In fact the epic battles involving these characters are more fun and definitely memorable than most recent big budget flicks in recent time.

PSYCHO GOREMAN was written and directed by Steven Kostanksi, known for his work with ASTRON-6. Those are the same Canadian folk that brought us MANBORG, and the W IS FOR WISH segment from ABC’S OF DEATH 2, of which PG seems heavily based on. This film is very much in that horror-comedy vein of the previous flicks with ASTRON-6, butt it also has some more of that fucking fantastic creature FX that was seen in Kostanksi’s 2016 masterpiece THE VOID.

Again, this film is very much a love-letter to 80s VHS days, complete with ridiculously exaggerated over the top gore. It has everything from dual head rips, copious splatter, people turned to living goo, or worse… There’s such a love put into these FX, something Kostanksi has been doing for years in the FX dept on big-budget hollywood flicks.

In this one he teamed up with Canadian FX department, MASTERS FX to put these creatures together. Every space alien felt like a living action figure, brought to life via rubber suits and old school practical effects. The result is very reminiscent of something from the Cantina scenes in STAR WARS (or more recently THE MANDALORIAN), The Last Starfighter. Many of these characters would have been at home with my MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE or NINJA TURTLE toys.

Comparisons though, simply does not do it justice, and is a disservice to how original these designs actually are. The entire Paladins Obsidian And Planetary Alliance sequences are easily my favourite creature fx in recent memory for the clever designs alone. They are so very fantastical and outlandish, that they really hit the next level. They’re so creative and incredible with such thought and skill. Words can’t even do it justice.

Just sidesplitting, imaginative robots, aliens, and devilishly amusing nightmare fuel. It’s the kind of thing I wish there were toys of as a kid, because I would have collected them all. Hell, my inner sci-fi, schlock nerd still wants to collect these all. I need Kostanksi and company to fast track a Paladdins Obsidian spinoff because these characters are too perfect to not be seen again.

Everything about this film is thoroughly enjoyable. From the opening narration about the planet Gigax (a wonderful nod to D&D creator Gary Gygax) to the end credit title song (that felt like every late 80s end credit rap song), you’re in for an endless ride of stupid fun. If you’re knew to Steven Kostanksi’s world you’re in for a very bizarro treat. If you’re an old fan, you’ll cheer at the BIOCOP cameo.

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There’s so much going on in this film and not a moment is wasted. It’s pure friggin’ joy. And it’s actually got a heart and good message somewhere in there amidst the chaos. There’s character growth. And yeah, there’s a lot of weird shit.

Admittedly, I had been waiting for this film for a long while. Especially knowing how great THE VOID was. This film definitely lived up to the hype, if not more so. There are times when watching a film and I know immediately that I want to own it. PSYCHO GOREMAN is one of those films. I want that film on a shelf right there alongside WOLFCOP and HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN; two other terrific and fucked up Canadian Indie Genre flicks.

Yeah, this film is clearly not for everyone. It’s definitely niche. It’s definitely aimed at genre and oddball cinema fans, and kids that grew up in the 80s and 90s… and that’s part of the charm. It relies heavily on lampooning that world of kids sci-fi flicks of the end of the 20th century. If you don’t get that, or don’t care, this film will probably not work for you.

And I was right; since this review was first published, on January 18th, there’s been a lot of polarizing opinions on it. Some people dislike the leads, some people dislike the weird anti-humour. And that’s the risk when a very unique and original film like this comes out. It takes chances, and I love it for it. Comedian, and eternal film geek, Patton Oswalt put it best:

PSYCHO GOREMAN is beautifully self-aware with how ludicrous everything is, that it proudly wears that on its sleeves. We need more of that. Especially right now. Everything in the word is a fucking mess right now, and we need more things like PSYCHO GOREMAN to numb that pain and make it better. Pure escapist what-the-friggery. If you disagree, that’s okay, but Mimi would probably tell you it’s the heckin’ best, and you can go Frig yourself.

-Theo Radomski, Movies Rot Brains

PSYCHO GOREMAN is currently in theatres (check your local listings) and is currently streaming on VOD. Limited “HUNKY BOY” ultimate edition Physical release due on March 16th!

