Holy hell: The Necro Files (1997)!

Maybe it was simply the amazing company I watched said film with but this was my kind of crazy and talk about freakin' inventive on a non-existent budget. I was honestly blown away. The story was very engaging and unpredictable so it was never boring in the slightest. I can't state how hard it is to make a good film for no money but this is a perfect example. It's fun, it's out there, and it proves you don't need a ton of cash to make something great. You're always looking for hidden gems like this. I wish the sequel was on the same level (it's a very curious case of why not but the first was just all over the place in the best way). Lightning in a bottle definitely sums up this film and it just seems like you couldn't recapture it if you tried but what do I know. I still appreciate them trying and all the credit in the world for filmmakers who just make it happen, no matter the end result. Watch this. Watch it now.

Bubba the Redneck Werewolf (2014) does the impossible.

Making a monster movie for no money is crazy difficult especially if you want to paint outside the lines of the common staples: zombie, ghost, werewolf, and vampire. But even taking on one of the core four can be daunting. Just think of the masterpieces already done with each and the task could be overwhelming. I would guess werewolf is also the least explored of those four since the FX are the most challenging. This is all my way of saying I love Bubba the Redneck Werewolf because it's an indie with so much heart, great casting, and it's genuinely funny. Malone Thomas is perfect as Bobbie Jo and she really anchors the film. Fred Lass is also excellent as Bubba in werewolf form but the writing is genuinely clever particularly when combined with the resourceful filmmaking. I was surprised I never heard of this before but clearly a lot of great indies fly under the radar without huge marketing budgets. I wish they had made sequels and I rarely, if ever, say that these days.

Hitch-Hike (1977) lives up to the poster.

And what an outstanding poster it is. Unlike many awesome but misleading posters, this scene is in the movie and more. I love Italian crime films from the 70s and Italian horror of course but I'm happy to see people celebrating these. It's always a pleasure to see Franco Nero in something and I was very happy to see David Hess as well although for me, Corinne Clery steals the film. I love the alternate title: The Naked Prey. The score by Ennio Morricone is also phenomenal of course but I was just glued to the screen while watching this. It has some tough scenes to watch and goes deeper than you might think it would with men and women relationships so I love it even more for that. It always feels tense as well and you're not sure how it's all going to turn out. Definitely one to seek out if you haven't seen it. I would blind buy it actually (let's all support physical media if we can).

Trilogy of Lust 2: Portrait of a Sex Killer (1995) shouldn't be one of my favorites but it is.

I just love how insane it is and I feel like it's pushing boundaries. I certainly don't think it's playing things safe by any stretch so I really admire that. Reviews for it seem less than favorable but dammit I love it. The very end is odd and a lot of it is brutal but they were completely fearless in going to some extremely dark places. So much horror feels safe now especially if you gorged yourself on it. Clive Barker said the same thing recently when I saw him speak at Spooky Empire. Thus, I have to say a film like this should be applauded because it's unique and totally out there. The lead actress Julie Lee is also wonderful and so brave to do something like this (she was great in the first part as well). I know there are German releases of this (you rule, Germany) but dang it someone give this a nice English-subtitled Blu-ray with extras please. We don't deserve this but we need it for our dark little souls.

The Antichrist (1974) veers too close to The Exorcist.

But really I still like it. I just wish it went down a less familiar road after the halfway point. I thought the beginning was good though and the way it built up. It has some nudity and some shocking moments, which were well done. Even something I hadn't seen before in a black magic ritual. There may be a good reason why I hadn't seen that before but I still think it's great for horror to push boundaries and try to disturb the audience. Horror can be fun too. Really there is room in horror to do anything... a crazy gory comedy horror ala Evil Dead 2 or a serious punishing character study like Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. That's what I love most about horror. It can be anything and even mixed into something totally new, defying genres. I just love it most when horror takes risks and doesn't play it safe. Easier to do with independent films that don't have a lot of money on the line although even then many movies don't do that but I think they should. 

The Burning Moon (1992) ascends to total madness.

You just can't beat practical FX. At least I don't think so. All the masterpieces from the '80s prove this, and Olaf Ittenbach is known for his amazing FX. I'm a huge fan of Premutos: The Fallen Angel so I was eager to see this and it didn't disappoint. Slight spoiler but when a certain guy goes to hell in the finale, it was amazing. I love the way he's torn apart and everything around that. It definitely makes a strong impact and there are great moments earlier in the film too but that sequence blew me away. I wish more films would do something so bonkers and unexpected. Sure the movie isn't flawless but it's truly independent and you can tell there is genuine passion behind it, which I think makes all the difference. Hollywood films are polished but they so often treat the audience like idiots and don't take any chances. Independents can be so much more raw and brutal, making real horror possible.