Pre-order now: https://raven-banner.myshopify.com/products/pg-psycho-goreman-limited-hunky-boy-edition

an earlier version of this review first appeared on mobtreal.com

#psycho goreman #pg #horror #horror reviews #astron-6 #horror films #genre #wtf #weird cinema #moviesrotbrains #reviews #movies rot brains

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moviesrotbrains · 3 years

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What’s New on Shudder Canada?

Being a horror fan in Canadaland, or fan of any film genre, really, can certainly have its frustrating moments when it comes to streaming.

Canada, like every country, has rights issues as to which films can be streamed on which platform. Want to watch a rad 80s horror flick? That’s easy… it’s either on Shudder, Netflix, Prime, Crave, Tubi, Apple, VOD or on any of the kajillion other 21st century binge-factories.

But to make things even more nerve-wracking, because you’re in Canada, not every service has the same film and tv library as our neighbours in the States, or the UK, or Japan, or… well, you get the idea.

In some cases the libraries are massively truncated-- but that’s sadly just how rights issues work. Sure, I can talk about actually buying the film, or going to a library in crappy weather during Covid-times. Others will talk about the less savoury methods of not supporting the arts, or getting a VPN-- but fuck that, I’ll save that for those overly long and annoying ads sponsored by Youtube stars.

I’m just gonna flat out say it… there’s a lot of good stuff on there already. And a lot of that stuff is exclusive to your region. Yes, that’s right, Canada, you got some awesome stuff on SHUDDER this month that your neighbours in the south don’t have access to!

Here’s a peek at movies coming this month to SHUDDER that are definitely worth a look AND exclusive to CANADA.

above list via shudder.ca

UNDER THE SKIN (2013) is very weird and minimal slow-burn with Scarlett Johansson as a mysterious entity preying on Scottish men.

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It’s very bizarre with wonderfully trippy visuals and a fantastic unnerving score. It’s indie-as-fuck and it’s one of those you either love or hate. A lot of it was filmed with hidden cameras and non-actors and it’s got this otherworldly vibe to it. It’s unsettling and beautiful and a great example of some of that early 2010s horror that was getting critical acclaim and confusing purists. You can stream this one right now.

On the topic of trippy, and if psychedelic Giallo throwbacks is your thing, THE STRANGE COLOUR OF YOUR BODY’S TEARS (2013) is a weird visual delight.

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Directed by a husband and wife duo, this Belgian Neo-Giallo, L'étrange couleur des larmes de ton corps, has a very film noir plot of “a man seeking the whereabouts of his missing wife, only to become entangled in a complicated web of lies and murder”.

I had to look that up (thanks, wiki!). Yeah, despite having watched this a few years back, the plot didn’t stand out, but oh, did it ever look pretty! So if you’re not looking for much of a sensical story, but feel like watching an odd, sexy acid flashback tribute to 70s Italian horror, this one’s worth a look. This one’s coming on the 9th!

What’s that Canada? You want more traditional HORROR in your Shudder? I’m writing about too many pretentious art films, you say? Well, you’re in luck, because on February the 22nd, V/H/S 2 (2013) and V/H/S: VIRAL (2014) hit your streaming box!

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The V/H/S film series was a fun, found footage anthology collection that featured a lot of the big names of horror & genre flicks weaving creepy shorts and spooky tales. It’s a solid trio. You don’t even need to watch them in order. Heck, you don’t even need to really watch the segments in order, but hey, however you watch stuff is your business. But I digress...

These ones in particular run the gamut between zany and nerve-wracking. Some are brutal as hell, and some are less than good than others, but alas that’s the rule of Horror Anthologies: Your mileage may vary!

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One of the standouts in V/H/S 2 is the intense cult story “Safe Haven” by Timo Tjahjanto (KILLERS, HEADSHOT and Gareth Huw Evans (THE RAID & RAID 2). This one is as brutal and high octane as their solo efforts and then it takes an even more sinister turn. It’s like three stories in one. Such a good ride.

V/H/S/ 2 also has “Slumber Party Alien Abduction” by Jason Eisener (HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN). This one is as oddball and freaky as they get. It’s like GOONIES meets X-FILES, but even weirder. I miss that guy.

Meanwhile, V/H/S: VIRAL has the off-the-wall and awesome WTFery of “Parallel Monsters” by Nacho Vigalondo (TIME CRIMES, COLOSSAL). If you’re a fan of his you MUST watch that one. Hell, if you aren’t you should watch that one and the rest of his films and shorts.

As far as February Shudder goes, that’s just the Canada Exclusives. We’re all getting friggin’ BASKETCASE (1982)! That not enough? you and your American pals can both witness Nic Cage being weird in an 80s vampire flick. As well as a heap of Shudder Originals and shockingly good times. It’s a good month to keep spooky season going.

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Check MOVIES ROT BRAINS later for more horror and genre talk, and eventual lists on some of our favourite films on your favourite streaming sites!

Keep it Creepy!

-MOVIES ROT BRAINS

#shudder #shudder canada #v/h/s #giallo #under the skin #horror #horror movies #movies rot brains #moviesrotbrains #reviews

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moviesrotbrains · 3 years

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George A. Romero Day

I was nine or ten when I first saw Tom Savini’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1990) remake. It wasn’t my first horror film. FRANKENSTEIN (1931) was an early memory, and a giant life-sized poster of his monster1 protected my room from nightmares. I’d often dream of Freddy Krueger despite never having seen any of his films at that point. Horror was everywhere in the 1980s.

I was in awe of LIVING DEAD ‘90. The idea of being trapped in a house with evils lurking outside. The paranoia that brewed among the humans… how the humans became monsters long before they were even bit. It was heavy stuff at the time. I don’t know if I drew parallels to all of this or simply thought, “Wow, those intense zombie fights that would make a cool NES game!”2

Savini’s redo was probably my first actual zombie experience. Again, I had seen zombies in other media, most like Scooby Doo or whatever other Saturday morning cartoon cribbed and remixed the undead concept to sell toys or comicbooks.

It was a few years later that I finally got to see George A. Romero’s original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968). I can’t recall if I first saw it on TV or an actual repertory screening of it. Memory is weird that way. I do remember being thoroughly blown away by it, despite more or less having memories of the plot from that remake.

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I never had a problem with Black & White movies, having already been a full on film-junkie at that point, but somehow that black & white depiction of old school zombies felt hyper real. Unsettling. Fucking cool as hell. Unerving. Or maybe I was just a dumb kid. Oh, I definitely was a dumb kid, and still am, but that moment cemented George Romero in the pantheon of cinematic greats. Didn’t matter what else he did, he made NOTLD. He made a weighty zombie film full of social commentary and subtext.3 He popularized zombies. He didn’t need to do anything else.

Oh, but he did. He so did.

It was around the time I was starting to consume more horror4 that a classmate had cut some scenes into a film project we were working on. My jaw was on the floor when I first saw the gory display of gritty carnage.

“This is from the 70s?”

I knew so little. I definitely didn’t know those effects were also by Tom Savini, but everything was coming full circle, and that was one of the key moments that I fell in love with Savini without even knowing.

“You never seen this? Here, man, I’ll loan you it.”

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And that was when I first saw Romero’s DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978). Take some people of various walks of life and have them take refuge in an empty mall-- only to find the Zombies have returned to the place they frequented most.

“WHEN THERE’S NO ROOM IN HELL, THE DEAD WILL WALK THE EARTH!”

DOTD ‘78, The brutal and hilarious takedown of consumption and mall culture. Social Commentary, Zombie Gags, and Sick Kills. A film that’s loved by both critics and horror junkies. A film that said something and also entertained. George Romero in a nutshell.

A film that also became my gateway drug to Good Horror. And to Bad Horor. Again, I already loved horror. I loved the aesthetic, the vibe. Always drew monsters. Always collected weird monster toys. If a film was playing on a movie channel, I’d watch it.

But Romero’s DAWN OF THE DEAD was THE film that made me WANT to actually seek them out. The film that made me want to rewatch my older brother’s old worn Betamax tapes of classic 80s horror flicks. A film that introduced me to Dario Argento.5 A movie that got me into the music of Italian Horror Prog Rock legends, GOBLIN. The life changing event that made me a nut for Savini and every 80s fx guru around. A story that made we want to watch every zombie film I possibly could. Good or Bad, and there’s a lot of bad out there. But there’s also a lot of good. So much good.