Deep Shock (2003) haunted me forever.

I swear I saw this poster like a million times before finally seeing the movie. I can't explain it. I knew my expectations were too high since I love the poster and I figured the monster would just be CGI. Unfortunately, I was correct but I don't want to give the film too hard of a time because hey, I would never try an underwater monster movie and if it was practical, I think it would be much better. I like David Keith (love Keith David but beggars can't be choosers) and I just wish the creatures in the film looked more like the great rendering on the poster but I saw this on Tubi so I can't complain (I knew what I was in for too). I still love watching monster movies even ones that leave a bit to be desired. Just look at the tagline: "The end of the world is just an eel's length away." That tells you what you're in for but what can I say? I'm a sucker for a great poster (if only it was a painting but dang it I still really like it... I'm a sucker for deep sea monsters).

Siew Lup (2016) deserves a US release.

I can't believe this film doesn't have a Blu-ray I can buy. I know there is a German release but it doesn't have English subtitles (I'll still buy it but dang it come on). Please some company out there give this a proper release. I love this film and what this filmmaker is doing. It seems like there isn't any horror from Singapore really and even in the world, there isn't much erotic horror especially these days (yes, I love Jess Franco and Jean Rollin but we get almost nothing now). Siew Lup is very well done and I hope it gets some more attention. The poster, just by itself, is completely awesome and captivating. I really want to own a physical copy of this particularly with some bonus features. It reminds me of The Untold Story but a lot more sexy and grounded. Let's not wait until 40 years from now to show this some love like we have with Franco and Rollin. People are always way too harsh on new releases while treasuring past ones that critics trashed back in the day.

Fatal Love (1993) delivers CAT III goodness.

Hong Kong gave the world a glorious gift in the form of its notorious CAT III films but this one especially stood out to me. There are plenty of other amazing titles in this wonderfully nasty den of cinema, which I'm sure are arguably much better (Diary of a Serial Killer comes to mind... so wrong in every way or the infamous Ebola Syndrome of course) yet I have to hold up Fatal Love. It's quite twisted and I didn't see the end coming although I should have but the story pulled me in. Ellen Chan should have gotten an Oscar. Alright, maybe that's a bit much but she did a killer job in this as a cop on the trail of a really sick bastard. There are some fun twists in the story and my enjoyment of the film has nothing to do with the beautiful leading lady. Nope, nothing at all. You believe me right? Hello? I'm talking to myself again, aren't I? It's crazy they got away with making films like these. Crazy awesome.

I'm reminded of one eternal truth: I need to watch more CAT III. If you haven't seen the documentary Category III: The Untold Story of Hong Kong Exploitation Cinema, I highly recommend that as well. Naked Killer, Raped By an Angel aka Naked Killer 2, Dr. Lamb, Bloody Beast, Fatal Passion, The Untold Story, Taxi Hunter, The Other Side of Dolls, The Rapist, Trilogy of Lust, The Peeping Tom, etc. What a dark demented rabbit hole. You'll love it.

Malabimba (1979) goes hard on the sleaze.

If you watched The Exorcist and thought to yourself, "Not bad but where's all the nudity and sex?" then don't worry, this Italian "horror" movie was made for you. The full title The Malicious Whore lets you know exactly what you're in for. It's very strange and kind of disturbing (I guess that's the horror part... the Italian meaning of "wicked child" is even more disturbing) but if you've ventured into the dark sewer known as erotic horror, I think you pretty much know what to expect. I didn't realize Satan's Baby Doll (yes, I've seen it... hey, great poster) is basically a remake of this but that makes perfect sense. I prefer the latter... I think. My memory is a bit hazy and so many of these movies kind of run together. Malabimba has a pretty amazing location in an old castle and for being a sexploitation film, it delivers on that front. I was hoping maybe for some more horror but it's pretty light on that. Sure possession and "evil voice" but most of the horror is rather laughable instead of scary.

Thanksgiving (2023) is a blast.

I had such a great time watching this. It's a fantastic blend of comedy and horror. It doesn't take itself too seriously but the threat is very real. Eli Roth knocked it out of the park. He builds the tension very well then turns on a dime to make you laugh. The FX are excellent with some imaginative, gruesome kills. I'm excited for the sequel, and I hope it's even crazier, but I loved the actors in this. The cast was really perfect. No spoilers but they couldn't have picked a better killer. I was so happy, and I couldn't predict who it was at all. The writing was quite clever and I like what it has to say about American society. There was a real point to the carnage (not that there always has to be but it gave the film more meaning). Sure I would've liked the killer's mask to be a bit more creepy or messed up but it makes sense the town wouldn't have scary masks like that for everyone so they struck a good balance plus you see a cooler burned mask later. The tagline is hilarious too and fun in the film.