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Romero’s DAY OF THE DEAD (1985) is one of those good zombie films. I saw a midnight screening with my dad at that same repertory cinema.6 This was Romero’s third DEAD film and took place on a military base. It introduced the concept of the military studying, training, and weaponizing the living dead. It also has one of the freakiest scenes involving hands and walls that still rattles me to this day. It has a stomach churning scene involving a ripped stomach. It’s wonderful, largely in part to once again utilizing Savini’s talents, as well as Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger-- who years later brought THE WALKING DEAD to your homes. Romero’s legacy still felt to this day.

That being said, Romero’s legacy was far more than just Zombie films, of course. He made a film, that’s rather timely now7, about a plague that made people crazy called... THE CRAZIES (1973). There was another about a vampire wannabe named MARTIN (1978). A spectacular 80s horror anthology film series called CREEPSHOW8 (1982 & 1987). And a wonderfully bizarre film about a homicidal monkey named, appropriately enough, MONKEY SHINES (1988). I saw that last one before I even knew who he was but I never really forgot it. And those are just a few.

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He revisited his LIVING DEAD films with additional sequels in the 2000s and 2010s and was working on another up until his death. I was very lucky to briefly thank him during a convention, a year or so before he passed. Thanked him for the films. For everything.

He didn’t just impact me, of course. He impacted the people he worked with, who’ve gone on to impact other people in turn. He’s impacted the fans who got into horror because of him. He’s impacted the horror fans who weren’t even fans of his, because they most definitely liked something that was made by someone who was inspired by George Romero.

You’ll see it with a DOTD’s actor cameo in a Rob Zombie film, or a gruesome creature effect in a micro-budget classic. You’ll see it in a modern classic like TRAIN TO BUSAN (2016) or while laughing your guts out at SHAWN OF THE DEAD (2004).

We aren’t just talking about movies, we’re talking books, music, and video games. 90s SIMPSON’s references. We’re talking art, tattoos, and comics. RPGs, Board games, Toys, and Funko Pops. Those Halloween decorations you keep in your home all year long . The clothes you wear. Your creepy and kooky badass goth aesthetic. A lot of what we love about horror today is thanks to George A. Romero.

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He didn’t create zombies… but he certainly gave them life. He did more than that. He made horror important again.

I can’t do justice to George A. Romero with words. His work speaks for itself. So today, on what would have been his 81st Birthday, watch some Romero. If you’re out there quarantining, staying at home, under a curfew, and fearing the unfathomable, infectious dangers lurking outside your door… definitely watch Romero.

This decade is off to a weird start, luckily we have Romero’s influence to get us through it.

Happy Birthday, George! And thank you for infecting me with horror.

-Theo Radomski, MOVIES ROT BRAINS

photo via Global News

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ENDNOTES FROM THE GRAVE

1. And you know what? I still call him Frankenstein. Because he’s essentially his son. That’s his creation. And Victor would have had the hubris to name his creation after himself if he had not abandoned that poor schlub. But I digress…

2. Actually, that’s exactly what I thought. And about 30 years later, Zombies are still a staple of modern video gaming, from Resident Evil and Doom still going strong after three decades, to Call of Duty and Red Dead Redemption still having Zombie mods. To every friggin’ game out there that has any undead horror creeping about. The nine-year-old me is having a blast right now.

3. I had definitely caught on the subtext and themes by that point that I may have missed while watching the remake as a kid. Still a dumb kid, though.

4. Thanks in part to HBO’s TALES FROM THE CRYPT reruns on FOX. Expect another nonsensical rambling piece on that show and the 50s comics that inspired it sometime in the future.

5. And that opened the doorway into Giallo, Fulci, and a whole slew of Italian Exploitation and American Slasher films and that’s a whole other long screed for another time.

6. My dad was another reason I love this genre. He loved horror movies. I still hear his voice in my head saying, “Ooooh, It’s a Scary Movie!” in his German accent.

7. Actually, aren’t they all?

8. Which has also had a revival in the form of Shudder’s excellent new CREEPSHOW anthology series made by Romero’s DAY OF THE DEAD Alumni Greg Nicotero! See how it’s all connected?

#HORROR #GEORGE ROMERO #NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD #DAWN OF THE DEAD #DAY OF THE DEAD #ZOMBIES #HORROR MOVIES #george a. romero #monkey shines #creepshow #graveyard ramblings #moviesrotbrains #movies rot brains

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